On the heels of Gamecock legend Steve Spurrier’s sudden retirement, the coaching search is officially underway. While interim head coach Shawn Elliott will lead South Carolina for the remainder of the season, the Gamecocks will certainly look outside of the program for the next head coach.
Athletic director Ray Tanner could go many directions with his search, and will have to find the guy with the right set of characteristics required to succeed at South Carolina.
Tanner will likely conduct his search with a specific list of characteristics in mind. The next Gamecock coach could be youthful, offensive-minded and recruiting savvy. However, Tanner wants the next head coach to be a good fit with the program and its culture. I believe the the guy Tanner chooses will have to fall into at least three of these four categories.
So, I’ve compiled a list of the five most likely successors to the Head Ball Coach based on the above criteria. These are not necessarily the best candidates, although all are qualified. Instead, these are the most probably successors to the Head Ball Coach.
1. Justin Fuente, HC, Memphis- Fuente makes sense. A rising star in the coaching world, Fuentes has resurrected a dying Memphis program in three seasons. A former quarterback that handled play calling duties while coaching the running backs at TCU, Fuente is a true players coach. At age 39, Fuente would bring a youthful energy that would help the Gamecocks immensely.
2. Mark Dantonio, HC, Michigan State- The only two things holding Dantonio back are his age and position with the Spartans. A graduate of South Carolina, Dantonio may be willing to return to his alma mater for the right price. Behind an Dantonio holds an impressive 81-31 record at Michigan State. At age 59, may be older than Tanner would like, but the former Gamecock would fit in well at South Carolina.
3. Tom Herman, HC, Houston - Offense. Offense. Offense. Herman came to Houston this year after winning a national championship as Ohio State’s offensive coordinator. The Buckeye offense looks lost this year without the 40-year-old coach at the helm, while undefeated Houston is averaging 573.4 yards per game. Though this is his first year as a head coach, Herman is already garnering attention from big-name schools. An above-average recruiter, Herman has the ability to compete with recruiting juggernauts Georgia and Clemson.
4. Kirby Smart, DC, Alabama - Smart has received numerous head coaching offers over the past several years, but has turned them down to stay at Alabama. Alabama coach Nick Saban is 63. Smart may be at the top of the Gamecocks’ wish list, if they can lure him away from Tuscaloosa. Arguably the best recruiter in college football, the 39-year-old would put turn South Carolina into a recruiting powerhouse. As an SEC coach, I believe Smart would be tempted by an offer to be a head coach in the conference.
5. Charlie Strong, HC, Texas/Chad Morris, HC, SMU - It’s nearly impossible to have a listicle without at least one tie. Strong has fallen out of favor at Texas. A good recruiter, Strong could be a hire much like Gamecock basketball coach Frank Martin and is a better coach than his record at Texas indicates. Strong was South Carolina’s defensive coordinator from 1999-2001 and may be willing to return. Morris, on the other hand, was hired away from Clemson by SMU this season. Taking over a dismal Mustang team, Morris is 1-5, but SMU has competed against much more talented teams. Another solid recruiter, Morris was a high school coach for 16 years and has a bright coaching future ahead of him in the college game.