Coaching Biography & Head Coaching Record
- Current role: Run Game Coordinator / Tight Ends Coach at South Carolina. On October 12, 2025, he added interim offensive line coach duties after Lonnie Teasley’s departure.
- Head coaching history: Elliott led Georgia State from 2017 to 2023. During his tenure, he compiled a 41–44 overall record and guided the Panthers to four bowl wins in five appearances. (Georgia State University)
- Bowl performance: As head coach, he reached bowls in most of his early seasons at Georgia State, and posted a 4–1 bowl record at major-school level.
- Career coaching success: Across 28 seasons as a college coach (assistant and head coach combined), Elliott has been part of 24 winning campaigns and 22 postseason appearance.
Prior Experience in Offensive Line & Related Duties
- Elliott has strong roots as an offensive line coach. Before returning to Columbia, he served several seasons in that capacity in both South Carolina (2010–2016) and at Appalachian State.
- At South Carolina, he also held roles such as Running Game Coordinator, Co-Offensive Coordinator, and for a time Interim Head Coach (late 2015) when Steve Spurrier retired.
- His previous stint as OL coach coincided with some of the Gamecocks’ most productive offensive seasons. Under his guidance, SC’s offense hit school records in yardage and scoring in years like 2013 and 2014.
Key Metrics & Past Results That Back His Credibility
- During his first year back at South Carolina (2024), Elliott oversaw a major uptick in the rushing game, with Carolina averaging 184.4 rushing yards per game — the highest since 2013, and a jump of nearly 100 ypg over the prior year.
- His run game direction was anchored by Raheim “Rocket” Sanders, who tallied 881 rushing yards — the most by a Gamecock rusher since 2020.
- In his time at Georgia State, Elliott’s teams were known for consistent ground production. Over his last five years in Atlanta, his Panthers averaged 214 rushing yards per game, building them into one of the nation’s better rushing attacks in the Group of Five ranks.
Why Elliott Was the Logical Choice to Take Over the O-Line
- Proven OL track record — His history as an offensive line coach at South Carolina and Appalachian State gives him credibility with players who need confidence in the new voice in the trenches.
- Continuity for offensive coordination — Because he already coaches tight ends and handles run-game coordination, the transition to overseeing the offensive line maintains alignment with the broader scheme without a radical shift midseason. (University of South Carolina Athletics)
- Head coaching experience — Leading Georgia State taught him how to manage personnel, scheme, recruiting, and player development. These skills are vital if he is to stabilize a struggling line room fast.
- Recruiting strength & local ties — Elliott’s roots in South Carolina and his prior reputation recruiting in-state help mitigate the risk of recruiting fallout. His return was welcomed by many in the Gamecock program. (WLTX)
- Immediate credibility & urgency — Given the offensive line’s struggles with penalties, protection breakdowns, and injuries, the staff needed someone who could command respect right away and begin implementing fixes. Elliott’s resume gives him that standing.
Will a midseason change work?
Midseason coaching changes are risky — they disrupt continuity — but they’re also used to signal accountability and spark immediate improvement if the incoming coach has credibility and a clear plan. Programs that move quickly and lean on a coach with prior success in the role can see short-term gains; Elliott’s history at South Carolina and his head-coaching experience check those boxes. Still, the margin for error is slim in the SEC, and Elliott’s window to show progress is compressed.
Bottom line
Shawn Elliott offers the program the best chance for a fast, practical fix: credibility, prior OL success at South Carolina, and experience running a program. If he clamps down on penalties, simplifies technique, stabilizes his five linemen and adjusts the scheme to his guys’ strengths, the Gamecocks can expect fewer negative plays and a steadier offense. Whether that’s enough to change the course of the season depends on how quickly players adapt and how long Elliott gets to implement his plan — but the hire at least gives South Carolina a clear path forward.
