With latest mid-major hire, South Carolina betting that third time is a charm

University of South Carolina administrators adopted a couple of idioms in their quest for a new men’s basketball coach, and they join their fans with hopes that the first brings the second to fruition.

In hiring Lamont Paris, Carolina officials challenged the school’s past and focused on this thought: “If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again.”

The selection in turn leads to dreams in the truth of these words: “The third time is a charm.”

Paris comes to Columbia fresh off a Southern Conference title and an NCAA tournament appearance at Chattanooga, and there’s no cause to quibble over his credentials.

But to succeed — to be “the charm” — he will be facing the ghosts of coaches from yesterday.

History points graphically how bringing a coach from the ranks of mid-major programs to Carolina has worked. First Steve Newton (1991-93) and then Darrin Horn (2008-12) flopped in sending teams against sterner competition. They are the only post-Frank McGuire coaches who have sub-.500 records with the Gamecocks.

Time will tell, of course, regarding Paris.

Memories of failures from Newton and Horn suggest two “musts” that should be the new coach’s priorities: recruit and relate.

Elementary, Sherlock Holmes might say. And, yes, that’s true of any coach, any program, any sport, any level if success is to be achieved.

Indeed, the football coach who first coined this truism — It’s not the X’s and O’s, it’s the Jimmys and Joes — outlined the recipe to success. Players, not schemes, matter most.

But connecting with supporters — creating a “fit,” if you will — plays a key role and can give vitality to the program. Support from the fan base can be a buffer in challenging times. Newton and Horn failed in that area and support disappeared after losses mounted.

Newton came with an outstanding record from Murray State, yet he never had a chance. Circumstances — some his fault, some by the USC administration — doomed his opportunity for long-term success.

King Dixon, then director of athletics, led a search that required 57 days to secure a coach. Fifty-seven days! More pratfalls than progress. By the time the Gamecocks decided on Newton, the process had made Carolina a punch-line for jokes on futility.

Then, Newton’s first high-school recruit faced burglary and assault changes after what police called a knife-wielding spree of violence — on the day he signed with the Gamecocks.

The coach issued hard-to-swallow denials about who knew what and when, and his credibility took a hit. Later, there would be compliance issues involving his staff that could not be swept under the rug.

His first team, however, showed promise, at least at the beginning. He inherited a senior-dominated squad that had won 20 games the season before under George Felton and the Gamecocks started 8-1.

But 1991-92 would be Carolina’s first season in the Southeastern Conference and losses mounted. Near misses — a point against Florida, overtime against Alabama, three points at Clemson — increased frustrations and USC finished 11-17, 3-13 in the SEC.

By his second season, Mike McGee had become athletic director and in January 1993 announced that Newton would be “reassigned” at the end of the season. The team finished 9-18, 5-11 in the league.

Fast forward 15 years. Dave Odom declared in January 2008 that he would retire at season’s end, giving athletic director Eric Hyman ample time to seek a successor.

He found Horn at Western Kentucky, who, like Paris, arrived on the heels of an NCAA tournament appearance. Horn’s team, in fact, made the Sweet 16 in the Big Dance on his way to Columbia.

His biography credited him with recruiting Dwyane Wade to Marquette during his tenure (1999-2003) on the Golden Eagles’ staff. Again, a comparison to Paris, who recruited All-Big 10 player and future NBA performer Nigel Hayes to Wisconsin.

At Carolina, Horn inherited a squad led by Devan Downey and won 21 games his first season. The Gamecocks shared the SEC East title with a 10-6 mark and made the National Invitation Tournament.

But seasons of 15, 14 and 10 victories followed, attendance dwindled and whatever connection with the fan base disappeared. In four seasons, his teams went 60-63 overall, 23-41 in the SEC, and Carolina returned to the proven Power 5 head coach in Frank Martin to head the program.

Times change, styles are different and competition might be more challenging, but high expectations remain constant for the Gamecocks.

Ray Tanner and his search group took a page from the past, went for the mid-major coach with nice credentials in a “try, try again” scenario.

Now, the waiting begins. Is the third time the charm?

South Carolina coaches since Frank McGuire

The Gamecocks’ coaches since McGuire, and before USC named Lamont Paris its new coach

▪ Bill Foster, six seasons (1980-81 to 1985-86); was 93-79 in his six season. His third season saw a 22-9 record and a trip to the NIT.

▪ George Felton, four seasons (1986-87 to 1990-91); four winning seasons in five years

▪ Steve Newton, two seasons (1991-92 to 1992-92) His first team went 11-17, his second 9-18

▪ Eddie Fogler, eight seasons (1993-94 to 2000-01); two NCAA tournament bids, had the program’s only SEC championship in 1996-97 and a 23-8 squad the next year

▪ Dave Odom, seven seasons (2001-02 to 2007-08); reached one NCAA tournament, won two NITs and reached the championship of another

▪ Darrin Horn, four seasons (2008-09 to 2011-12); first team won a share of the SEC East and reached the NIT; things went downhill from there

▪ Frank Martin, 10 seasons (2012-13 to 2021-22); five-year ascent, school-record 25 wins in Year 4, then NCAA tournament trip in Year 5; only one of his last five teams fell below .500, but none made the postseason or won more than 18 games

This story was originally published April 7, 2022 at 5:00 AM.