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New USC football coaches hit ground running
Gamecocks formally announce coaching changes, and new faces come together
CommentsBy Monday, there was no more recruiting to be done, so the 10-man South Carolina football coaching staff was able to do something new: be in the same room together.
Six coaches have joined the program in the past two months, while a holdover, Shane Beamer, added the titles of recruiting coordinator and special teams coach, giving up cornerbacks in the process.
The new coaches were introduced at a news conference Wednesday. The press release detailing their careers was six pages, the same length as the one providing information on the team’s signees.
“Change is good sometimes,” new quarterbacks coach G.A. Mangus said. “You get a lot of new ideas that help with the nuts and bolts.”
The new coaches hit the ground running, according to Beamer, some even hitting the the recruiting trail immediately after signing their hiring papers.
The overhauled staff is a result one firing (ex-offensive line coach John Hunt), one departure for the NFL (ex-special teams coach Ray Rychleski) and four lateral moves for better pay. Coach Steve Spurrier largely filled the holes with younger coaches, creating a new — and, Spurrier hopes, fruitful — dynamic.
“We are starting from scratch a little bit on offense,” Spurrier said. “Offensively, we hope to be different. We haven’t been very good lately. But we’ve got plenty of time to put it together.”
Several of the new coaches spoke Wednesday of being a hungry staff. Mangus, running backs coach Jay Graham and strength coach Craig Fitzgerald came from smaller programs.
Ward and new offensive line coach Eric Wolford are coaching the same positions they did at Arkansas and Illinois, respectively, but each received a better title. (Ward is the defensive coordinator, and Wolford is the running-game coordinator.)
The dean of the group is Ward. He likes the staff’s youth, pointing out that the approach is working in the NFL. Super Bowl champion Pittsburgh is coached by 36-year-old Mike Tomlin. Tampa Bay and Denver recently hired head coaches in their early 30s.
“Having (the) enthusiasm of the young coaches, running around and high-fiving guys and getting them excited about what they’re doing is going to help,” Ward said.
Ward has noticed camaraderie developing. Others said that because most of the staff is new, there is no overriding effort among new coaches to try to fit in.
“There’s no ‘Hey, this is how we did it last year,’ “ Fitzgerald said. “I think everybody’s listening to everybody and bringing different ideas to the table. That’s real enjoyable.”
Jeep Hunter, the new tight ends coach and assistant special-teams coordinator, is thankful to be back in the business. He didn’t coach last season, after spending three years at Georgia Tech.
“I spent a lot of time with my family, I got to do a lot of soul-searching,” Hunter said. “I just watched a lot of football.”
This week he became the last member of the new Gamecocks staff.
“The biggest thing it brings is some new attitude in here and new belief,” Hunter said. “We’re going to be fine. Everybody’s excited about being here and winning football games. That’s what we’re here to do.”
Reach Emerson at (803) 771-8676.
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