South Carolina hiring TCU offensive coordinator Kendal Briles for same role

South Carolina is finalizing a deal for TCU‘s Kendal Briles to become the Gamecocks’ next offensive coordinator, On3’s Pete Nakos can confirm. Briles has been with the Horned Frogs since 2023.

GamecockCentral’s Chris Clark reported that Briles was seen as a top target for the job heading into the week, and that there was a hope a deal could be done by Monday or Tuesday. That’s ended up being the case, and now Briles is heading back to the SEC to coach Shane Beamer’s offense in Columbia.

Briles, 43, has been in the coaching industry since 2008 when he was hired on at Baylor following a college career at Texas and Houston. He would stay in Waco until 2016 and has had stints with Florida Atlantic, Houston, Florida State and Arkansas before heading to TCU in 2023. He was the offensive coordinator at each of those programs.

He currently holds the titles of associate head coach, offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach for TCU.

He will replace former Gamecocks offensive coordinator Mike Shula, who was let go on Nov. 2 before the end of the regular season. South Carolina has made a number of changes along its offensive staff this season, and are still looking to permanently replace offensive line coach Lonnie Teasley, as well as running backs coach Marquel Blackwell.

South Carolina finished with a 4-8 record (1-7, SEC) in 2025 after being ranked No. 13 in the preseason AP poll and as high as No. 10 during the season. This comes after a 2024 season which saw the Gamecocks finish with a 9-4 record.

All signs pointed toward a breakout season for South Carolina behind the play of quarterback LaNorris Sellers. In the end, the Gamecocks would lose six of their last seven games of the regular season following a 3-2 start to the year.

Entering year six of the Beamer era in Columbia, Briles is being brought on and tasked with reviving the Gamecocks’ offense and lead South Carolina back to the success the team enjoyed in 2024. Still, South Carolina has missed bowl games in two of the last three seasons despite last year’s success.

Before Briles heads to the SEC, his Horned Frogs are set to compete against USC in the Alamo Bowl later this month. As of this report, it’s unclear whether he’ll continue to coach TCU for that game, or head straight to South Carolina after his hire is made official.