South Carolina football: Gamecocks’ head coaching wishlist
By Jacob Elsey
THE LONG SHOTS
There are a few big names on the list of longshots, and if the Gamecocks were to land a coach from this group, most would be ecstatic. The question with these four is whether they’d leave their current situations to take on a rebuild.
BILL O’BRIEN
O’Brien was fired earlier this year by the Texans after roaming the sidelines in Houston for six and a half seasons. Houston made the move following an 0-4 start, but prior to 2020, O’Brien had found success in the NFL.
The Texans won at least nine games in all but one of his first six seasons at the helm, making the playoffs on four occasions. His final record in the NFL was 52-48, with a 2-4 mark in the postseason.
Prior to his jump to the professional ranks, he rejuvenated a Penn State program that was fresh off the Jerry Sandusky scandal. He led the Nittany Lions to 15 wins in his two seasons with the university, despite facing the constraints of scholarship and recruiting sanctions.
The question for O’Brien is if he plans on sticking in the NFL for another opportunity or if he’d return to the college ranks. And if he does return to the NCAA, would he choose South Carolina, as he has no ties to the state or the SEC.
JOE BRADY
Brady has been a hot commodity ever since helping turn around the LSU offense in their 2019 national championship run. His offensive concepts were instrumental in the Tigers’ success, and with Brady running the LSU passing attack, we saw one of the most historic offensive seasons in NCAA history, and saw quarterback Joe Burrow take home the Heisman trophy.
Brady is now in his first year calling plays for the Carolina Panthers. Would he leave for a head coaching job, or is he content waiting on an opportunity at the professional level? Most believe he’s an NFL guy.
STEVE SARKISIAN
Sarkisian has head coaching experience, having been with Southern California and Washington. In his two stints at the helm, he posted a 46-35 career record, having just one losing season in seven years.
He was fired by Southern Cal after showing up drunk to a booster club gathering, but has seemingly been on the straight and narrow over the last few years. He’s been the offensive coordinator for the Atlanta Falcons and Alabama Crimson Tide since his firing, where he’s had great success, reaching both the Super Bowl and national championship.
Most of Sarkisian’s experience takes place on the West Coast, though his last two gigs have been in the Southeast. He’s an offensive minded coach, which seems to be the way the Gamecocks will lean in their next hire. Is he willing to take the South Carolina job, or is he waiting it out for a bigger opportunity (Alabama)?
MATT CAMPBELL
Campbell has been fantastic with both Toledo and Iowa State. In nine years of head coaching, he’s posted a total record of 66-42. He took over a solid Toledo program in 2012, leading them to 35 wins in four seasons. The team won nine games three of his four years at the helm, and he would soon be lured to the Big XII to rebuild a struggling Iowa State team.
The Cyclones went 3-9 in his first season, but have won 28 or their 46 games since. His teams have made appearances in the Top 25 each of the last four years, and currently sit at 5-2 and ranked 17th in the nation.
Campbell has been a hot name in the coaching carousel for the last couple of years, but he seems to be content in Ames for now. Last year, he turned down an interview with the New York Jets to stay with the Cyclones. He will continue to be a candidate for big jobs, but he may not want to take on another rebuild.