COLUMBIA, S.C. – In a major shake-up for South Carolina football, head coach Shane Beamer made the bold decision Sunday to fire offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Mike Shula after a disappointing 10-game stretch. The move came less than 24 hours after the Gamecocks’ 30–14 loss to Ole Miss, marking the team’s fourth consecutive defeat and another offensive struggle in a season full of them.
South Carolina’s offense has been plagued by inconsistency all year. The Gamecocks have yet to post a 350-yard performance in 2025, and under Shula’s direction, the unit never scored more than 22 points. Star quarterback LaNorris Sellers—once touted as one of the SEC’s most promising dual-threats—has failed to find his rhythm. Even ESPN’s Louis Riddick didn’t hold back during Saturday’s broadcast, calling South Carolina’s offense “a total failure.”
As GamecockCentral’s Wes Mitchell put it, Beamer “had no choice but to make a change.”
Despite the dismal numbers, Beamer struck an optimistic tone in his Sunday teleconference.
“I know no one wants to hear it. We’re not far off,” he insisted. “We have been in the fourth quarter of games against multiple teams this year that are College Football Playoff contenders, and we’re right there.”
Indeed, in four of South Carolina’s six losses this season, the Gamecocks were within a touchdown in the final quarter—most notably holding an eight-point lead over Alabama with under three minutes left. The feeling around Columbia is that even a slightly improved offense could’ve swung several of those games.
Still, Beamer has acknowledged the offense’s failings. He previously called the unit’s production “alarming,” noting that the Gamecocks rank near the bottom of the SEC—and nationally—in most statistical categories.
Yet, the coach remains hopeful a fresh start can ignite a turnaround.
“We’ve got a capable offensive staff with those coaches that are in there right now,” Beamer said. “It’ll be a collaborative group effort putting together the game plan over the next couple of weeks. And in regards to who’s calling plays on game day, that’s something we’ll get into at a different time.”
While Beamer didn’t name an interim playcaller, it’s expected that wide receivers coach and passing game coordinator Mike Furrey, offensive line and tight ends coach Shawn Elliott, and assistant quarterbacks coach Davis Koetter will all have expanded roles. Both Furrey and Elliott have previous experience in play-calling capacities, and Beamer said he wants “someone who can take this offense and our quarterback room to another level.”
Beamer emphasized that the offensive overhaul will go deeper than just changing who calls plays.
“We just haven’t been efficient and productive enough on Saturdays,” he said. “We need to look at everything we’re doing schematically, personnel-wise, for sure… There’s a nine-game body of work this season where we just haven’t progressed at the rate we need to.”
The timing of Shula’s firing gives South Carolina a slight advantage. The Gamecocks are on a bye week, meaning Beamer and his staff have nearly two weeks to reorganize before facing their next opponent. Unfortunately, that next test won’t be easy: a road matchup against No. 3 Texas A&M on November 15.
With a 3–6 record and bowl eligibility still mathematically possible, Beamer knows the pressure is mounting. The Gamecocks must win their final three games—against Texas A&M, Coastal Carolina, and Clemson—to reach the postseason.
“We’ve done a lot of great things in our time here,” Beamer said. “We were on the verge of being in the College Football Playoff last year. And we’re not far away from being back in that mix.”
