South Carolina head coach Shane Beamer will be turning to wide receivers coach Mike Furrey to handle play-calling duties for the remainder of the 2025 football season. Beamer confirmed Tuesday during the SEC coaches teleconference that Furrey will serve as the primary play-caller for the final three games, while emphasizing that the Gamecocks' offensive approach will remain a collaborative effort among the coaching staff.
“It’ll be a group effort,” Beamer said, noting that Furrey "will be the main guy that’s talking to the quarterback and communicating the play to him on game day.”
Furrey joined the Gamecocks' coaching staff in February 2024 and has since served as the team's wide receivers coach and passing game coordinator. Before arriving in Columbia, he spent two seasons as the head coach at Limestone University, a Division II program in Gaffney, SC. Furrey previously coached both at the college and NFL levels, including stops at Kentucky Christian, Marshall, and two stints at Limestone.
A former NFL player, Furrey spent seven seasons in the league with the St. Louis Rams, Detroit Lions, and Cleveland Browns.
The decision comes just days after Beamer fired offensive coordinator Mike Shula on Nov. 2, following South Carolina's sixth loss in its last seven games. The Gamecocks (3-6, 1-6) enter the bye week sitting near the bottom of every major offensive statistical category in the conference.
South Carolina's offense has been among the nation's least productive through nine games. The Gamecocks rank last in the SEC in total offense (294.1 yards per game), 15th in passing (193.3 yards), last in rushing (108.8 yards), and last in scoring (19.7 points per game). Nationally, the Gamecocks rank 129th out of 134 FBS programs in total offense and are one of just nine teams averaging fewer than 300 total yards per contest.
Beamer's move marks a late season attempt to spark an offense that has struggled to find rhythm or identity since conference play began. South Carolina is coming off a frustrating stretch of games that have included inefficiency in the red zone, inconsistent quarterback play, and persistent pass-protection issues.
The Gamecocks have a bye in Week 11 and will use it to reset before heading to No. 3 Texas A&M on Nov. 15, a daunting matchup that will test Furrey's new role immediately. For Beamer, the hope is that a fresh voice and renewed collaboration can jump start an offense in need of answers.