South Carolina Football: Are the Gamecocks Close to Naming Offensive Coordinator?

Is Shane Beamer and the Gamecocks close to hiring an offensive coordinator? Rumors are circulation that former Arkansas OC and current TCU OC Kendal Briles is the favorite to win the job.

Nov 19, 2016; Waco, TX, USA; Baylor Bears offensive coordinator Kendal Briles on the sidelines during the second quarter against the Kansas State Wildcats at McLane Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ray Carlin-Imagn Images | Ray Carlin-Imagn Images

South Carolina has been looking for an offensive coordinator since firing Mike Shula on Nov 2. While nothing is concrete as of now, it appears a favorite has finally emerged from the pack. Will the Gamecocks make a move soon?

After moving on from Shula, wide receivers coach and passing game coordinator Mike Furrey was promoted to the role and performed admirably. Before taking over the role, the Gamecocks offense averaged 19.6 points per game. In the final three games of the season with Furrey at the helm, the offense jumped from 19.6 points per game to 31.6 points per game. It appears Furrey will go back to his former role, while South Carolina has their eyes set on a former SEC offensive coordinator.

High Octane Offenses

Nov 19, 2022; Fayetteville, Arkansas, USA; Arkansas Razorbacks offensive coordinator Kendal Briles celebrates after a touchdown by running back Raheim Sanders (5) during the third quarter against the Ole Miss Rebels at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium. Arkansas won 42-27. Mandatory Credit: Nelson Chenault-Imagn Images | Nelson Chenault-Imagn Images

The name circulating social media circles is former Arkansas Razorbacks offensive coordinator and current TCU offensive coordinator, Kendal Briles. Briles, the son of former Baylor head coach Art Briles, would bring a form of the air raid offense. Those offenses tend to want to spread defenses out and take shots down field.

Tennessee, under head coach Josh Heupel, and now Auburn, under newly hired head coach Alex Golesh, come from the Briles tree and run similar offenses. Kendal has a long history of calling plays in his six previous stops which includes stops at Baylor (2015-2016), Florida Atlantic (2017), Houston (2018), Florida State (2019), Arkansas (2020-2022), and TCU (2023-2025). This past season the Horned Frogs offense averaged 30.8 points per game, 132.6 rushing yards per game, 292.8 passing yards per game, and 425.3 total yards per game.

Should Briles be the hire Shane Beamer ultimately makes, it is a shift in philosphy than what they have been in Beamer's tenure. After arriving in Columbia, Beamer has hired three offensive coordinators, Marcus Satterfield, Dowell Loggians, and Mike Shula. The latter two having a lot of NFL experience bringing in an NFL style of offense. Briles would bring in an offense more suited for modern college football which could help greatly improve the team on that side of the ball.

This is an important hire for Beamer. The next guy needs to be a successful hire, or Beamer may be on the hot seat in future seasons. Whatever the route the program chooses to take, the next step is trying to keep their offensive stars in Columbia for one more season.

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