WVU coach says he’s not a candidate at USC. Reports say search has clear ‘leader’
Another name bandied about in South Carolina football’s head coaching search has shut down speculation that he might be coming to the Gamecocks.
West Virginia coach Neal Brown was asked about reports connecting his name to the USC opening by local media on Tuesday, and he was blunt in his response.
“I’m not a candidate there,” he said, according to EerSports. “I really don’t go about addressing every rumor or everything like that that’s out there because I think you’ll spin yourself in a web because I don’t think there’s anyway to keep up. It’s pretty simple: I’m not a candidate there.”
Brown has been with the Mountaineers for two seasons, going 10-10 in that span and 5-3 thus far this season. Prior to that, he engineered a turnaround at Troy, guiding the Trojans to three 10-win seasons in a row.
“I guess it’s good because it means people are paying attention, thinking we’re doing something right. I guess it’s positive from that matter,” Brown said Tuesday. “Several people told me that yesterday. I haven’t been real active on social media other than promoting my wife on whatever Instagram Live is. I’m trying to figure out what that is.”
Brown is the second head coach to deny any interest in the South Carolina job. Louisville coach Scott Satterfield was rumored to be a strong contender for the USC position but released a statement on social media saying he hasn’t pursued any other job offers.
One candidate, however, continues to be mentioned as the most likely choice for South Carolina athletic director Ray Tanner and President Bob Caslen: current Oklahoma assistant and former Gamecocks assistant Shane Beamer.
As The State has previously reported, Beamer has been considered a favorite for the job for the past week. Among some in the program, the belief is he’ll be the guy. He’s got a strong well of support from alums, including Marcus Lattimore, Melvin Ingram, Stephen Garcia and D.J. Swearinger. More than 40 alums had a Zoom video call with Tanner last weekend, many expressing support for Beamer.
And on Tuesday, ESPN’s Chris Low said on SiriusXM’s “SEC This Morning” that Beamer is “the leader in the clubhouse for South Carolina,” adding that he deserved to be as well. USA Today’s Dan Wolken chimed in on social media to say that Low’s reporting is “definitely the current thinking around the industry.”
Beamer’s candidacy has gained such traction that candidates for his potential coordinators and staff members have been rumored as well.
Tanner has said he’d like to have an offensively-minded head coach in place in time for the start of recruiting’s early signing period, which is Dec. 16.
This story was originally published December 1, 2020 at 1:20 PM.
