Though some Gamecock faithful may be impatient with Shane Beamer, the South Carolina coach still has the support of his quarterback, who could return for another year.

Spencer Rattler, once mentioned as a Heisman Trophy contender at Oklahoma, announced his support Saturday night after the Gamecocks’ season-ending 16-7 loss to Clemson. Rattler completed only 12 of 24 passes for 112 yards with an interception against the Tigers.

Beamer is 20-18 at USC, but only 10-14 in SEC play. The Gamecocks’ 31-30 victory over Clemson last season snapped a 7-game losing streak against their in-state rivals.

The highly touted 6-1 Rattler has a strong arm and good running ability. He has been criticized for some poor decisions and committing too many turnovers.

“I believed in what he was doing and I still do … He’s the man for the job. He leads that locker room like nobody I’ve seen before,” Beamer said.

Rattler could show his faith in Beamer by returning next year, though that seems unlikely. In October, Ryan Wilson, an NFL Draft Analyst for CBS Sports projected Rattler as a first-round pick if he enters the upcoming draft. Rattler waited until January before announcing his return to the Gamecocks for the 2023 season.

Playing behind a suspect offensive line, Rattler completed 68.9% of his passes for 3,186 yards with 19 TDs and 8 INTs, an improvement from 12 INTs in 2022.