Gamecocks Lose 5th Assistant Coach

South Carolina's running backs coach has left the program to join the Oklahoma State coaching staff. According to The State, he is the fifth assistant to leave the program since the Clemson game.

"Offensive line coach John Hunt was fired, safeties coach Ron Cooper was hired at LSU after being encouraged to look for another job, and recruiting coordinator David Reaves and strength coach Mark Smith joined the staff of Reaves' brother-in-law, Lane Kiffin, at Tennessee."

Despite Spurrier's objections, it looks like some of the assistants are positioning themselves for greater long term stability elsewhere.  When Spurrier arrived in Columbia, I felt that he would give them 5-6 years max.  Spurrier turns 64 in April, and the weight of all the losses has to be getting to him. 

He lost more games in SEC play during his first three years in Columbia than he lost during his entire 12 year career in Gainesville, and he has an outside shot at doubling his SEC loss total vs. his UF tenure next year (Year 5).

The coaching defections plus the mounting losses further convince me that this is Spurrier's last year coaching college football.  The talent level in Columbia just isn't strong enough to keep him there.  

The natural question would then become....who replaces Spurrier next year?  I'd list the top three candidates as Tommy Tuberville, Charlie Strong and Skip Holtz.

PWD