For the first time in 11 years, South Carolina will conduct a search for a head football coach. Last time, it was anticlimactic; Steve Spurrier was announced as head football coach just one day after Lou Holtz announced his retirement.
This time, the Gamecocks will take much longer to find a head coach.
Spurrier stepped down partially because he is simply burnt out, and partially because he is allowing the Gamecocks to get ahead of the coaching curve. When all's said and done, multiple big-name programs will be searching for coaches.
University of Southern California has already fired Steve Sarkisian. University of Texas, University of Miami and University of Oregon could all be searching for coaches after the season as well. If Spurrier waited to step down, South Carolina would be just another school. However, while Athletic Director Ray Tanner will be limited in communication with some potential replacements, candidates know the position is open and can take interest before other jobs open up.
From a recruiting standpoint, the timing is beneficial in the long run. Most recruits in the 2016 cycle understood that they were not likely to play for Spurrier. Four-star linebacker P.J. Blue decommitted, but most players in this cycle committed to the school and not Spurrier.
Spurrier announcing midseason gives South Carolina the chance to find the right replacement, and gives that coach time to establish his own recruiting presence. Despite what it looks like on the surface, Spurrier’s timing will benefit the team in the long run.
The program is lightyears ahead of where it was when Spurrier arrived, and, as such, will be more attractive to potential coaches. While Tanner does not know who he wants as head coach, he knows what he wants in a head coach.
“It is important that we find the best person with passion and dedication to perform at a high level in a very competitive conference in the Southeastern Conference. Certainly integrity. My roots are heavy, I love Columbia and the University of South Carolina. I want somebody to be like that, I want somebody that fits that role. While somebody's resume may be better, I think it is important that we hire someone with the roots that fit about who we are,” Tanner said.
Tanner intends to go with “roots over resume” when conducting the coaching search, and while many fans scorned this decision, it’s the right approach.
All Tanner means is that the Gamecocks will look for a head coach that fits best with South Carolina’s culture and goals. The best teams nearly always go with this “best fit” approach.
When Lou Holtz retired in 2004, then Athletic Director Mike McGee looked for an established coach that would make South Carolina nationally relevant. Spurrier was that guy. His planet-sized personality attracted national media like no Gamecock coach had before.
Now the situation is different. Because Spurrier took South Carolina to the next level, the next coach does not necessarily need to be an already-established household name. If an up-and-coming coach fits well with the vision of the program, he could beat out a bigger name. That would make some fans mad but ultimately benefit the program.
Tanner’s “roots over resume” approach will only work if South Carolina can find a quality coach that gels with the program’s philosophy. There are talented coaches that would fit perfectly at South Carolina. Tanner just has to find one.