South Carolina football: Gamecocks’ head coaching wishlist

THE BEST BETS

The Gamecocks have a higher chance of landing these next four candidates than any others on the list. The names vary from up and coming offensive minds to established coaches with proven resumes, with each having a “fit” in the South Carolina program.

BILLY NAPIER

Napier has been the candidate most heavily tied to the South Carolina opening, as he possesses ties to the Palmetto State, has led high powered offenses, and has had sustained success as a head coach.

Napier was just 29 in his first season as an offensive coordinator, where he led Clemson to an ACC title appearance and the highest scoring output in school history. He was fired the following year, though, after a decline.

Since, he’s been on offensive staffs with Arizona State, Alabama, and Colorado State, as well as earned a head coaching position with Louisiana in 2018. With the Ragin’ Cajuns, Napier’s teams have posted a 25-11 record, twice reaching the Sun Belt championship game. This season, his group is 7-1 and ranked 24th in the country.

Napier has been a fantastic recruiter at every stop and has strong ties to the area, having played at Furman and having coached at Clemson and South Carolina State. He turned down some interest last season from schools like Ole Miss, Mississippi State, Baylor, and Missouri, but South Carolina may be a “dream job” he’s not willing to pass up.

HUGH FREEZE

Freeze is in the precarious state of being on the edge of both “longshot” and “best bet.” He may be the most qualified candidate of any on the list, and the best fit for the Gamecocks, but he also comes with baggage.

Freeze has eight years of head coaching experience, posting a 65-33 record at three stops. He won at Ole Miss, a program that mirrors South Carolina in the sense that they aren’t one of the blue bloods in the SEC.

He now has Liberty sitting undefeated and ranked 21st in the nation in just his second season. The Flames have taken down Syracuse and Virginia Tech, and will have a chance to knock off their third ACC opponent this weekend when they take on North Carolina State.

Freeze is a proven winner, but he’ll also be under the eye of the SEC and NCAA if he were to return to the conference where he left Ole Miss on probation in 2016. Some have said he’s eager to return to the league, and that he and the Gamecocks have mutual interest. But new President Bob Caslen, a retired Army officer that preaches leadership and ethics, may not want to deal with Freeze’s skeletons.

If South Carolina does want to take the risk, they’ll need to make the move soon, as there could be some other SEC jobs opening before season’s end.

JAMEY CHADWELL

Chadwell is another young coach with strong ties to the Palmetto State. He’s coached, and had success, at Coastal Carolina, Charleston Southern, and North Greenville. In 11 seasons as a head coach, he’s posted a 75-51 record, leading his team to the postseason four times.

This year, he’s got Coastal Carolina undefeated and ranked 15th in the country. He has a track record of building programs, sustaining success, and running innovative offenses, but he doesn’t have experience at a Power Five school in any capacity. Would the Gamecocks offer him his first opportunity?

SHANE BEAMER

Beamer is someone with no head coaching experience, but an assistant who’s been on staff with some of college football’s all-time greats. He is the son of long time Virginia Tech coach Frank Beamer, and has been on staff with Steve Spurrier, George O’Leary, Kirby Smart, and Lincoln Riley.

Beamer was the recruiting coordinator at South Carolina during its best run in school history. He knows the area and seemingly would want the job. The question marks come with his inexperience running a program.

Beamer would need to hire solid coordinators on each side of the ball, and run the team as more of a CEO rather than getting involved with play calling. But we’ve seen this formula work, and South Carolina can look right up the road to Clemson for the blueprint.