Here’s how much South Carolina will owe Mike Shula after firing him
Sunday, exactly 320 days after he was named South Carolina’s offensive coordinator, Mike Shula was fired.
South Carolina head coach Shane Beamer decided to move on from Shula after watching the worst SEC offense for nine games. And that’s not an exaggeration. The Gamecocks (3-6, 1-6 SEC) averaged the fewest points (19.67 ppg) and fewest total yards (294.11 ypg) in the conference by a sizable margin.
Shula’s tenure culminated in a 30-14 loss to No. 7 Ole Miss on Saturday in which the Gamecocks managed just 230 yards and starting quarterback LaNorris Sellers played his worst game of the season.
Shula is the first coordinator that Beamer has fired since taking over at South Carolina in 2021. The Gamecocks are on a bye next week and will resume play on Nov. 15 at No. 3 Texas A&M.
Firing Shula so quickly ater hiring him will cost South Carolina. The Gamecocks signed Shula to a three-year contract in December that paid him $1.1 million annually, making him the second-highest-paid assistant coach behind only defensive coordinator Clayton White.
By firing Shula now, the Gamecocks will owe him more than $2.3 million, which will be paid out in equal monthly installments through Dec. 31, 2027, according to his contract.
The contract also includes a duty to mitigate clause, which states, in part, that Shula agrees to “act in good faith” to “make reasonable and diligent efforts to obtain other employment as soon as reasonably possible.”
Shula’s firing comes just three weeks after Beamer fired offensive line coach Lonnie Teasley following the Gamecocks’ loss at LSU.
Teasley, who also earned a raise in December, was on a two-year contract that paid him $675,000 annually — meaning South Carolina’s buyout to Teasley was just under $800,000.
In total, the Gamecocks are currently on the hook for more than $3 million in buyouts. That can be offset if the coaches find other jobs, but it’s still a staggering number considering there are three games remaining.
This story was originally published November 2, 2025 at 2:40 PM.
