South Carolina football: program ranked top 25 job in NCAA

South Carolina football struggled for a majority of the Will Muschamp era, posting a 28-30 overall record during his five year stint. That added on to a disappointing finish to Steve Spurrier’s career, which saw the Gamecocks win just three games, leading to a midseason resignation.

Still, South Carolina is just a decade removed from its best run in program history. The school has provided the team with fantastic facilities, a lush recruiting budget, and a rabid fanbase. Athletic Director Ray Tanner is well-liked by his colleagues and fellow coaches, and his department has seen the Gamecocks produce in all sports at the highest level (top 5 football finishes, College World Series titles, Final Four, etc.).

While the Gamecocks aren’t necessarily thought of in the same breath as, say, Alabama or Georgia when it comes to football success, there are perks to coaching at South Carolina. We mentioned the recruiting and facilities advantages already. Those things, paired with the fact that the Gamecocks play in the SEC can make the South Carolina head coaching job a very attractive one to those looking to lead a program.

24/7 Sports recently confirmed this in its top 25 rankings of the best jobs in college football. South Carolina came in at No. 23.

"South Carolina is a top 20 revenue producer across college football and recent facility enhancements gives the Gamecocks what they need to make noise on a national level."

The Gamecocks have everything needed to be successful, they just need to find the right guy for the job. And while it is considered one of the nation’s best gigs, it doesn’t make it an easy one. South Carolina must battle through its yearly SEC East schedule along with an annual matchup with playoff contender Clemson to end the year.

Still, the Gamecocks are one of the top revenue producers in the sport, and college football is king down south. What would make this job even more enticing would be consistency. South Carolina is a program that seemingly makes runs to the top every so often, but then disappears from national relevancy in between.

The Gamecocks’ new head coach is trying to change that narrative as he looks to push South Carolina back to where it was just 10 years ago. In Shane Beamer’s last season with the team as recruiting coordinator, the Gamecocks wound up playing for an SEC title. They upset top ranked Alabama, and continued a stretch of dominance over instate rival Clemson.

Things have since changed, but there is a path back. For that reason, this head coaching gig will remain one of the best in the sport.