Will Muschamp dismissed as South Carolina’s football coach
Questions of COVID-impacted finances made the idea of South Carolina firing Will Muschamp as football coach before 2021 seem, at best, impractical.
Muschamp made it through seven games in 2020.
Following three consecutive losses in which the Gamecocks allowed 159 total points, the school announced Sunday evening that Muschamp had been relieved of his head-coaching duties. Offensive coordinator Mike Bobo will serve out the season as interim coach.
“At the end of the day, the expectation to win games was coming up short,” athletic director Ray Tanner said Monday. “That’s what we’re judged on. That’s what our aspirations are.”
Muschamp finished his USC tenure 28-30 across more than four seasons — the Gamecocks are 2-5 in this COVID-shortened 10-game schedule. His first two years in Columbia saw overachieving and bowl games. His teams went 6-13 overall since the high-expectation 2018 squad saw its success capped by a tough schedule, sloppy play and injuries.
The athletic department, as of September, was trying to close a $44 million budget deficit brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic. If Muschamp’s contract buyout was not negotiated down in some way, the school will owe him $3.3 million for each of the next four years, less whatever he makes at a new job in those seasons. Tanner on Monday did not confirm final details of the buyout, only saying “it could be adjusted by mutual agreement.”
The decision to fire Muschamp midseason was made Sunday and not in advance, Tanner said.
USC’s athletic director said he told Muschamp of the news around 6 p.m. Sunday. The players and coaching staff were informed shortly afterward.
Tanner, who praised Muschamp’s hard work and his impact on the Gamecocks’ culture, called it a “difficult conversation” and said the coach handled their talk with class.
Muschamp had not issued any public comments about the change as of Monday afternoon. He did meet with players Sunday evening, said Tanner, who got emotional while talking about Sunday’s proceedings.
“It wasn’t an easy conversation,” Tanner said. “You always hear life is personal. It is. It’s about more than football. When you get down to it, a decision was made because of wins. It wasn’t because of his character. It was about the bottom line, and that makes it difficult.
“I can only imagine how he might’ve been feeling, but I know what he said. We embraced at the end of the conversation, he wished me well and I wished him well.”
Muschamp was the highest-profile hire made by Tanner to date, and the search for a new coach is already underway.
Tanner will lead the search efforts, with input from others. No search firm is in place to assist at this time. The hope is to have a hire in place by, or preferably before, Dec. 16 — the start of the early signing period for recruiting.
USC President Bob Caslen will have a role in the search process, Tanner said.
“I appreciate everything Coach Muschamp has done for our university. He is a true professional and strong advocate for our student-athletes,” Caslen said in a statement. “Under his leadership, our football players excelled in the classroom and served as mentors in the community. Will also brought much-needed stability to the program. However, I believe it is time to move in a different direction.”
Muschamp came in after Steve Spurrier left USC in the middle of 2015 and Shawn Elliott coached for the rest of season on an interim basis. Muschamp was not a unanimously popular choice, having not found success at Florida across four years. He managed to earn a lucrative extension at USC after winning 15 games his first two years.
Before coming to Columbia, Muschamp spent a year as defensive coordinator at Auburn and had an ill-fated four-year run as Florida’s head coach, going from one of the most sought-after coaching candidates in the country to losing his job before the end of his fourth season in Gainesville. He was a longtime SEC assistant and defensive coordinator on Nick Saban’s 2003 LSU national title team.
The news of Muschamp’s dismissal hurt, USC senior defensive lineman Jabari Ellis said. The focus for players now shifts to the Gamecocks’ final three games.
“Football teaches you about life,” Ellis said. “Coach Muschamp’s message is still in effect. He was more than a football coach. He taught us about life. When adversity hits, you’ve got to go through it.”
The next Gamecocks head coach will be the 35th in program history.
“I have every confidence that Coach Tanner will find the right person to lead our program,” Caslen said. “A vibrant athletics program is integral to the college experience. I know how much football means to our students, faculty, alumni, and donors; I share that passion. Our priority remains winning a championship at the University of South Carolina.”
Will Muschamp at South Carolina, year-by-year
- 2016: 6-7, with a Birmingham Bowl loss to South Florida
- 2017: 9-4, with Outback Bowl win over Michigan
- 2018: 7-6, with Belk Bowl loss to Virginia
- 2019: 4-8
- 2020: 2-5
Will Muschamp, USC contract obligations
His departure not only comes with the financial burden of his contract, but also possibly paying out a large group of assistants with contracts that run through 2021. Below are the financial obligations, minus whatever each coach earns at a new job:
- Muschamp — If his deal was not negotiated down in some way, the school will owe him $3.3 million for each of the next four years
- Offensive coordinator Mike Bobo — $1.2 million in 2021
- Defensive coordinator Travaris Robinson — $1.2 million in 2021
- Offensive line coach Eric Wolford — $700,000 in 2021
- Defensive line coach Tracy Rocker — $525,000 in 2021
- Strength coach Paul Jackson — $450,000 in 2021
This story was originally published November 15, 2020 at 7:07 PM with the headline "Will Muschamp dismissed as South Carolina’s football coach."
