TCU offensive coordinator Kendal Briles may soon be making a move to the SEC.
Multiple reports indicate that Briles has become a primary target for South Carolina head coach Shane Beamer. A source confirmed to the Star-Telegram that the Gamecocks are focusing in on Briles for their vacant offensive coordinator role, though no agreement had been finalized as of Saturday.
Beamer dismissed offensive coordinator Mike Shula in November after South Carolina ended a disappointing 4-8 season, despite opening the year ranked No. 13 in the preseason AP Top 25.
Briles has spent the last three seasons at TCU, arriving after Garrett Riley left for Clemson following the Horned Frogs’ run to the 2022 national championship game.
His hiring at TCU drew backlash due to his previous tenure at Baylor from 2008-16, where he worked under his father, Art Briles. In 2016, Baylor faced intense scrutiny amid a major university-wide scandal involving mishandled sexual assault allegations against football players.
A lawsuit tied to the scandal claimed that Kendal Briles once told a recruit, “Do you like white women? Because we have a lot of them at Baylor, and they love football players.” The accusation sparked immediate criticism of TCU’s decision to bring him onto the staff.
On the field, Briles produced mixed but generally strong results. TCU ranked 41st, 25th, and 44th nationally in scoring offense during his three seasons, and the Horned Frogs never averaged fewer than 30 points per game. He also coached consecutive 1,000-yard receivers — Jack Bech in 2024 and Eric McAlister in 2025 — while quarterback Josh Hoover set TCU’s single-season passing record in 2024 under Briles’ guidance.
However, TCU struggled mightily on the ground, finishing 14th and 13th in the Big 12 in rushing offense over the past two seasons. Hoover also failed to make the major jump many expected in 2025, dealing with costly turnovers late in the season as TCU slid out of Big 12 title contention.
If Briles officially departs for South Carolina, Sonny Dykes will be tasked with hiring his third offensive coordinator — arguably the most critical decision of his tenure — as TCU enters a pivotal fifth year under his leadership.
Early candidates mentioned as potential replacements include Clemson’s Garrett Riley, who remains a strong name in the industry, and Nebraska offensive coordinator Dana Holgorsen, the former head coach at West Virginia and Houston.
