In its 38-27 win against Vanderbilt on Saturday night in Nashville, Tenn., South Carolina’s offense showed what potential it could have for the closing weeks of the season.

Questions remain but the majority of them were resolved. There was a glimpse of what was expected in preseason musings, when it was thought it had the prospect to be a juggernaut against any defense.

It also was another glimpse of “Beamer Ball,” the offense in fifth gear and the defense in its bend-but-don’t break mode for 2nd-year coach Shane Beamer. It was another example of a large lead melting away, producing cold sweats as margin of victory narrowed.

Throw in some turnovers (4 for Vanderbilt) and what results is an overall effort that is not dominant but still produces a Gamecocks “W.” (More on the defense this week).

Yet, fears about the offense from the Gamecocks’ faithful have been relieved temporarily. It’s become apparent now that this will be the script for the team overall. The offense will need to follow the road map from Saturday down the stretch.

The Gamecocks responded well to recent loud rumblings about offensive coordinator Marcus Satterfield for not fully implementing all of the tools at his disposal. The emphasis centered around tight end/running back Jaheim Bell and wide receivers Antwane “Juice” Wells, Dakereon Joyner, Josh Vann and Xavier Legette.

Satterfield surely answered his critics Saturday, creativity spreading the ball around. He has to keep digging into his bag of tricks during the next 3 weeks of the regular season beginning at Florida next Saturday as well as for a bowl game. The Gamecocks’ sixth win of the season (6-3, 3-3 SEC) clinched an extra game for the 2nd consecutive year.

Eight different ball carriers and nine different receivers in a neatly tucked 492-yard package should quiet any concerns. At least for now. Only tight end Austin Stogner, who has been a reliable option all year, wasn’t up to speed, with just 1 catch for a loss of yardage.

Bell, who had vanished from the schemes in recent weeks, had 19 touches at Vanderbilt, 16 on the ground for 56 yards as the Gamecocks’ primary run option with MarShawn Lloyd sidelined with a thigh bruise.

Even without Lloyd – who was north of 75 yards in 4 of the previous 5 weeks – the Gamecocks grinded out 208 yards on the ground in Nashville on Saturday night.

Joyner uncorked a 68-yard bomb to Wells from a wildcat formation, as Satterfield worked in a steady flow of reverses and sweeps that added the flair the Gamecocks’ faithful had been seeking, notably since their lackluster offensive showing in their recent loss to Missouri. Wells, quarterback Spencer Rattler’s favorite target all season, also caught another touchdown in his 4-catch, 110-yard effort.

Jalen Brooks was back in the mix as well with his four catches for 45 yards, and Vann (3 for 32) was the recipient of a tight, precise 19-yard bullet from Rattler in the back of the end zone.

Add in the hard running of Christian Beal-Smith, who rambled for a 52-yard score, and the quick spurts of JuJu McDowell, who contributed 48 yards on 5 carries, one a 27-yard burst.

And then there is Rattler. A few skeptics still remain about whether the former 5-star prospect is a true quarterback standout for the next 2 years. His inconsistencies and touchdown-interception ratio (before the it was game 5-to-9) still have plagued him.

But Rattler reacted in timely fashion with arguably his best outing of the year, in a game the Gamecocks desperately needed to win in order to maintain their credibility. He connected on 16 of 23 attempts for 186 yards with 3 touchdowns and 0 interceptions.

His numbers are not staggering, but Rattler showed the poise and leadership that has been expected of him since he arrived in Columbia last year with suggestions he might be a Heisman Trophy candidate. With Lloyd’s resurgence in the backfield, Rattler’s role had been adjusted to that of a game manager in recent weeks. It’s an approach that has produced sub-200-yard passing performances that still were effective.

Rattler again totaled less than 200 yards, but he spread the ball around without Lloyd and generated the second-best total offense output of the past two seasons.

If Satterfield can stay the course with these schemes and have Lloyd return in his role, the Gamecocks’ offense can run at full throttle. It currently sits 10th in the Southeastern Conference overall, 9th in passing and 11th in rushing.

The key will be versatility and staying the course. By early next Saturday evening in Florida there will be another bit of evidence to see if the offense remains on target.