COLUMBIA — After weeks of offensive frustration, South Carolina head coach Shane Beamer made a bold move: parting ways with offensive coordinator Mike Shula. The Gamecocks’ offense has struggled mightily this season, ranking dead last in the SEC and among the worst nationally. With a bye week followed by a road trip to No. 3 Texas A&M, the question now is — what’s next?
In such a short turnaround, Beamer knows there’s no time to reinvent the wheel or overhaul personnel. “It’ll be a collaborative group effort on game days, even a collaborative group effort throughout the week to put together the game plan,” Beamer said. “Marquel Blackwell has experience as an offensive coordinator. Mike Furrey is the passing game coordinator here currently. Shawn Elliott is the run game coordinator here currently. We’ve got a talented group of coaches in that room with those guys, and they’re very capable.”
Beamer later clarified on Nov. 5 that the entire offensive staff will collaborate on the weekly game plan, but Mike Furrey will serve as the primary play-caller on game days.
Rebuilding or Refining?
With less than two weeks before facing Texas A&M, the staff must quickly deconstruct and rebuild the offensive structure — but full reconstruction isn’t realistic.
Starting over from scratch? Highly unlikely. Installing an entirely new offense midseason is next to impossible, and since Shawn Elliott took over the offensive line, that unit has shown noticeable improvement. Disrupting that progress could cause more harm than good.
Instead, the focus appears to be on simplifying and tightening. Beamer mentioned before the Alabama game that the Gamecocks had “simplified” the playbook — focusing on fewer plays executed at a higher level. The result? South Carolina posted its best offensive performance of the season against the Crimson Tide.
So, how much further can they trim things down? Beamer and his staff walk a fine line — simplifying enough to execute consistently, but not so much that the offense becomes predictable. Still, when Ole Miss was able to pressure the quarterback with just two rushers last week, it became clear that something needs to change.
The QB Situation
With Shula gone, his absence extends beyond play-calling — he also coached quarterbacks. That leaves questions about LaNorris Sellers, who has yet to recapture the spark that made him a breakout star late last season.
“We know how good we can be, and we’re just not getting it done,” Sellers said. “We’ve got to get it done.”
Sellers’ play has been marked by hesitation — avoiding risk, taking sacks, or throwing the ball away instead of improvising as he did last year. The reshuffled staff must find a way to restore his confidence and creativity if the Gamecocks hope to salvage bowl eligibility.
Shula’s earlier comments this season now stand out. He claimed he hadn’t focused on preparing Sellers for the next level — but also insisted that there was no added collaboration before the Alabama game, contradicting Beamer’s statement that the offense had been a shared effort.
What’s Next for the Gamecocks?
With three games left, South Carolina faces a daunting task: build a functioning, confident offense with a new play-caller, a shaken quarterback, and a trimmed-down system — all in under two weeks.
Beamer’s bet is on collaboration, simplicity, and execution. The formula worked briefly against Alabama; now it must hold against tougher SEC competition.
If Furrey and the offensive staff can unlock Sellers’ full potential and find a rhythm, the Gamecocks still have a shot to close strong and reach bowl eligibility. But with time running short, every snap, call, and adjustment will matter.
