South Carolina football is looking for its next defensive coordinator.
South Carolina’s new coach Shane Beamer announced seven members of his coaching staff over the weekend, a group consisting of three new hires and four remaining from the previous year.
The Gamecocks seemed to be blocked on the offensive side of the ball, having placed an offensive coordinator, tight end coach, running back coach and line coach, but there was less movement on the defensive front.
As it stands, defensive line coach Tracy Rocker and lineback coach Mike Peterson are due to return to Columbia, but they still don’t know who their coordinator will be.
They may know soon, however, as Josh Kendall’s The Athletic reports that a great candidate was interviewed for the opening with Gamecocks.
Former Vanderbilt head coach Derek Mason spoke to Beamer and Gamecock’s athletic management about his position as defensive coordinator, and the initial feedback appears to be positive for South Carolina.
Mason, who has been at the helm of the Commodore program since 2014, was dismissed in the midst of a season without victories in 2020. Despite his recent struggles at Vanderbilt, he is still considered one of the best defensive minds in college football. Their Vanderbilt defenses have ranked in the top five in SEC scoring on two occasions.
Before a stop in Nashville, he was responsible for the defensive game at Stanford for three seasons. Their units finished in the top 30 in the national ranking in all three years, with their last team breaking through the top ten.
While Gamecocks feel good about how things are going with Mason, it is important to note that South Carolina is not his only suitor. LSU had its role as an open defensive coordinator, too, and the Gamecocks may be facing the national defense champions for Mason’s services.
“At the moment, I am listening to everyone and trying to absorb everything. I had some good conversations with some good people, and the most important thing for me is to make sure that I am finding the right fit. I know that Shane Beamer is an excellent coach, an excellent teacher. I’m trying to make sure that I can recharge my batteries and make decisions with a clear mind so that I can do the right job wherever I go. “
One thing that can take South Carolina to the top is the fact that Beamer has money to spend on assistants. His $ 2.75 million salary is the lowest of any SEC head coach, leaving a larger amount to be spent on hiring top coordinators. Mason also trains defenders, an area that South Carolina has not yet hired.
Although no timeline has been defined, it seems that Gamecocks should know where they will be in the coming weeks. If they managed to get Mason, it would be the homerun that Beamer promised his fans when he was appointed head coach.