DEFENSE, RECRUITING BOTH NEED A COMPLETE OVERHAUL …
By FITSNEWS || Will Muschamp‘s addition to the University of South Carolina coaching staff would be a boon … if the Gamecocks can get him.
The speculation surrounding the former Florida coach – which we kicked off back in September – has become a deafening cacophony, with message boards from the Rio Grande to the Redneck Riviera aflame with the latest rumors.
And what is the “latest rumor?” That Muschamp – who reportedly has offers from Auburn, Texas A&M and South Carolina – will take the Gamecock job because it ostensibly affords him a “head coach in waiting” designation behind soon-to-be 70-year-old Steve Spurrier, who has said he plans to coach only a few more years.
(For more on that, click HERE).
By contrast, Texas A&M’s Kevin Sumlin is 50 and Auburn’s Gus Malzahn is 49 – meaning Muschamp would be probably be waiting a long time for another head coaching opportunity if he took a coordinator position with the Aggies or the Tigers.
South Carolina has experienced unprecedented success under Spurrier – including an SEC East championship in 2010 and three straight 11-win seasons and Top Ten finishes from 2011-13. This year’s season was a debacle, though, thanks almost exclusively to a porous defense that gave up a whopping 5,203 yards (433.6 per game/ 6.25 per play) and 374 points (31.2 per game) last year.
In fact calling defensive coordinator Lorenzo Ward‘s unit “porous” would probably be paying it a compliment it doesn’t deserve …
South Carolina’s 2014 squad was – as one of our headlines attested – “defenseless.”
Obviously Muschamp’s hiring would help turn that around – and his presence on the recruiting trail would be another huge benefit to the Gamecock program (which is currently shedding prospects at an alarming rate).
But is Muschamp a panacea? Or do the Gamecocks need to do even more to shore up their faltering program?
According to several of our sources, one avenue the program is exploring – reportedly in concert with the Muschamp offer – would be to lure former Gamecock defensive line coach Brad Lawing back to Columbia.
Lawing abruptly left the Gamecock program following the 2012 season due to a “personal issue.”
Where’d he wind up? On Muschamp’s staff at Florida – where he helped lead a defense that ranked No. 9 in the nation in yards surrendered per game, tied for 16th in takeaways and No. 24 in points allowed per game.
We’ve been given conflicting information on the Lawing situation, with one group of sources telling us he’s being actively courted along with Muschamp and another group telling us there’s no way he’s coming back.
“The personal issues are gone,” one source tells us.
However, other sources tell us one specific personal problem – the one that led to Lawing’s departure from Columbia two years ago – meant “South Carolina was off the table forever.”
Whatever it was that led to Lawing’s departure, it’s clear his return – assuming it could be negotiated in concert with Muschamp’s hiring – would be another critical step in solidifying South Carolina’s defensive stoutness as well as it’s ability to recruit.
“We need somebody like him on this staff really, really bad,” one source close to the program tells FITS. “We really only have two people that know how to recruit. There’s no way we would have lost (offensive line recruit Paris Palmer) if Lawing was recruiting him. Plus he was making a lot of the defensive decisions because (Ward) had nobody on his side of the ball to replace lawing’s knowledge and ability to coach.”
Indeed …
Whatever moves Spurrier and South Carolina athletics director Ray Tanner make this offseason, they need to be bold. South Carolina has finally climbed out of its historic mediocrity over these last few years … giving long-suffering fans something (at long last) to cheer about.
Let’s not go back to the way things were …
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29 comments
Muschamp as DC, absolutely, but do you really want to guarantee Muschamp the HC job?
That depends how well he learns under Spurrier for the next 2-3 years. It’s also being reported by Phil Kornblut that SC will not offer Muschamp the official HCIW tag, as that comes with recruiting restrictions from the NCAA, and they don’t want to limit his recruiting abilities in any way. Kornblut says it’s not a deal breaker for Muschamp, and his reps have been in contact with Ray Tanner with questions about the job, so it sounds like they’re trying to reach a tacit agreement that Boom would be the first in line for consideration upon Spurrier’s retirement. Spurrier loves Muschamp, and I think Boom could learn a ton about offensive coaching from him.
Attached below is one of the best articles I’ve seen on the topic. It’s also not loaded with speculation and conjecture (aka FITS).
http://therubberchickensblog.com/2014/12/08/the-gamecock-defense-a-reality-check/
FYI, a person close to me seems to know the exact personal reason Lawing left, and is quite sure that coming back to Columbia is not happening.
Thanks for bringing our attention to the article in the Rubber Chicken. I played college football. My father was a high school coach. I know a little bit about defense. However, the fellow who wrote the article you linked has analyzed the situation extremely well and he helped to understand what is happening now with the South Carolina program.
C’mon, man. What was the personal issue? You’re supposed to be a reporter of sorts.
Right now at least four recruits have de-committed. Why?
1-Well Steve Spurrier publicly stated another year or two and he is going to hang it up.
2-Recruits are uncertain about the program, who will be there coach in two years.
This means top recruits look for stability in the coaching staff for the next four to five years, a head coach does not have control if he is fired but this public statement I fear will drop the Gamecocks talent level. Do not be surprised if SC & Vandy are fighting for the cellar. I hope not, but a quick change is better than this uncertain future.
I wonder how much that comment affected things. Spurrier has been saying 4-5 years for a few years now, and anyone who can do even a little math can figure out that means it’s probably down to 2-3 years by now. I’m sure negative recruiters will have already been using that line of logic for months when poaching Gamecock commitments. All Spurrier did was to confirm that his original timeline is still accurate. And, if players don’t want to come to SC because they don’t want to go through a coaching change, it’s probably best that Spurrier not lie to them and lure them there under false pretenses, only to leave them in a lurch and create a group of disgruntled players who could go on to badmouth the program to all of their friends, including any HS players who might be SC targets at that time.
The old boy is 70 yrs. of age. How much longer do you expect him to stay? It is pass time for him to leave.
Spurrier’s willingness and ability to aid his star players in getting NFL consideration, and encouragement for those with an opportunity to leave college early NEGATES the impact of his possible departure within two years.
Does USCe really want Muschamp as a coach in waiting? I mean he’s done so well as a head coach, is that was USCe hopes for?
First of all, unless you’re trying to anger SC fans, please avoid UCSe as a reference in the future. There’s a comprehensive guide to how to abbreviate the school’s name without angering fans at the link below.
http://www.garnetandblackattack.com/2014/6/2/5772606/south-carolina-abbrevations
In the second place, it’s being reported that they are not offering him the official HCIW tag, as that comes with NCAA restrictions on recruiting for whichever coach has that title, and SC wants Boom’s recruiting ability. He could also learn a lot about offensive coaching from Spurrier in the next 3 years. It’s something most SC fans are willing to risk if it brings him on as the DC now.
Well first of all…
he ain’t comin’.
You still got Ward!
Well, he can loose to Vandy, Ky and Ga. Southern.
Won’t be Miller J.T Barrett involved in incident/disturbance with his gal.
Nice to have 3 qb’s and Heisman candidates. :-)
Unless Lorenzo was fired about a minute ago, USC still has a DC.
What job is Muschamp going to do?
The thinking around SC is that Boom would be DC and Ward would move to another position on the defensive staff.
So much for that…and unless Muschamp is working at Auburn and USC..well, no.
He accepted the job at Auburn:
http://espn.go.com/college-football/story/_/id/12021731/will-muschamp-agreed-become-auburn-tigers-defensive-coordinator
Poor USuC. Word is that Boom is interviewing at Houston. Wow.
Spurrier will not tolerate domestic violence – period. Who knows what the guy did though. It could be a number of things.
USC should look to the NFL for a Defensive Coach.
There are several that know how to run Covered Defenses and Linebackers correctly.
The money USC pays equals or more what they are getting in the NFL.
Lawing can’t come back.
When will the old balls coach have something done about his rosacea?
That’ll probably ease up when he lays off the liquor.
Spurrier is a great coach with a personality that rubs people wrong but let’s not attack him like this.
Dude was hammered on his own TV show so bad they pulled the show from rotation.
If you don’t get shit faced and go on TV, then people won’t attack you for it.
Did you see him drink, take a breathalyzer, or blood test? no? no shit, we know you didn’t. you have zero proof to that. Its all semantics. FYI dabo patted Stoudt on the butt once. I guess he is gay then huh?
Oh no Auburn just snatched up Muschamp!
Another reason American’s are stupid,especially in SC.No matter how good or bad the team is,Carolina’s football season lasts all year.Gee,when does spring practice begin?
“SEC East Championship,” is NOT a championship. It is district runner-up. Hens need to win a championship – ANY championship, and then we’ll talk.