Todd Ellis set records as Gamecock QB, is bullish on USC direction under Shane Beamer

Todd Ellis’ passing numbers for the Gamecocks rank among the best in program history.

If all goes according to plan, though, they might just be touched in 2022.

With the import of former Oklahoma quarterback Spencer Rattler, the University of South Carolina football team arguably boasts its biggest-armed passer since Ellis patrolled the huddle at Williams-Brice Stadium in the late 1980s.

But that certainly doesn’t bother Ellis, who’s spent the better part of 30 years as the radio voice of USC football and was celebrated Monday for his 2020 induction into the South Carolina Athletic Hall of Fame.

“You don’t want to step in there early and say, ‘By the way, I’m Todd Ellis, the leading passer all-time and the voice of the Gamecocks,’ ” Ellis quipped of meeting Rattler for the first time this spring. “But Shane (Beamer) called me over there to do that and I got to meet him and then of course, watched him (during the spring).

“... I think it’s one of the better spring practices from the logistics, running, implementing that I’ve seen in a long time,” he continued. “That doesn’t always equate to the best of teams, but I tell you what, we look so much better than we did even late in the fall and we got a little bit of a rhythm. I’m excited about the football team. I think Shane’s got it going on.”

Ellis’ formal celebration this week was the culmination of an almost two-year postponement of his and the rest of the South Carolina Athletic Hall of Fame’s 2020 class — a group whose ceremony had been delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The North Carolina native had spent recent days bouncing between his sons’ graduations from law school at New York University and Georgetown. Now back in Columbia, he found himself at the center of the festivities along with Gamecock football great Sidney Rice, among others.

“(I remember) walking around even before I got to the University of South Carolina and seeing Todd’s pictures absolutely everywhere,” Rice said. “Going into all these places there were pictures of Todd, and it’s awesome. I’m super happy for him as well — it’s a long time coming.”

Ellis concluded his time at South Carolina completing 747 of his 1,350 attempts for 9,953 yards and 43 touchdowns. He still ranks first in school history in career pass attempts, second in completions and starting quarterback wins, and tied-for-fourth in passing touchdowns.

Following his USC career, Ellis was selected in the ninth round and 247th overall in the 1990 NFL Draft by the Denver Broncos.

He’s also stayed close to the Gamecocks program through his official role in the radio booth, and has been seen firsthand the positive energy an ahead-of-schedule 2021 campaign did for Beamer and his 7-6 squad heading toward this fall.

“Most of the people are absolutely thrilled by Shane and his enthusiasm,” Ellis said. “I describe him as an old (former Florida State head coach) Bobby Bowden-type — he’s great with corporations, dealing with dealing with alumni and that world and (he’s) great in the living room (recruiting) as well. He relates to everyone, is incredibly personal and he’s also very meticulous. I think that’s going to serve him well.”

South Carolina Athletic Hall of Fame Inductees

Class of 2020

Peter Boulware (Football) – Columbia native; Florida State and NFL

Dan Driessen (Baseball) – Hilton Head; Cincinnati Reds

Todd Ellis (Football) – South Carolina quarterback

Ed Lynch (Baseball) – South Carolina pitcher; Chicago Cubs general manger

Gaylord Perry (Baseball) – Limestone baseball coach; MLB Hall of Fame

C.J. Spiller (Football) – Clemson and NFL running back

Roberta Williams (Basketball) – Charleston; S.C. State hoops legend

Class of 2022

Mike Ayers (Football) – Wofford football coach

Fred Hoover – Clemson; “Father of Sports Medicine in S.C.”

Sidney Rice (Football) – Gaffney, USC, NFL wide receiver

Judy Wilkins Rose – Blacksburg; UNCC director of athletics