Report: Will Muschamp ‘gaining serious momentum’ for South Carolina job

Former Florida coach and current Auburn defensive coordinator Will Muschamp is the mix for the vacant South Carolina football job, FoxSports’ Bruce Feldman reported Monday.

ESPN’s Mark Schlabach on Monday evening said Muschamp was “gaining serious momentum” for the Gamecocks’ opening.

Muschamp led Florida to an 11-2 season in 2012. He was let go in November 2014 after the Gamecocks rallied to defeat the Gators in the Swamp. He was 28-21 over four seasons at Florida.

“You sign up to be a coach, that’s part of the deal,” Muschamp said. “You want to be at a place where there are high expectations. That means you’ve got a chance to win a championship.”

Muschamp is in his first season at Auburn, which finished the regular season 6-6. The Tigers ranked second-to-last in the SEC in total defense (421.8 yards per game) and 11th in scoring defense (27.3 points per game). Auburn also ranked last in sacks per game (1.42).

According to an AL.com report, Muschamp can leave Auburn on Sunday with no buyout or penalty.

Two of South Carolina’s top coaching targets may no longer be strong options for the Gamecocks. Houston coach Tom Herman is closer to remaining with the Cougars, while multiple reports say Alabama defensive coordinator Kirby Smart is Georgia’s top choice to replace Mark Richt.

This story was originally published November 30, 2015 at 2:42 PM with the headline "Report: Will Muschamp ‘gaining serious momentum’ for South Carolina job."