Bryant Haines should be our head coach next season

[18IsTheMan]

DC at Indiana. Prior to his arrival last year, IU was around 105th nationally in yards per game allowed and points per game allowed. Last year and this year, they were top 10 in both categories. He transformed IU's D literally overnight. Has then 2nd nationally this year in YPG allowed. Just went into Eugene and held Oregon nearly 200 yards and 20 points below their season average.

Cignetti is an offensive guy, so we can't dismiss IU's defensive success as being mostly due the HC.

He's 39. With all the openings this year, someone is going to give him a shot. Should be us. Don't care that he doesn't southeast connections...that's a relic of old school thinking.

 

[Coastal Gamecock]

I actually think we have a good DC now. We need an OC and OL coach. Beamer is fine as a recruiter and USC hype man.

 

[YorkDev]

Shane fired himself?

 

[Lurker123]

I think even with a 3 win season, Shane wont be fired this year.

Jmo

 

[Gamecock Jacque]

I think even with a 3 win season, Shane wont be fired this year.

Jmo

I think 3 wins would make it easy for Jeremiah.

 

[Lurker123]

I think 3 wins would make it easy for Jeremiah.

I base this on nothing more than my opinion. I just see last season as too fresh in peoples memory.

Maybe I'm wrong. I would have serious concerns about next year if I was on this staff.

 

[18IsTheMan]

I base this on nothing more than my opinion. I just see last season as too fresh in peoples memory.

Maybe I'm wrong. I would have serious concerns about next year if I was on this staff.

I get it, but if we end up with 4 wins this season, that's 18 wins over the last 3 seasons...6 wins average. If we had gone 6-6 over 3 straight seasons, I don't doubt there would be a groundswell of support to move on. Instead we went 5 wins, 9 wins and likely 4 wins.

I just think you have to look at the overall body of work. 18 wins in 3 seasons. Besides that, you have the undisciplined, sloppy and unprepared product on the field in Year 5. We are having issues you should NOT be having in Year 5.

Not direct at you, but to the fan base in general, but our fans b*tch and moan about our coaching hires. We lament that we missed out on Kirby b/c UGA moved aggressively scooped him up. But then when you bring up moving on from an overall middling coach, fans automatically point to "but he had 9 wins last year". Any idea how many wins Mark Richt had in his last season at UGA? 9. And 10 wins the season prior. UGA saw a chance to upgrade and they made the cutthroat decision to do it.

 

[Gamecock Jacque]

I base this on nothing more than my opinion. I just see last season as too fresh in peoples memory.

Maybe I'm wrong. I would have serious concerns about next year if I was on this staff.

People's memories have nothing to do with it. It won't be their decision. Donati knows if this is the coach he wants. It's been so long since we've had a real athletic director that people have forgotten what it's like.

 

[gamecock stock]

Expecting Beamer to get fired this year is setting oneself up to be disappointed, imho. If this season continues to implode, then circle next season.

If and when Beamer is fired, I would look at what Donati did when he had a Head Coach football vacancy previously. He hired a proven, successful Head Coach. He did not go the Coordinator route.

 

[Lurker123]

I get it, but if we end up with 4 wins this season, that's 18 wins over the last 3 seasons...6 wins average. If we had gone 6-6 over 3 straight seasons, I don't doubt there would be a groundswell of support to move on. Instead we went 5 wins, 9 wins and likely 4 wins.

I just think you have to look at the overall body of work. 18 wins in 3 seasons. Besides that, you have the undisciplined, sloppy and unprepared product on the field in Year 5. We are having issues you should NOT be having in Year 5.

Not direct at you, but to the fan base in general, but our fans b*tch and moan about our coaching hires. We lament that we missed out on Kirby b/c UGA moved aggressively scooped him up. But then when you bring up moving on from an overall middling coach, fans automatically point to "but he had 9 wins last year". Any idea how many wins Mark Richt had in his last season at UGA? 9. And 10 wins the season prior. UGA saw a chance to upgrade and they made the cutthroat decision to do it.

I see your reasoning 18, and your Jacque.

Like I said, I'm not basing thisnon any deep analysis or anything, just a hunch.

If we lost every single game from here on out (we won't), I could still see him coming back. It would set up next year as a make or break year.

But a new OC, or some other changes, and I could see him easily buy another year.

Stock said above, if youre expecting a coaching change at the end of the year, you're setting yourself up for disapointment. And I agree.

 

[18IsTheMan]

Expecting Beamer to get fired this year is setting oneself up to be disappointed, imho. If this season continues to implode, then circle next season.

If and when Beamer is fired, I would look at what Donati did when he had a Head Coach football vacancy previously. He hired a proven, successful Head Coach. He did not go the Coordinator route.

Oh, I don’t think he will be fired. I think if he was fired, it would be very justifiable.

I thoroughly reject fine of thinking that he “deserves” to come back solely because he got nine wins last year. It’s not like he’s working here out of charity. He’s one of the highest paid football coaches in the nation and we’re gonna get four wins in return for that this year. He deserves nothing.

 

[Piscis]

I get it, but if we end up with 4 wins this season, that's 18 wins over the last 3 seasons...6 wins average. If we had gone 6-6 over 3 straight seasons, I don't doubt there would be a groundswell of support to move on. Instead we went 5 wins, 9 wins and likely 4 wins.

I just think you have to look at the overall body of work. 18 wins in 3 seasons. Besides that, you have the undisciplined, sloppy and unprepared product on the field in Year 5. We are having issues you should NOT be having in Year 5.

Not direct at you, but to the fan base in general, but our fans b*tch and moan about our coaching hires. We lament that we missed out on Kirby b/c UGA moved aggressively scooped him up. But then when you bring up moving on from an overall middling coach, fans automatically point to "but he had 9 wins last year". Any idea how many wins Mark Richt had in his last season at UGA? 9. And 10 wins the season prior. UGA saw a chance to upgrade and they made the cutthroat decision to do it.

UGA fired Richt because they could see the program was not advancing to the level they wanted to be, not because Richt wasn't winning games. Richt averaged close to 10 wins a season for 15 years and UGA was always in the SEC title hunt. UGA wanted to be a legit NC contender every season and an elite program and Richt wasn't going to get them to that place so they fired him and went after Kirby and only Kirby. They had approached Kirby a few years earlier about coming in as DC for Richt and Saban told Kirby to not take the job because he could wait a few years and get the head coaching job. Kirby listened and the rest is history.

The difference in Carolina and UGA is that Carolina is satisfied with bowl eligibility and being competitive with Clemson. If a head coach can bring those two things pretty consistently, he has a job for life. Last year's 9 win season, even with the bowl loss, is considered a high point and point of pride for gamecock fans. Richt was fired after a 9 win season that followed a 10 win season that followed an 8 win season, seasons like that at Carolina would make a coach worthy of a statue. There is a completely different mindset around the football program at Carolina and the program at UGA or Bama or Ohio State.

Beamer can win 3 games this season and his job is safe. The idiotic raise and extension coming on the heels of the Muschamp buyout pretty well ensured that Beamer isn't going anywhere for at least another year. If he manages 5 or 6 wins this season there will be a lot of people saying "see, he's turning things around". If he manages to make a bowl, any bowl, the 2026 playoff talk will start up. If he wins 6 or 7 games in 2026, he will be safe for another year and on and on and on.

 

[Spurman54]

DC at Indiana. Prior to his arrival last year, IU was around 105th nationally in yards per game allowed and points per game allowed. Last year and this year, they were top 10 in both categories. He transformed IU's D literally overnight. Has then 2nd nationally this year in YPG allowed. Just went into Eugene and held Oregon nearly 200 yards and 20 points below their season average.

Cignetti is an offensive guy, so we can't dismiss IU's defensive success as being mostly due the HC.

He's 39. With all the openings this year, someone is going to give him a shot. Should be us. Don't care that he doesn't southeast connections...that's a relic of old school thinking.

Man you need to go back to the Clemson. Tired of your bs

 

[gamecock stock]

UGA fired Richt because they could see the program was not advancing to the level they wanted to be, not because Richt wasn't winning games. Richt averaged close to 10 wins a season for 15 years and UGA was always in the SEC title hunt. UGA wanted to be a legit NC contender every season and an elite program and Richt wasn't going to get them to that place so they fired him and went after Kirby and only Kirby. They had approached Kirby a few years earlier about coming in as DC for Richt and Saban told Kirby to not take the job because he could wait a few years and get the head coaching job. Kirby listened and the rest is history.

The difference in Carolina and UGA is that Carolina is satisfied with bowl eligibility and being competitive with Clemson. If a head coach can bring those two things pretty consistently, he has a job for life. Last year's 9 win season, even with the bowl loss, is considered a high point and point of pride for gamecock fans. Richt was fired after a 9 win season that followed a 10 win season that followed an 8 win season, seasons like that at Carolina would make a coach worthy of a statue. There is a completely different mindset around the football program at Carolina and the program at UGA or Bama or Ohio State.

Beamer can win 3 games this season and his job is safe. The idiotic raise and extension coming on the heels of the Muschamp buyout pretty well ensured that Beamer isn't going anywhere for at least another year. If he manages 5 or 6 wins this season there will be a lot of people saying "see, he's turning things around". If he manages to make a bowl, any bowl, the 2026 playoff talk will start up. If he wins 6 or 7 games in 2026, he will be safe for another year and on and on and on.

To me, the standard of expectations is Ole Miss and Missouri. Kiffin and Drinkwitz have their programs where you can expect consistent very good seasons. Going 8 wins, then 5 wins, 9 wins, 6 wins, etc up and down up and down, is just not acceptable to me. And spare me the NIL excuse. The 247 site recently showed us to be among the Top 25 NIL spenders. Ole Miss and Missouri were not in the Top 25.

 

[Piscis]

To me, the standard of expectations is Ole Miss and Missouri. Kiffin and Drinkwitz have their programs where you can expect consistent very good seasons. Going 8 wins, then 5 wins, 9 wins, 6 wins, etc up and down up and down, is just not acceptable to me. And spare me the NIL excuse. The 247 site recently showed us to be among the Top 25 NIL spenders. Ole Miss and Missouri were not in the Top 25.

That seems reasonable. The hard truth is; South Carolina is not going to be a national championship contender in football, the resources simply aren't there. Carolina is very akin to Ole Miss or Missouri in resources and should be similar in expectations. 7 wins should be the minimum expectation and any season with 9 or more wins considered excellent.

The NIL poor mouthing by some is completely fallacious. Carolina is not some poor relation in the SEC when it comes to NIL but their return on their NIL spending is very poor.

 

[JohnnySolo]

In case you havent noticed our problems revolve around offensive strategy, players and play calling. Don't think a new DC is going to solve that.

 

[18IsTheMan]

In case you havent noticed our problems revolve around offensive strategy, players and play calling. Don't think a new DC is going to solve that.

I didn't say DC. I said he should be our head coach.

 

[18IsTheMan]

UGA fired Richt because they could see the program was not advancing to the level they wanted to be, not because Richt wasn't winning games. Richt averaged close to 10 wins a season for 15 years and UGA was always in the SEC title hunt. UGA wanted to be a legit NC contender every season and an elite program and Richt wasn't going to get them to that place so they fired him and went after Kirby and only Kirby. They had approached Kirby a few years earlier about coming in as DC for Richt and Saban told Kirby to not take the job because he could wait a few years and get the head coaching job. Kirby listened and the rest is history.

The difference in Carolina and UGA is that Carolina is satisfied with bowl eligibility and being competitive with Clemson. If a head coach can bring those two things pretty consistently, he has a job for life. Last year's 9 win season, even with the bowl loss, is considered a high point and point of pride for gamecock fans. Richt was fired after a 9 win season that followed a 10 win season that followed an 8 win season, seasons like that at Carolina would make a coach worthy of a statue. There is a completely different mindset around the football program at Carolina and the program at UGA or Bama or Ohio State.

Beamer can win 3 games this season and his job is safe. The idiotic raise and extension coming on the heels of the Muschamp buyout pretty well ensured that Beamer isn't going anywhere for at least another year. If he manages 5 or 6 wins this season there will be a lot of people saying "see, he's turning things around". If he manages to make a bowl, any bowl, the 2026 playoff talk will start up. If he wins 6 or 7 games in 2026, he will be safe for another year and on and on and on.

You're largely right. Which is why I said in another thread that we are perpetually mediocre because perpetually tolerate mediocrity.

 

[Gamecock Jacque]

The hard truth is; South Carolina is not going to be a national championship contender in football, the resources simply aren't there.

Clemson won national championships fairly recently. They're from the same state. Besides a better job of hiring coaches, what special resources did they have that we can not obtain? Did their fans really want it while our fans demand mediocrity?

 

[18IsTheMan]

The hard truth is; South Carolina is not going to be a national championship contender in football, the resources simply aren't there.

I dunno. We have one the highest paid staffs in college football, so we aren't completely poor.

 

[Lurker123]

I dunno. We have one the highest paid staffs in college football, so we aren't completely poor.

We have one of the highest paid players in the nation too.

 

[JohnnySolo]

I didn't say DC. I said he should be our head coach.

How does hiring a DC as head coach solve offensive problems

 

[18IsTheMan]

How does hiring a DC as head coach solve offensive problems

He would hire his own OC of course

 

[kidrobinski]

I dunno. We have one the highest paid staffs in college football, so we aren't completely poor.

Mmm, not from the data I’m looking at (USA Today and SportsData databases); we’re not in the top twenty for head coach + staff. Guess it depends on what you call ‘highest paid.’

Clemson is no. 3, behind Georgia and Ohio State.

 

[Piscis]

Clemson won national championships fairly recently. They're from the same state. Besides a better job of hiring coaches, what special resources did they have that we can not obtain? Did their fans really want it while our fans demand mediocrity?

Apples and oranges. Clemson has a tradition and culture of winning, a more impressive stadium that is directly adjacent to campus, a more appealing, to most student age people, campus in a nice little town, multiple conference and national championships to point to, fans who demand winning football teams and an administration that places importance on football success.

South Carolina has a tradition of being barely over .500, a stadium that is far from campus and, while good enough, isn't really that impressive compared to other large program's stadiums, a campus in the middle of an urban area in a city that isn't known as a hotspot of excitement, one conference championship in a conference we are no longer in that is 56 years old, fans who think bowl eligibility is the holy grail and an administration that doesn't seem to care about football as long as the fans keep sending in the checks.

Resources aren't only dollars.

 

[Gamecock Jacque]

Apples and oranges. Clemson has a tradition and culture of winning, a more impressive stadium that is directly adjacent to campus, a more appealing, to most student age people, campus in a nice little town, multiple conference and national championships to point to, fans who demand winning football teams and an administration that places importance on football success.

South Carolina has a tradition of being barely over .500, a stadium that is far from campus and, while good enough, isn't really that impressive compared to other large program's stadiums, a campus in the middle of an urban area in a city that isn't known as a hotspot of excitement, one conference championship in a conference we are no longer in that is 56 years old, fans who think bowl eligibility is the holy grail and an administration that doesn't seem to care about football as long as the fans keep sending in the checks.

Resources aren't only dollars.

I think you basically agreed with my points. A lot of our fans don't seem serious about winning football. Since fans are supposed to be fanatical I just can't personally relate.

 

[18IsTheMan]

Mmm, not from the data I’m looking at (USA Today and SportsData databases); we’re not in the top twenty for head coach + staff. Guess it depends on what you call ‘highest paid.’

Clemson is no. 3, behind Georgia and Ohio State.

Mmmm...doesn't match the data I'm seeing.

 

[Gamecock Jacque]

USA today.

 

[JohnnySolo]

He would hire his own OC of course

Oh right. Because he has better access to them.

 

[18IsTheMan]

Oh right. Because he has better access to them.

He certainly can’t do worse than Beamer has done

 

[gamecox4982]

Being successful for a couple of years doesn’t make a good coach…. You see this all the time in the NCAA Basketball Tournament, a nobody takes his team to a sweet sixteen or beyond and signs a big contract and does nothing.

 

[18IsTheMan]

Being successful for a couple of years doesn’t make a good coach…. You see this all the time in the NCAA Basketball Tournament, a nobody takes his team to a sweet sixteen or beyond and signs a big contract and does nothing.

I agree, BUT it's the era in which we live. Everybody is desperate to land the next big coach, so nobody has to prove themselves for an extended period of time anymore. That's why end up with coaches like Mel Tucker.

What Haines has done with the IU defense has been absolutely remarkable, though. Their defense was very bad in 2023. In 2024 and again this year Haines has them top 10 nationally. That's not a fluke. Give me a defensive-minded HC.

 

[Piscis]

Being successful for a couple of years doesn’t make a good coach…. You see this all the time in the NCAA Basketball Tournament, a nobody takes his team to a sweet sixteen or beyond and signs a big contract and does nothing.

Paris?