South Carolina football: latest on Gamecocks coaching staff
By Jacob Elsey
Coordinators
These two positions will be the most important hires of Beamer’s staff, being that he’s never called plays on either side of the ball. There have been a few names linked to both the offensive and defensive coordinator roles. Let’s lay out the candidates.
OC Garrett Riley
Riley has only called plays for one season, but it’s been a productive one, nonetheless. His SMU offense currently ranks inside the top 25 nationally in scoring, yards per play, and passing. Due to his lack of experience, there is a chance that current OC and interim coach Mike Bobo stays on to help call plays, particularly in the run game, but Beamer seems adamant on bringing some air raid concepts to Columbia.
Garrett Riley is the younger brother of Oklahoma head coach Lincoln Riley, Beamer’s former employer, so there’s already a relationship. Having input from both Riley brothers could benefit a passing attack that finished 103rd in the nation.
Riley and the Mustangs finished the season with a 7-3 record, but they won’t be playing in a bowl game, meaning an announcement on this possible candidate could come sooner rather than later.
DC Jay Bateman
Bateman is currently the co-defensive coordinator for North Carolina, where he’s got the Tar Heels in the top five among ACC schools in total defense. He doesn’t have a connection with Beamer, but he’s familiar with President Bob Caslen, dating back to their days at Army.
Bateman was the defensive play caller for the Black Knights between 2014-2018. Caslen was with Army as a Superintendent from ’13 to ’18.
In Bateman’s five seasons with the Black Knights, Army fielded units that twice finished inside the top10 nationally in total defense. His name has been most closely affiliated to the South Carolina opening, as he could be looking to lose the ‘co-coordinator’ title and take on a larger role.
DC Jon Heacock
Heacock has also been connected to the opening, and Beamer’s certainly got familiarity with his Big XII counterpart. In fact, Beamer will coach his final game with the Sooners this weekend as Oklahoma takes on Heacock’s Iowa State crew in the Big XII championship.
Heacock has been the defensive coordinator with the Cyclones for five years. His teams have finished among the top 50 scoring defenses nationally in each of the last three seasons, ranking among the Big XII’s top three units in ’17, ’18, and ’19.
This year, Iowa State ranks 25th nationally in total defense, and 27th in scoring defense, allowing just 21 points and 338 yards per game. Those numbers are even more impressive considering the fact that they’ve gone up against the air raid attacks of the Big XII.
Assistants
S & C coach Aaron Feld
Feld has been a frontrunner to run the strength and conditioning program at South Carolina for a couple of weeks now. The Oregon assistant worked with Beamer while the two were at Georgia. He’s also had stints at Alabama, UAB, and North Alabama.
The two could reunite soon in Columbia, once Oregon wraps up its season with the PAC 12 championship game on Saturday.