'Old school guy': Joshua Simon calls Shawn Elliott's coaching style intense and energetic
The South Carolina football team brought on a passionate coach in Shawn Elliott when it hired him this offseason. Elliott is the tight ends coach and the run game coordinator.
However, It’s not his first time coaching for the Gamecocks. From 2010-16, Elliott spent six years coaching the offensive line and served as the run game coordinator under former head coach Steve Spurrier.
He also acted as interim head coach following Spurrier’s departure in 2015.
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Elliott is especially known for his excitement and energy on the sidelines. Tight end Joshua Simon called it a form of old-school coaching.
“You kind of got to look, see who around you with him, you’ll be like, ‘Coach Elliott, come on now,'” Simon said.
Simon is in his second year with South Carolina after spending four seasons at Western Kentucky, and he said he loves playing for Elliott.
“He’s intense. He has high energy every day,” Simon said. “He loves what he does, he’s not going to take mediocracy. That’s what you look for in a coach.”
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Elliott was most recently the head coach at Georgia State for seven years. He led the Panthers to their first-ever consecutive winning seasons and also helped them to five bowl games.
“He’s going to push you to be your best, and he’s going to push everybody,” Simon said. “He don’t just coach us, the tight ends. If you see him, he be flying around, talking to everybody.”
However, South Carolina lost its biggest producer at the tight end spot, Trey Knox, to the NFL Draft. Simon followed Knox and caught 28 passes for 256 yards in 2023. Simon is the only returner with significant playing time.
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Brady Hunt joined the Gamecocks from Ball State through the transfer portal and brings more experience to an otherwise young room.
“I was the old guy in the room last year, I was older than Trey,” Simon said. “So now it’s kind of like, I’m really the vet. But it’s been good.”
Simon said the tight ends are expecting to play a very physical and smart game because Elliott’s at the helm.
“Guys that are going to compete, play through the whistle,” Simon said. “With Coach Elliott behind us, we don’t got no choice.”
