The South Carolina football program lost some of its coaches to Auburn on Thursday, but the school will receive a check in return. It’s a small consolation prize, but the school’s athletics department owes them both money Mike Bobo and Will be friend, according to a school spokesman.
Bobo, who spent a season with Gamecocks as an offensive coordinator, agreed to a new two-season contract. Bobo had not yet signed the contractual amendment that was approved on Monday this week, so he had his original contract signed in December 2019.
Under the terms of that contract, Bobo owes South Carolina $ 100,000 for terminating his contract with the school. He owes that money to the university, but Auburn can pay for the acquisition if he so wishes.
Friend, who also had his contract approved by the school’s Board of Trustees on Monday, had signed his term sheet. According to his contract, he also owes the school $ 100,000.
We wrote on Wednesday this week that Friend had clauses in his purchase that he would not have to pay a purchase for school if he left for a coordinator role with college or NFL play-call functions, or if he became a head coach. His position at Auburn does not meet the qualifications.
Bobo came to South Carolina after the 2019 season, when he was released from Colorado State. Former head coach Will Muschamp brought Bobo to execute his attack, which generated 23.5 points per game against the SEC competition, and good for 10th place in the league.
Friend was out of contract in Tennessee after the 2020 season and Beamer hired one of Bobo’s longtime friends, Friend, to fill the vacant position of offensive line coach on his starting team. Bobo and Friend worked together during their time in Georgia and when Bobo left to become Colorado State’s head coach, he brought Friend as his offensive line coach and offensive coordinator, while maintaining the roles of playing for himself.
Although the Gamecocks lost two coaches to a rival SEC West, which the Gamecocks won this season 30-22 at Williams-Brice Stadium, there is a small amount of money – at least by the athletic department’s budget standards – of $ 200,000 which is set to come back here.