COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — South Carolina running back Raheim Sanders has shown in recent weeks why he has the well-earned nickname “Rocket.”

When it starts, It’s almost impossible to catch Sanders.

“When I see that green grass, I think, ‘Man, that’s pretty,’” Sanders said after gaining 126 yards and scoring two touchdowns in a 28-7 win at then-No. 24 Vanderbilt on Saturday.

The newly ranked No. 23 Gamecocks (6-3, 4-3 Southeastern Conference) hope Sanders’ performances continue down the stretch, starting Saturday against No. 24 Missouri (7-2, 5-2) .

Sanders averaged 8.2 yards per rush against the improved Commodores. He had scoring runs of 33 and 1 yard, plus added a 43-yard touchdown reception from LaNorris Sellers for a Gamecocks team that almost no one in the SEC wants to face right now.

It was the latest of several significant performances from the Arkansas transfer, who finished second in the Southeastern Conference in rushing with 1,443 yards and 10 touchdowns for the Razorbacks two years ago.

Sanders has rushed for five of his 10 touchdowns this season in South Carolina’s last three wins. in oklahoma (35-9) and against ranked opponents in then-No. 10Texas A&M (44-20) and the Commodores.

He had a season-high 144 rushing yards against the Aggies.

“The key is trusting him, on the field, trusting him and being very coachable has helped me a lot,” Sanders said.

The game, Sanders believeswill return to it after struggling to get on the field in 2023. He was looking to build on his All-SEC season, but played in just six games as injuries kept him on the sidelines. When the season ended and Sanders looked for a fresh start, he connected with South Carolina offensive coordinator Dowell Loggains, who played a similar role for the Razorbacks when Sanders was there.

What Sanders found Sellers is a rising young dual-threat quarterback who can keep defenses guessing and an offensive line that has largely been healthy and cohesive.

“I feel like the key is talking to them every day,” Sanders said. “I also feel more comfortable talking to them every day outside of football. That’s what makes us a better unit.

“When you work as a unit,” Sanders continued, “the sky is the limit.”

Loggains said in the offseason that Sanders may have gained too much weight, reaching over 240 pounds, and that may have led to some injury problems. These days, Sanders is quickly weighing 230 pounds.

“If I hadn’t had the year off from him, the two years we spent together at Arkansas, he feels and looks like the same player who has juice, who has size, who is a professional,” Loggains said.

The job has significantly raised South Carolina’s career profile. The Gamecocks rank fifth overall in the SEC with over 180 rushing yards per game, nearly 100 more than a year ago when they were last in the league at 85.1 yards per game.

South Carolina coach Shane Beamer said the improvement comes from many areas of growth, including Sellers’ versatility, the maturation of the offensive line and the offensive staff coming up with more inventive schemes to take advantage of Sanders’ strengths.

Sanders seemed to take off in September when he racked up 143 yards and two touchdowns in a heartbreaking 36-33 loss to then-No. 14 LSU after the Gamecocks led 17-0. But Sanders hurt his ankle in that game and had just nine carries in the next two games, which included a 27-3 loss to Mississippi.

Consistently, Sanders called on his work ethic during the offseason to get back on the field and play like he and his coaches knew he could.

“He’s just been very convinced and motivated to do the things he needed to do to be a great player,” Beamer said. “It’s good to see him having the success he’s having now.”

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