Beamer expects investment of ‘every resource’ needed to build his USC coaching staff
One of Shane Beamer’s first acts as South Carolina’s head football coach was meeting with the assistants who had comprised Will Muschamp’s former staff. He did that through much of Sunday evening.
But he’s not sharing much of what happened in those talks.
He declined to speak on those direct interactions and did not reveal who might stay on staff or who might move on to other opportunities. Two assistants, defensive coordinator Travaris Robinson and Kyle Krantz, have already made public gestures to indicate they won’t be back.
Beamer noted that he’ll take his time. He’s worked with more than 100 full-time coaches in his career, and folks are coming out of the woodwork to recommend others.
One thing he was clear about Monday in speaking publicly for the first time as USC’s new coach: He expects to get strong financial support from the school for both the on-field and off-field staff.
“The investment has been made and given to me to give us every opportunity, every resource that we need to be successful,” Beamer said.
In 20 or so years around numerous programs, he’s seen teams that operate with large back-end staffs, and some that worth with smaller groups.
A place like Kirby Smart’s Georgia, where Beamer worked in 2016 and 2017, almost assuredly was on the larger end.
“I’ve seen both work,” Beamer said. “We’re going to do what’s best fit for Carolina, but I’m confident that anything that we need to advance this program forward and give us what we need to be successful, those assurances have certainly been given to me.”
Muschamp expanded the recruiting and analyst operations in a big way from the infrastructures Steve Spurrier had in place. That said, they’re still smaller than the laundry list of staffers at a place like Alabama, Clemson or Georgia.
On the assistant coach side of things, the Gamecocks in 2019 — the last year the full data is available — were eighth in the SEC in total staff pay and 14th in total salary. Oklahoma, where Beamer is coming from as an assistant, ranked two spots higher.
Several media outlets, including SportsTalkSC’s Phil Kornblut, reported Beamer will take a five-year, $2.75 million annual contract, which will pay him the least of any coach in the conference. That almost assuredly factors into the fact Beamer’s new boss, Ray Tanner, said he hardly brought up his own salary at all in the hiring process. (It’s worth noting that Clemson paid Dabo Swinney less early on, but loaded the staff around him.)
“When we start talking about staffing, he never, not once, mentioned himself,” Tanner said. “I had to eventually have that conversation. He didn’t. His whole conversation was about his staffing, and what limits we may have or not have. And of course, the answer was, we want to accommodate you to hire the people that you want.”
Getting a “bargain” on a head coach was not a factor, Tanner said.
With the old assistants, the remaining eight might be in a state of some limbo, though they are almost assuredly looking for next steps as well.
A few names circulating about potential Beamer assistants include SMU offensive coordinator Garrett Riley for the same position, as well as former Gamecocks running backs Jay Graham for some role. Names such as North Carolina’s Jay Bateman and former Virginia Tech’s Bud Foster have been rumored or connected to the defensive coordinator spot.
The Muschamp staff and what’s next
Below are the 10 Muschamp staffers with notes about their situations:
- QB coach Mike Bobo: If not retained, will be owed the difference between his new salary and $1.2 million. Closely tied to 2022 five-star QB commit Gunner Stockton.
- RB coach Des Kitchings: Had strong 2020, working with 1,100-yard back Kevin Harris. Also worked with MarShawn Lloyd, one of the most talented players the offense has.
- WR coach Joe Cox: A Bobo lieutenant who oversaw a thin group this season.
- TE coach Bobby Bentley: One of Muschamp’s first hires, he’s an in-state guy and former high school coach.
- OL coach Eric Wolford: If not retained, will be owed the difference between his new salary and $700,000.
- DL coach Tracy Rocker: If not retained, will be owed the difference between his new salary and $525,000. Rocker and Beamer worked together at Georgia.
- OLB coach Mike Peterson: A former NFL guy and someone who who has only ever coached under Muschamp.
- LB coach Rod Wilson: A former NFL coach and Gamecocks alum. He was in the NFL for more than five years before joining the USC staff this past offseason.
- Defensive coordinator Travaris Robinson: Already moved out of the office, removed South Carolina references from his Twitter accounts and is owed the difference between his new salary and $1.2 million.
- Safeties coach Kyle Krantz: Already removed South Carolina references from his Twitter accounts.
- Strength coach Paul Jackson: If not retained, will be owed the difference between his new salary and $450,000.
This story was originally published December 7, 2020 at 5:41 PM.
