Tracking the comings and goings of Gamecocks football assistant coaches
December is a time of change in the college football world.
Head coaching changes bring waves of upheaval. Sitting head coaches might need to change coordinators or replace them, and opportunities abound for assistants in different settings. South Carolina’s program saw the first type of change — Shane Beamer replaced Will Muschamp as head coach — and the follow-up changes have yet to come together.
In multiple interviews, Beamer said he’s going to take his time with his hires. No names have been announced, though a few have been rumored. A few assistants have indicated they’re not staying.
We tracked some reported names and where things might stand for current coaches:
Gone or almost assuredly gone
▪ Defensive coordinator Travaris Robinson and assistant Kyle Krantz cleared out the day Beamer was officially hired and removed any South Carolina indicators from their Twitter accounts (reporters spotted Robinson moving out his office). They came back for bowl game practices, but that game is no longer happening. And with the way interim coach Mike Bobo mentioned them in his pre-bowl press conference, Robinson and Krantz aren’t going to be back.
▪ Wide receivers coach Joe Cox has also removed Gamecocks references from his Twitter account. This isn’t a perfect metric, but coaches more often than not don’t change such things, so actively updating it is a good indicator.
▪ Offensive line coach Eric Wolford was hired by Kentucky.
Likely gone
▪ Multiple reports from Rivals and 247Sports have inside linebackers coach Rod Wilson as also not returning. The South Carolina alum joined the staff last season and was handed a thin group that battled injuries for much of the year. He has not changed anything on his social media accounts.
Likely back
▪ Sources told The State that offensive coordinator-quarterbacks coach Mike Bobo is expected to return to the staff in a coordinator role. He just finished his first year at the spot and helped a talent-poor group take a modest step forward, though the offensive production was not strong overall.
▪ The State also learned Des Kitchings is expected to return to the staff. The first-year running backs coach was a key part of the recruiting efforts to secure the remainder of Muschamp’s last class for Beamer.
Possibly back
▪ The State also has received indications that outside linebackers coach Mike Peterson will likely be another holdover, and defensive line coach Tracy Rocker could be as well. Peterson works with a set of key defensive players the staff needs to keep in Kingsley Enagbare, Jordan Burch and Tonka Hemingway. Rocker works with former blue-chip recruits such as Zacch Pickens and Rick Sandidge.
In limbo
▪ Tight ends coach Bobby Bentley has worked with several positions in his time in Columbia and built a recruiting pipeline of sorts into Tennessee. If Bobo and Kitchings are retained, the chances of keeping three assistants from one side of the ball isn’t that high, though The State learned Bentley would like to stay on staff if possible.
A new addition
▪ The State’s Lou Bezjak broke that former Gamecocks quarterback and Hammond head coach Erik Kimrey will be Beamer’s first tight ends coach. Kimrey had been a graduate assistant for Lou Holtz after playing for the Gamecocks as a backup QB. This is his first return to the college ranks since behind hired at Hammond at age 24.
One reported name
▪ FootballScoop came out early in saying that Tennessee offensive line coach Will Friend will likely be hired as offensive line coach. As of this point, no other outlet has said that’s true, but it is worth watching. Friend was Bobo’s offensive coordinator, who didn’t call plays, at Colorado State, and the pair worked together extensively at Georgia.
Other names out there
▪ SMU’s Garrett Riley was a name that was circulated, but The State has learned the chances of a co-OC situation seem to be waning. The two most popular defensive names mentioned are North Carolina’s Jay Bateman, known for his attacking style, and Iowa State defensive coordinator Jon Heacock, who’s 3-3-5 scheme has been copied across the sport.
This story was originally published December 23, 2020 at 3:07 PM.
