South Carolina fans are hoping to forget most of the 2025 football season that saw a 4-8 finish on the year. As the Gamecocks are in the heart of spring football practices, one former South Carolina assistant from last season may have found a new gig.Â
Over the weekend, ESPN's Pete Thamel first reported that former Gamecocks offensive coordinator Mike Shula is headed to Minnesota to join P.J. Fleck's staff.Â
Sources: University of Minnesota plans to hire Mike Shula as senior offensive assistant, as he’ll work with the quarterbacks and offensive staff. Shula is the former head coach at Alabama who brings more than a quarter century in the NFL, including OC at three franchises. pic.twitter.com/pZIOW0N7tY
— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) March 21, 2026
While Thamel's reporting is likely accurate, Shula's name does not yet appear on Minnesota's coaching staff website just yet. Shula, the son of legendary NFL head coach Don Shula, spent two seasons at South Carolina. He joined Shane Beamer's staff in 2024 as an offensive analyst, and was named the Gamecocks' offensive coordinator in December after South Carolina OC Dowell Loggains got hired by App State.Â
Shula's season as the Gamecocks' offensive coordinator did not go well. Beamer fired him mid-season as South Carolina got off to a 3-6 start, and quarterback LaNorris Sellers struggled mightily. At the time of his firing, the Gamecocks were both last in the SEC in both points (19.7) and yards per game (294.1).Â
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Shula played quarterback at the University of Alabama in the mid-1980s before spending a lone season with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 1987. He then started his coaching career with the Bucs in 1988, and spent time on the Dolphins', Bears' and Bucs' staffs through 2002.Â
He was hired as Alabama's head coach in May 2003 after the school fired Mike Price. But his time as a head coach with the Tide lasted just four seasons, with Shula finishing 10-23, being forced to vacate 21 wins due to NCAA sanctions related to players improperly obtaining textbooks. Â
Following his Alabama stint, he has spent most of his coaching career on various NFL staffs, including the Buffalo Bills from 2022-23 before going to Columbia.Â
It appears as though Shula is sticking in the collegiate level heading to Minnesota. He joins a Golden Gophers staff led by Minnesota offensive coordinator Greg Harbaugh Jr. (no relation to Jim or John). Minnesota has finished 8-5 with bowl wins in each of Fleck's last two seasons.Â