Mike Bobo is quickly becoming a villain to South Carolina football.
Mike Bobo came to Columbia as a last ditch effort to save Will Muschamp’s job, with Muschamp hiring his buddy from the University of Georgia to call plays for the South Carolina offense. The plan didn’t work out for Muschamp, who was fired just seven games into the season, and now the Gamecocks are finding out just how much damage can be done by one person who claimed to be dedicated to his role on the South Carolina football staff.
Bobo was only with the program for one season, but he’s certainly leaving his mark with folks around the team.
Bobo first began to earn the ire of Gamecock fans when he chose Collin Hill as the starting quarterback over fan favorite Ryan Hilinski. It’s not to say that Hill wasn’t the best option at the season’s start, but his unyielding loyalty to Hill struck the nerves of South Carolina supporters.
Hill was chosen at the beginning of the year due to his knowledge of the playbook. Coaches reaffirmed this throughout the offseason, saying that Hill and Hilinski were neck and neck during the quarterback competition, but that familiarity with the play calling gave Hill the nod.
Fast forward eight games into the year, and the Gamecocks sat at just 2-6. Hill had thrown as many picks as touchdowns. Instead of giving anyone else an opportunity, Bobo continued to roll Hill out and watch the offensive unit struggle. The Texas A&M game, in particular, saw Hill trot back onto the field possession after possession, even with the Gamecocks being down by five scores and having not scored a single point through three and half quarters of play.
Bobo finally made an adjustment in a game versus Missouri, though it took another scoreless half and a 17-0 deficit for the coordinator to make a move.
This perceived favoritism is rumored to have been a major reason for Ryan Hilinski’s leaving the program. Hilinski opted to enter the transfer portal shortly after news broke of Bobo being retained as the play caller for 2021.
Still, some supporters gave Bobo a pass, as it seemed the team was moving in a new direction with Luke Doty under center for the start of next season. Many fans also appreciated Bobo’s calling out players that left the program mid-year and his preaching of loyalty to those that remained with the team.
That loyalty was nowhere to be found when Bobo bolted for Auburn just two days after signing a contract to stay on with Shane Beamer’s staff in Columbia.
Mike Bobo was fortunate to be retained after putting an offense on the field that was awful for most of the year and ranked No. 96 nationally. Then turns around and leaves after Shane Beamer did him a favor. Wow.
— Matt Connolly (@MattConnollyOn3) January 7, 2021
The news of Bobo’s leaving the staff broke just a week after Ryan Hilinski’s departure from the Gamecocks. Collin Hill followed suit.
So in less than two week’s time, Bobo left the Gamecocks coordinator-less and quarterback-less ahead of the 2021 season, but it gets worse.
His departure has now impacted the 2022 recruiting class. News broke earlier today that Gunner Stockton, a five-star passer that had committed to the South Carolina program in August, has now reopened his recruitment. The Bobo hire by Auburn always seemed like a ploy to get Stockton in the fold, and it appears to be paying off for the Tigers.
Also on the Bobo to Auburn situation, don't think for one second that this is not a move by Auburn to go after Gunner Stockton.
— Bobby Hartin (@fantalk989) January 7, 2021
Of course, that’s not going to sit well with South Carolina fans who were hoping to land the program’s top rated quarterback prospect of all time.
Bobo’s one season tenure in Columbia has left a disgusting taste in the mouths of Gamecock fans.
To recap:
- Brings in Hill to be starting QB
- Runs off Hilinski
- Bails as OC less than a week into the job
- Takes Stockton with him
With the Gamecocks not having to face Dabo Swinney in the 2020 season, Bobo has easily become the most hated man around the South Carolina program this year. Hopefully, the Gamecocks can get their revenge when they face Auburn in 2021.