Shane Beamer’s overhaul of the South Carolina offense is gaining even more momentum—and now, another major coaching name appears to be on the verge of joining the movement. According to early reports, Stan Drayton is expected to join Kendal Briles on the Gamecocks’ rebuilt offensive staff, stepping in as South Carolina’s new running backs coach.
If finalized, the addition of Drayton would mark yet another aggressive, high-profile hire in Beamer’s mission to reboot an offense that struggled throughout the 2025 season.
A Major Piece for a New-Look Offense
Kendal Briles’ arrival as offensive coordinator is already being viewed as a program-defining move. Now, pairing Briles’ explosive, tempo-driven system with a veteran running backs coach like Stan Drayton gives the Gamecocks a one-two punch in offensive leadership that fans haven’t seen in years.
Drayton is widely respected across college football for his player development, ground-game innovation, and ability to elevate running back rooms quickly. His résumé includes major stops at:
- Texas
- Ohio State
- Florida
- Temple (head coach)
Throughout his career, Drayton has coached elite backs, built strong run-first identities, and served as a key recruiter at every stop. His arrival would bring instant credibility to a Gamecock offense that desperately needs experience and stability on the staff.
Why Drayton Fits the Briles System
Briles is known for offenses built around balance, tempo, space creation, and mismatches. His most successful systems rely on a running backs coach who can:
- Develop explosive runners
- Teach backs to operate in fast-paced spacing schemes
- Maximize yards after contact
- Recruit high-end SEC-caliber talent
Drayton checks all those boxes—and more. Pairing the two could mark a philosophical reset for South Carolina’s rushing attack, which struggled with consistency, offensive line issues, and lack of identity throughout the 2025 season.
What This Means for South Carolina’s Running Back Room
South Carolina’s run game has flashed potential but hasn’t sustained production. Bringing in Drayton signals a commitment to:
- Rebuilding the ground game from the foundation up
- Developing a true feature back in Briles’ offense
- Recruiting aggressively at the position
- Adding experience to a young offensive staff
The Gamecocks need toughness, vision, and explosiveness from the backfield—and Drayton is known for turning raw talent into polished playmakers.
Beamer Is All-In on an Offensive Reboot
Shane Beamer’s message this offseason has been clear: the 2026 offense will not resemble 2025.
Hiring Briles was the first domino.
Bringing Drayton aboard would be the next—and a sign that Beamer is building an offensive staff designed for SEC competitiveness, recruiting power, and development consistency.
A Staff With National Experience, Championship Pedigree
Between Briles’ ability to create elite scoring units and Drayton’s history of grooming NFL-level running backs, South Carolina’s offensive brain trust suddenly looks dramatically upgraded from the group that struggled last season.
If all goes as expected, the Gamecocks will head into 2026 with:
- A modern, explosive playcaller
- A proven running backs developer
- A fresh identity on offense
- Renewed recruiting momentum
Final Thoughts
While nothing has been officially announced yet, the potential pairing of Kendal Briles and Stan Drayton on Shane Beamer’s offensive staff signals one thing:
South Carolina is done playing conservative football.
The Gamecocks are rebuilding for firepower.
If Drayton joins the program as expected, this could become one of the most impactful offseason coaching revamps in recent SEC memory.
