A list of top South Carolina HC Candidates

Harry · October 18, 2015

Kirby Smart – Smart, 39, has been Alabama’s defensive coordinator since 2008. He was the 2009 Broyles Award winner as the top assistant coach in college football. Since Smart joined the Crimson Tide’s staff in 2007, Alabama has won three national championships and three SEC titles. Before becoming the Crimson Tide’s defensive coordinator, he was an assistant coach under Nick Saban in 2004 at LSU, 2006 with the Miami Dolphins and 2007 at Alabama. He was also the running backs coach at Georgia in 2005, where he helped the Bulldogs win an SEC title.

Shawn Elliott – Elliott, 42, took the reins of the Gamecocks after Spurrier resigned. Elliott has been on the South Carolina staff since 2010, and has been the co-offensive coordinator since 2012. Under his guidance, the Gamecocks averaged 31.5 points per game in 2012, 34.1 points a game in 2013 and nearly 33 points per game in 2014. Before coming to South Carolina, Elliott was the offensive line coach at Appalachian State, where he helped the Mountaineers win three consecutive Division I-AA national championships from 2005-07.

Ed Orgeron – Orgeron, 54, was the head coach at Ole Miss from 2005-07, when he went 10-25. More recently, he was the interim head coach at Southern Cal in 2013, when he led the Trojans to a 6-2 record after taking over for Lane Kiffin. This is his first season on Les Miles’ staff at LSU. Orgeron earned two national championship rings as an assistant coach at USC in 2003 and 2004. He has also been an assistant coach at Tennessee, Syracuse, Miami (Fla.), Arkansas and with the New Orleans Saints. He is widely regarded as one of college football’s top recruiters.

Justin Fuente – The 39-year-old Fuente is in his fourth season as Memphis’ head coach. He currently has a 22-20 record, but is 15-3 in his last 18 games. In 2014, he led the Tigers to a 10-3 record and a share of the American Athletic Conference championship, which was Memphis’ first conference title since 1971. Memphis has started this season 5-0. Before going to Memphis, Fuente was TCU’s co-offensive coordinator from 2009-11.

Jeff Brohm – Brohm, 44, is in his second season as the head coach at Western Kentucky. He led the Hilltoppers to an 8-5 mark last year, and they have started the 2015 season 5-1. Before becoming Western Kentucky’s head coach, Brohm was the Hilltoppers’ offensive coordinator in 2013 and held the same position at UAB in 2012 and Louisville in 2008. Brohm spent seven years in the NFL as a quarterback with the San Diego Chargers, Washington Redskins, San Francisco 49ers, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Denver Broncos and Cleveland Browns.

Matt Campbell – The 35-year-old Campbell is in his fourth season as Toledo’s head coach. He has led the Rockets to a 31-13 record and two bowl wins. In 2014, Toledo went 9-4 and earned a share of the Mid-American Conference title. Campbell is one of the youngest FBS head coaches.

Mark Hudspeth – Hudspeth, 46, has gone 38-18 in four-plus seasons at Louisiana-Lafayette. The Ragin’ Cajuns have gone 9-4 and won the New Orleans Bowl in each of the past four seasons. They earned a share of the Sun Belt Conference title in 2013. Before going to Louisiana-Lafayette, Hudspeth went 66-21 in seven seasons at Division II power North Alabama, and reached the Division II semifinals three times.

Matt Wells – Wells, 42, has a 22-11 record in two-plus seasons at Utah State. In 2013, his first season, the Aggies went 9-5 and won the Mountain West Conference championship. Last year, they went 10-4. Wells was previously an assistant coach at New Mexico, Louisville, Tulsa and Navy.

Mark Dantonio – The 59-year-old Dantonio is a former South Carolina defensive back, and arguably the most prominent name on this list. In eight-plus seasons as Michigan State’s head coach, Dantonio has gone 81-31 and has four seasons of 11-plus wins. In 2013, the Spartans went 13-1, won the Big Ten title and the Rose Bowl and finished third in the nation. Last year, Michigan State went 11-2, won the Cotton Bowl and finished fifth in the final AP and Coaches polls. Before going to Michigan State, Dantonio spent three seasons as Cincinnati’s head coach, going 18-17.

FirefightnRick · October 18, 2015

LOL at the thought that SC thinks they could hire Dantonio away from Michigan State.

Rick

Edited October 18, 2015 by FirefightnRick

Harry · October 18, 2015

LOL at the thought that SC thinks they could hire Dantonio away from Michigan State.

Rick

I know right? But I did find it interesting that Hud was on there.

GMG24 · October 18, 2015

I'd take Hudspeth here. He's a winner and he recruits Louisiana and east Texas. Pretty much exactly what we're asking for right?

Mean_Green09 · October 18, 2015

Ed Orgeron is a guy I'd like to see us interview. Don't think SC would look at him.

DeepGreen · October 18, 2015

What is ULL paying Hudspeth?

Mean Green 93-98 · October 18, 2015

What is ULL paying Hudspeth?

Over a million, last I heard.

ADLER · October 18, 2015

LOL at the thought that SC thinks they could hire Dantonio away from Michigan State.

Rick

I know. Stupid SEC.

It's like when LSU thought they could use an enormous amount of cash to hire Nick Saban away from Michigan State.

Oh wait, nevermind.

Mean_Green09 · October 18, 2015

I know. Stupid SEC.
It's like when LSU thought they could use an enormous amount of cash to hire Nick Saban away from Michigan State.
Oh wait, nevermind.

Did Nick Saban have his Michigan St program built up to a consensus top 10 program in the country? Oh wait no he didn't. Is South Carolina a better program than MSU or LSU? Oh wait it isn't.

Mark Dantonio isn't going anywhere

Mean Green 93-98 · October 18, 2015

Probably not, but he is an alum. For some people, that would be a compelling reason to at least listen.

ADLER · October 18, 2015

Did Nick Saban have his Michigan St program built up to a consensus top 10 program in the country? Oh wait no he didn't. Is South Carolina a better program than MSU or LSU? Oh wait it isn't.
Mark Dantonio isn't going anywhere

I'll answer the question. Yes, Saban had Michigan State in the Top Ten in all polls the year he was hired away by LSU (1999). Oh wait, that's called consensus.

I am not predicting that Mark Dantonio is going anywhere. I don't know Mark Dantonio and my answer is I don't have the first damn clue. Maybe he likes warm weather and likes to go to the coast. And maybe he doesn't have many friends in Michigan. I'm an educated man, but I'm afraid I can't speak intelligently about the career advancement habits of Mark Dantonio. What I do know is that he has had success suitable to make his resume attractive to many colleges, and there are many large budget schools in the SEC, South Carolina included, that could certainly pay him whatever his asking price. Now, are these the questions I was really called here to answer?

Can you handle that?

Mean_Green09 · October 18, 2015

I'll answer the question. Yes, Saban had Michigan State in the Top Ten in all polls the year he was hired away by LSU (1999). Oh wait, that's called consensus.
I am not predicting that Mark Dantonio is going anywhere. I don't know Mark Dantonio and my answer is I don't have the first damn clue. Maybe he likes warm weather and likes to go to the coast. And maybe he doesn't have many friends in Michigan. I'm an educated man, but I'm afraid I can't speak intelligently about the career advancement habits of Mark Dantonio. What I do know is that he has had success suitable to make his resume attractive to many colleges, and there are many large budget schools in the SEC, South Carolina included, that could certainly pay him whatever his asking price. Now, are these the questions I was really called here to answer?
Can you handle that?

Saban did not have the MSU program built to level of Dantonio. There is less reason for Dantonio to leave the Saban. He'd be in a total rebuild project and at a less respectable school.

Saban had the big year at MSU and cashed in. Dantonio has had multiple big years.

Mike Jackson · October 18, 2015

Going to South Carolina from MSU is a bad career move. MSU is a long standing top destination in the Big Ten Conference. South Carolina has never been that in the SEC. I like South Carolina but if I were 59 year old head coach at MSU the only thing I would go to South Carolina for is to eek out maybe 6 years and retire. Because most likely you won't win enough to keep the fans happy for much more than 5 years.

Ben Gooding · October 18, 2015

Saban did not have the MSU program built to level of Dantonio. There is less reason for Dantonio to leave the Saban. He'd be in a total rebuild project and at a less respectable school.
Saban had the big year at MSU and cashed in. Dantonio has had multiple big years.

Michigan State and Dantonio has greatly benefitted from being in the weak Big10, Michigan being downtrodden as well as Ohio St being not very good until recently. They also have benefitted from the giant fiasco over in Happy Valley and also being in the weak Big10. And to be honest...I have never been impressed with any of Dantonios teams.