Caslen confirms Muschamp as Gamecocks coach for 2020

[FeatheredCock]

Caslen confirms Muschamp as Gamecocks coach for 2020

Nov. 20, 2019

There will be no change in the head football coaching position at USC for 2020. That’s the statement released Wednesday afternoon by USC president Robert Caslen. After a flurry of interviews with newspapers around the state which led to questions about Muschamp’s status, Caslen took the step Wednesday to squash all of that talk, and to apologize for his confusing statements first to the Greenville News and then the Florence Morning News.

Here’s the statement released by USC’s president’s office Wednesday:

“Earlier this week, I had a lengthy conversation with reporters and editors from the Florence Morning News about our university and the importance of keeping it affordable and accessible to the people of South Carolina. In the course of that interview, I was asked several questions about the football program, including one about Coach Muschamp that I misinterpreted. I misspoke and the mistake was mine, and I apologize for any confusion my comments have created with Gamecock fans or our program. Our Athletic Director and I support Will Muschamp, and we look forward to him being our coach next year and for seasons to come.”

Muschamp is suffering thru his worst season at USC. The Gamecocks are 4-7 and will not go to a bowl game this season. They have their final game at home a week from Saturday against Clemson and figure to be around a 25 point underdog to the Tigers who have won the last five meetings. Muschamp has a 26-24 mark at USC and is 54-45 in his career.

Muschamp has a huge buyout at USC and would be owed over 22 million dollars if fired without cause prior to December 30th. The buyout would drop to 18.5 million dollars if fired the next day.

 

[JimG]

I don't see where that confirms anything beyond what he looks forward to. I look forward to sunshine tomorrow, but the forecast is rain. 

 

[2k15]

Yeah I found it to be very carefully worded in a way that compensated for Caslen's slip up, ensuring trust and confidence in Muschamp, but at the same time not actually promising anything. I don't think Muschamp is safe for 2020 at all.

 

[TKE226]

1/1/2020

 

[Mr Ed]

This is good news.  Glad to see him get another year.  Hopefully he can get it turned around next year.  At the very least it looks like he’s got another good recruiting class coming in to add to the previous two.  It’s a solid foundation for whoever is coaching after next year.  This is a smart move by administration.  

 

[86 Gradcock]

I really hope Muschamp gets the chance to turn this program around.  He is only a good OC away from having a solid football team that can compete in the SEC.  If they fire him now, it would be a huge setback.  Consider this, Clemson stuck with Dabo even after 5 consecutive losses to USC ( and it would have been more had Spurrier not taken his foot off the gas).  It takes time to get a program on track and winning consistently and we need to give him a little more time.  Next year will be definitive, one way or another.

 

[OreCock]

Ughhh...not sure how I feel about this.  There are a lot of things I like about Muschamp so I guess one more shot at it is ok.

Maybe next year we'll have better replacement options at the end of the season?

I really hope he can turn it around but my gut is (a gracious) 60/40 against that possibility....and I feel like we're gonna lose a key recruit or two somewhere along the way here.

At least being a lifelong gamecock fan has battle-hardened me for consistent and ongoing disappointment :banghead:

On a brighter note...I'm still feeling good about Hiliniski...so at least I got that goin for me...which is nice.

 

[78Gamecock]

It's not unexpected, nor is it a bad move, given the money involved and I don't think there has been any proactive work done on hiring a new coach. We really don't want another rush hiring job, since these have not worked out for us too well in the past. This path makes sense in that it helps shore up the recruiting, but only if they make some needed changes, and work behind the scenes to be prepared for the worst.

First change the OC. Not a Rookie, but a power 5 pro. We've seen what on the job training looks like in the SEC. Think we need to do the same with the Defense, unless T-Rob can push back on Muschamp being the co-coordinator, and Tanner can tell Muschamp to be the head coach, or become permanent coordinator elsewhere. Not sure if he can stepback and let the coordinators sink of swim. Muschamp seems to be the common components for a number of coordinators who were successful under experienced head coaches, but failed under him. He hasn't been able to be a CEO in his career, and that appears to be the real problem.  Dabo did it in Cowtown, but I'm not sure that this old bulldog can be taught new tricks. Maybe he needs to have an executive leadership consultant come in and work with him. 

We should always be evaluating the option of improving our revenue sports teams, until we are a perennial favorite to be in and win the SEC championship and Clemson games, every single year. If we wish to complete with UGA, Clemson, Florida, Alabama, LSU, then we should always be looking for new talent behind the scenes, be it Coordinators, assistants, analysts, etc, with each having to prove how they have moved the needle every year. There should always be a target list, and a plan in the event someone moves, or we move them. That goes for the entire staff. 

 

[Homebrewcock]

If CWM does not shake up the staff, then this is bad move.  BMac needs to go for sure.  As others have stated, we have to hire a proven OC.  Not a retread, not unproven, but someone that can come in and make this offense decent game 1.

 

[red rooster]

I think he will be our coach for 2020 but they will lean on him and make him replace some staff. If he doesn't have a good year next season, his buyout will be 4 mil less and they will let him go.

 

[TheKOB]

Considering the insanely stupidly high buyout, I don't think they really had a choice.  

I get the feeling the problem with the O isn't the OC, it's Muschamp.  

 

[Absfract]

Ughhh...not sure how I feel about this.  There are a lot of things I like about Muschamp so I guess one more shot at it is ok.

Maybe next year we'll have better replacement options at the end of the season?

I really hope he can turn it around but my gut is (a gracious) 60/40 against that possibility....and I feel like we're gonna lose a key recruit or two somewhere along the way here.

At least being a lifelong gamecock fan has battle-hardened me for consistent and ongoing disappointment :banghead:

On a brighter note...I'm still feeling good about Hiliniski...so at least I got that goin for me...which is nice.

After last weeks performance my  view of Hilinski dimmed, there was more than one throw that really was not D1 caliber.

 

[Absfract]

Go beg GA Mangus to come back

 

[Longhaul]

I just watch on TV some games so I am not an expert. But I don't like the way he speaks to the players. He strikes me as a creating a team where people are afraid to make mistakes so they don't get yelled at. I would get a new coach. I voted "wrong move"

I find his demeanor to be quite the opposite since he arrived at Carolina.  There are times I wish he showed a little more emotion.  If you watch some other teams you will see coaches rail on players all the time.  They are tough and they can take it.  

 

[roosterdave]

right move, we don't need the dissension in our program and as fans we don't deserve the debacle that a hasty firing would create

 

[cocky0]

I don't know what the right move is, but this is the move I have been expecting. I know a lot of folks want him gone, and a lot of folks want him gone if we completely shit the bed vs. the taters. The truth of the matter is that the fan base is probably about as split as the board and other powers that be on this matter. I think they are split solely because of the buyout. I'm quite certain that if that wasn't there, Muschamp would already be packing his bags. But it is there, and it isn't going away no matter the result of our final game in 2019. 

What I am expecting to see is some changes on the offensive side, and maybe even on the defensive side too. I also expect that there will be some behind the scenes wheeling and dealing to help mitigate the buyout for next year should these bandaids fail to stem the suckage. If you're into following the rumor mill, 2020 should be a pretty interesting year.

 

[gamecock88]

I will also confirm something.  Muschamp is mediocre at his job.   Tanner delivers a similar performance and Caslen is following the same pattern.   

 

[JimG]

 I think they are split solely because of the buyout. I'm quite certain that if that wasn't there, Muschamp would already be packing his bags.

Nowhere else can someone do so poorly while making $4.5 mil/yr and NOT get fired. This is one of the biggest debacles in Gamecock history. 

 

[Mr Ed]

Nowhere else can someone do so poorly while making $4.5 mil/yr and NOT get fired. This is one of the biggest debacles in Gamecock history. 

It could be worse, we could’ve  hired Chad Morris as head coach.