COLUMBIA — When Robby Ashford transferred to South Carolina football from Auburn, he just wanted things to be different.

In his fifth year of college football, he faced another quarterback battle but that didn't matter, as long as it was better than before.

"It's been better than any competition I've ever been in. In a lot of competitions weird stuff goes on but this room, I haven't seen any of that," Ashford said. "There was a lot of individualized stuff at the other places I've been, everybody wanted it for themselves and it drew a lot of people apart, forcing people to pick sides, that's not healthy for a team ... when I came (here) and knew it was a competition, I didn't want any of that to happen."

Ashford came to the Gamecocks after a two-year stint at Auburn where he transferred to after failing to play for two years at Oregon.

For the Tigers in 2022, he started nine games and in his first SEC season threw for 1,613 yards and seven touchdowns to go with 709 yards rushing yards and seven touchdowns. He completed just under 50% of his passes. In 2023, he lost his starting spot to transfer Payton Thorne but completed 14 passes for 145 yards, and rushed for 217 rushing yards and five touchdowns as backup.

He came to South Carolina in January, as the Gamecocks' former starter Spencer Rattler was gearing up for the 2024 NFL Draft. With Rattler out, coach Shane Beamer turned to freshman LaNorris Sellers, who completed 4 of 4 passes against Furman in Week 2 and threw a 50-yard touchdown.

When Beamer named Sellers starting quarterback at the end of spring practice, there was nothing but respect coming from Ashford, who was named backup.

"I look at (Sellers) as a little brother ... we just try to have fun with the work," Ashford said. "He's QB1 coming into it, I respect that, he's been here and he's done what he needed to do ... my job is to help him and be ready to play when my time is called. We have a great relationship."

The two even live in the same building, and Ashford expressed how great it is to have someone as a friend, to learn from and joke with off the field.

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When Beamer named Sellers the starter, he said the job could still be taken away. While offensive coordinator Dowell Loggains hasn't announced who starts on Aug. 31, Ashford was asked if there's talk of the backup QB getting playing time or snaps this year.

"Yeah I am pretty sure, it's kind of just a coach thing , I don't really look too much into that because it's not really my place but I just try to go and do what I can, hopefully I do enough to see the field," Ashford said. "It's the SEC ... you always have to have the next man up mentality, the backup is always one play away from getting in the game ... coach will make the best decision and I'll respect it regardless."

In the spring game and on Saturday for the preseason's scrimmage, Ashford and Sellers led each team. The two are comparable in size, with Sellers listed at 6-foot-3, slightly above Ashford at 6-foot-2. They both have the speed and ability to run the ball but Ashford has lacked confidence throwing in the pocket at times.

"I feel like I can make every throw on the field ... a lot of people think I can't but I wouldn't be here if I couldn't, (Loggains) and (Beamer) have told me that at times when I didn't believe in myself. ... They've instilled a great pocket presence in me, one I didn't have before."

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Lulu Kesin covers South Carolina athletics for The Greenville News and the USA TODAY Network. Email her at lkesin@gannett.com and follow her on X, formerly known as Twitter, @Lulukesin

This article originally appeared on Greenville News: South Carolina football: Robby Ashford on LaNorris Sellers, QB battle