Timeline: South Carolina staff changes this offseason
In today’s era of college football, there’s no such thing as an offseason. Between recruiting, two national signing days, and the transfer portal, it never truly ends.
But like those infomercials from the 90s, “Wait, there’s more.” You also have to deal with changes to your coaching staff.
For South Carolina, that’s been something they know very well. Between firings, hirings, coaches leaving to be head coaches elsewhere or coaches sliding from one position to another, the Gamecocks have seen it all this offseason. With the news today about James Coley expected to be on his way out for the same job at Georgia, this will mark the ninth change to South Carolina’s coaching staff since the start of the year, with a tenth change now on the way.
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Below is a timeline of when those changes took place:
Jan. 3
Parted ways with RB coach Montario Hardesty
After three seasons as running backs coach at South Carolina, Shane Beamer announced his first true firing since taking over the program ahead of the 2021 season with relieving Hardesty of his coaching duties.
Jan. 10
Tight end coach Jody Wright leaves to become head coach at Murray State
Jan. 12
Wide receiver coach Justin Stepp slides over to coach tight ends
Jan. 12
South Carolina’s board of trustees approves contract for wide receiver coach James Coley
Jan. 19
South Carolina’s board of trustees approves contract for running back coach Marquel Blackwell
[Win two tickets to the South Carolina-Florida men’s basketball game]
Jan. 21
Associate Head Coach/Special Teams Coordinator Pete Lembo leaves to become head coach at Buffalo
Jan. 29
South Carolina’s board of trustees approves contract for Associate Head Coach/Special Teams Coordinator Joe DeCamillis
Feb. 8
Tight end coach Justin Stepp leaves to become WR coach at Illinois
Feb. 16
South Carolina’s board of trustees approves contract for run game coordinator/tight end coach Shawn Elliott
Feb. 24
Wide receiver coach James Coley expected to leave to become wide receiver coach at Georgia
