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South Carolina made it official on Monday, naming Auburn defensive coordinator (and former Florida coach) Will Muschamp as its 34th head coach.
His press conference was interesting, for the things he said:
Muschamp: Differences from Florida. “It’s like marriage. First year, there’s an adjustment. Fifth year, you start to change.”
— David Cloninger (@DCTheState) December 7, 2015
Muschamp: “Gamecock Nation, if you don’t think I can recruit, look at (wife Carol) and look at me.” — David Cloninger (@DCTheState) December 7, 2015
And the things said about him:
Pastides: ‘I want to be back to success next season’ https://t.co/5qoV7KSNC0 #thestate #gg
— GoGamecocks.com (@gogamecocks) December 7, 2015
So, with that as the backdrop, here are 10 things Muschamp should know as he embarks on his new job:
1. Learn the lesson — Why did Muschamp lose the Florida job? He took too long to fix the offense, which resulted in too many losses. He’s bringing in the same man he tabbed to lead the Florida offense in 2014 in Kurt Roper, but he better not wait so long for results this time around.
2. The shadow of Spurrier. Muschamp struck a good tone in his press conference, praising the former coach while asserting his own control. That said, Steve Spurrier remains very popular, and it’s in the new coach’s best interests to keep that relationship as positive as he can.
3. Where’s the ceiling? A 28-21 mark in four seasons in Gainesville cost him his job. One wonders if the same record would be treated more favorably in Columbia down the road? He took over the Florida job from Urban Meyer, who finished 8-5 in 2010. So, he took over a program in better shape, and lost the handle of it. This time, the Gamecocks are coming off a 3-9 mark. Should he show gradual improvement, that same record may be praise-worthy. Or not, if you believe Pastides.
4. Life in the SEC East. Because he’s coached in both the SEC East and SEC West, Muschamp knows he has the better bargain with South Carolina. Still, Florida and Tennessee are on the rise — and Georgia is still Georgia. Kentucky and Missouri both defeated the Gamecocks this fall, and Vanderbilt could have. Yeah, it’s easier than the SEC West. But that doesn’t mean it won’t be tough.
5. Face the recruiting challenges. South Carolina produces a fair amount of FBS talent, but it’s critical that Muschamp and his staff amp up the Gamecocks’ recruiting. Georgia, Florida and North Carolina have to be cultivated, and if competing against the rest of the SEC wasn’t hard enough, South Carolina has to deal with Clemson in its own backyard. Muschamp may be secretly rooting for Clemson not to win the national championship, since that would be a boon for the Tigers’ recruiting for years to come.
6. Find some Gamecocks for the staff. Well, how about one? According to a 247Sports report, interim coach Shawn Elliott will be retained as the offensive line coach. This is smart for a few reasons. First, it keeps Spurrier happy (see item 2). That matters. You don’t want him doing interviews when he’s not. Secondly, the players like him. The results weren’t there for him as interim coach, but the fire and effort were obvious. Lastly, he’s a South Carolina native who loves the state and the program. You need guys like that on the recruiting trail — and in your locker room.
7. Make this month count. The mad dash to close out the 2015 recruiting cycle is underway, and Muschamp and his staff have some serious work to do. There are 13 verbal commitments for the Class of 2016 listed for South Carolina at 247Sports, and only one of those is a four-star recruit. That means there are 12 spots to fill to reach a standard 25-man class and only about three weeks left before Signing Day (there’s a dead period from Dec. 13 to Jan. 14) to fill them. With the two best players on both sides of the ball, Pharoh Cooper and Skai Moore, leaving early for the NFL and eight other starters exhausting their eligibility, Muschamp and company need every body they can get.
8. Nowhere to go but up. The silver lining to everything written in item No. 7 is that, with the departures and last year’s record, the carrot of immediate playing time in the SEC can be dangled in front of high school seniors. The new staff can put a nice class together, even in a condensed time frame.
9. What’s the quarterback situation? First, it was Connor Mitch. Then, it was Lorenzo Nunez. Finally, it was Perry Orth. No matter who took the snaps for South Carolina in 2015, the results were underwhelming. The most important task in the spring for the new staff is identify next season’s starter. Mitch, Nunez and Orth are scheduled to return. Brandon McIlwain, a four-star recruit, is holding firm (right now) with his commitment to the Gamecocks. One of those four — or someone else from the recruiting trail — will need to become a steady influence behind center for Muschamp’s first season in Columbia to be successful.
10. Temper, temper. Muschamp is known for losing his cool. But that happens in big-time college football. Clemson coach Dabo Swinney yelled as his punter for five solid minutes the other night. Notre Dame’s Brian Kelly has been known to scream and yell at his players, and Alabama’s Nick Saban is no teddy bear — especially in a press conference setting. What do all of those guys have in common? They all win. A lot. Numbers in the left side of the ledger cover a multitude of sins, and until Muschamp stacks up a few more, he needs to try to maintain a little calmer demeanor on the sidelines.
Randy Capps is a contributing writer for Saturday Down South. He covers SEC football, South Carolina and Georgia.
