South Carolina football: blowout loss leads to Florida staff firings

The South Carolina football team effectively ended the seasons of two Florida Gator coaches on Saturday. Following the Gamecocks’ 40-17 win, it was announced that defensive coordinator Todd Grantham and offensive line coach John Hevesy would no longer be a part of the Gators’ staff.

For Grantham, it was something that seemed inevitable. After a disappointing showing on defense last year, the Gators made changes on staff but ultimately opted to give their defensive coordinator one last shot. Allowing nearly 300 yards rushing to what had been one of the SEC’s worst rushing offenses was the final straw. Grantham was previously on staff at Georgia, Louisville, and Mississippi State. We’ll have to wait and see where he winds up for his next landing spot.

The termination of Hevesy seems a bit more shocking, though. Florida’s offensive line coach also worked as the team’s run game coordinator, and he appeared to be doing quite the job. The Gators entered the matchup against the Gamecocks averaging more than 240 yards per game on the ground, good for the third best mark in the SEC.

Unfortunately, South Carolina’s defense held Florida to just 82 rushing yards and a 3.2 yard per carry average. That was apparently enough for Mullen to make a change.

South Carolina football familiar with ending tenures in Gainesville.

South Carolina fans aren’t unfamiliar to seeing Gator coaches fired following losses to the Gamecocks. Both programs remember what happened after the 23-20 overtime defeat of the Gators back in 2014. That loss ultimately sent head coach Will Muschamp packing, effectively ending his tenure in Gainesville.

Of course, just a few short years later, he’d be hired to coach the Gamecocks in Columbia. That stint lasted less than five seasons before his being fired midway through 2020 following a loss to Ole Miss, which lead to the hiring of Shane Beamer.

While things are unsettled within the Florida program, the Gamecocks are hoping that this decisive win leads to a late season turnaround. They’ll look to extend their winning streak to two games next weekend in a matchup with Missouri.