Could we see a Clemson football coach end up as the next Head Coach of South Carolina?
The search for a new coach is officially on in Columbia and there’s no doubt that South Carolina could be interested in several coaches with Clemson football ties.
It was officially announced Sunday evening that the University of South Carolina would be parting ways with Will Muschamp after five seasons of mediocrity leading the Gamecocks to just a 2-5 start on the 2020 season.
While South Carolina will have to pay a hefty buyout- to the tune of $13 million- the Gamecocks are now looking to restore life in their program for the first time in many years.
There have been plenty of names tossed about as potential candidates and there are several Clemson football coaches who could be in the discussion
It would seem that two coaches are the early favorites to land the job at South Carolina- Liberty’s Hugh Freeze and Coastal Carolina’s Jamey Chadwell- but there are also several other names being tossed about, including two men with Clemson football ties.
Former Tiger Offensive Coordinator Billy Napier has been a named tied to the South Carolina program for quite some time and he’s having a nice run as the Head Coach of Louisiana Lafayette. Napier has a great football mind and has grown into a solid coach and one of the hotter names on the up-and-coming market for a Power-5 head coaching job.
In addition to Napier, Clemson Offensive Coordinator Tony Elliott was one of the first names thrown out in discussion for the job. Elliott’s name has been tied to several coaching openings throughout the past few years and it seems like only a matter of time before he takes the next step. Of course, it should be noted that he has elected to stay with Clemson football so far and he’s not going to leave for just any job.
The South Carolina job would certainly be a tough task and one that Elliott might be more inclined to turn down and wait for a more prominent opening where he is set up to have more success.
It will be interesting to see what the rival of the Clemson football program elects to do with its head coach opening and if that involves a name with ties to the Tigers.