Garnet And Black Attack - The Assistant Coaching Carousel#SpursUphttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/50351/gaba-fav.png2013-02-15T21:44:19-05:00http://www.garnetandblackattack.com/rss/stream/35027952013-02-15T21:44:19-05:002013-02-15T21:44:19-05:00Crisis Averted: Elliott withdraws from Bama search
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<figcaption>Mark Zerof-US PRESSWIRE</figcaption>
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<p>It was touch-and-go for a while: many of us were already considering potential replacements, others of us were considering taking up day drinking - but the Gamecocks are keeping Shawn Elliott in Columbia for at least another season.</p> <p>I feel extremely comfortable saying that South Carolina doesn't have to worry about offensive line coach/run game coordinator Shawn Elliott leaving for another position this offseason. Why am I so confident? Because<span style="line-height: 16px;"> within the past two and a half months alone, Elliott has turned down gigs with the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Alabama Crimson Tide and the head job at his alma mater, </span><a style="line-height: 16px;" href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pVENWl8uBeg" target="_blank">Appalachian State</a><span style="line-height: 16px;">, to remain with South Carolina.</span></p>
<p><span style="line-height: 16px;"></span><span style="line-height: 16px;">Barring an offer to be a coordinator at a BCS school, I think we can safely say that Shawn Elliott has already received <a target="_blank" href="http://www.gamecocksonline.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/021513aaa.html">the most tempting offers to leave Columbia that he will receive</a> until the wheels start turning on next year's coaching carousel.</span></p>
<p>Between the time that Shawn Elliott started interviewing with Alabama earlier this morning and the time that <a target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/JoshatTheState/status/302497297655271426">Steve Spurrier revealed that Elliott would be staying</a>, it seemed like the most likely scenario was that the HBC would be looking for a new offensive line coach. But it turns out that one of<a target="_blank" href="http://www.garnetandblackattack.com/2013/2/15/3991162/shawn-elliott-on-the-short-list-to-be-alabamas-new-offensive-line"> the unknowns that I wrote about yesterday</a> - the strength of Elliott's loyalty to the program - is even stronger than most anticipated. And I doubt most Gamecock fans will soon forget that.</p>
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<p>Here’s what Shawn Elliott told me re: Bama: "I think we can build what they have here. Sky is the limit for us.(1/4)</p>
— Josh Kendall (@JoshatTheState) <a href="https://twitter.com/JoshatTheState/status/302517323393269760">February 15, 2013</a>
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<p>It would take a special opportunity to lure me away from this place. The University of Alabama was very, very intriguing. (2/4)</p>
— Josh Kendall (@JoshatTheState) <a href="https://twitter.com/JoshatTheState/status/302517364287746048">February 15, 2013</a>
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<p>I wanted to go see how they did it, what they did, what their staff looked like. It was a very interesting proposition for me (3/4)</p>
— Josh Kendall (@JoshatTheState) <a href="https://twitter.com/JoshatTheState/status/302517438661136385">February 15, 2013</a>
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<p>so I went to investigate. I am going to work to make this place as good as it can become." (4/4)</p>
— Josh Kendall (@JoshatTheState) <a href="https://twitter.com/JoshatTheState/status/302517467450851328">February 15, 2013</a>
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<p>In the span of about 16 hours, South Carolina went from probably losing one of its most important assistant coaches and most skilled recruiters to maintaining continuity on the offensive line while obtaining the tacit seal of approval implied by Nick Saban's interest in Elliott, one of our football program's most valuable assets.</p>
<p>That's the football equivalent of having the opponent driving inside your ten yard line only to pick off a gently thrown swing route and run it back for six and then get penalized fifteen yards on the kickoff for chucking the ball into the 35th row of the South End Zone bleachers and yeah maybe it wasn't the best idea but goddammit it was worth it.</p>
<p>Anyway, that's where I'm at right now.</p>
<p>How will you be celebrating the retention of Shawn Elliott?</p>
https://www.garnetandblackattack.com/2013/2/15/3994086/shawn-elliott-withdraws-name-from-alabama-offensive-line-coach-searchConnor Tapp2013-02-15T06:00:07-05:002013-02-15T06:00:07-05:00Will Nick Saban pry Shawn Elliott away from USC?
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<figcaption>Al Messerschmidt</figcaption>
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<p>Fewer defections from South Carolina's current group of assistant coaches would enervate the Gamecocks' program as much as Elliott's.</p> <p>Just a few months ago, Shawn Elliott <a href="http://www.garnetandblackattack.com/2012/12/7/3738760/gamecock-football-offensive-line-coach-shawn-elliott-turns-down-head" target="_blank">turned down an offer to be the head coach for his alma mater</a>, the Appalachian State Mountaineers, putting to bed - or so we thought - any concern that the 3rd year Gamecock offensive line coach and run game coordinator would leave South Carolina for another opportunity.</p>
<p>But then Chip Kelly <a href="http://www.rollbamaroll.com/2013/2/12/3976148/who-will-be-alabamas-new-offensive-line-coach" target="_blank">hired Jeff Stoutland away from Alabama</a>, creating a void at the position of offensive line coach with the Crimson Tide. Reports surfaced Thursday evening that Saban has been in contact with Elliott and that there is at least some degree of mutual interest.</p>
<p>For reasons cited <a href="http://www.garnetandblackattack.com/2012/12/7/3738760/gamecock-football-offensive-line-coach-shawn-elliott-turns-down-head" target="_blank">here</a> and the fact that Elliott has emerged as one of the Gamecocks' premier recruiters*, losing the fiery line coach to Nick Saban would be a major setback.</p>
<p><i>*Elliott has a lot to do with the Gamecocks' early leads with, among others, 2014 OL prospects Bentley Spain and Donnell Stanley and WR target Shaq Davidson.</i></p>
<p>Here is what we know:</p>
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<li>While South Carolina pays Elliott well, they do not have the resources to match Alabama dollar-for-dollar if Nick Saban decides that Elliott is the guy that he wants for the job.</li>
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<i>Ceteris paribus</i>, coaching the offensive line for NIck Saban's Alabama Crimson Tide is a better gig than coaching the offensive line for Steve Spurrier's South Carolina Gamecocks.</li>
<li>Shawn Elliott is intensely loyal, and has expressed an interest in staying at South Carolina for a long time.</li>
<li>While Elliott is on Saban's short list for the vacancy, he is not the only name on that list. UCF offensive line coach Brent Key is a name that continues to pop up regarding the position.</li>
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<p>Here is what we don't know:</p>
<ul>
<li>How much of of a raise and or promotion Ray Tanner and Steve Spurrier are willing to give Elliott to keep him around. I could see throwing another $100K or so his way (on top of the $300K he currently earns), but the only place to go from offensive line coach/run game coordinator is offensive coordinator or assistant head coach. One of the HBC's go-to quips is that he's going to keep calling the plays as long as he can remember them.</li>
<li>Just how wedded is Elliott to remaining in Columbia? In addition to his devotion to the program, Elliott also has three young daughters, and uprooting their lives for a lateral move could prove a significant barrier to plucking him from the Gamecocks.</li>
<li>How much does Saban want Elliott?</li>
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<p>Here is what me might know:</p>
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<li>A source is telling Phil Kornblut that Elliott recently <a href="http://sportstalkgolive.com/index.php/2013/02/14/uscs-elliott-on-sabans-short-list/" target="_blank">turned down an opportunity to interview for the offensive line job with the Pittsburgh Steelers</a>. If this report is true, it would be a strong indication of just how much it would take to pry Elliott away from Columbia.</li>
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<p><span style="line-height: 16px;">What are y'all thinking on this? Do you think we can hang onto him? If Elliott does leave, who should we go after? Are we getting too far ahead of ourselves? Is this, coupled with </span><a style="line-height: 16px;" href="http://www.garnetandblackattack.com/2013/2/14/3987414/why-is-the-media-obsessed-with-jadeveon-clowney-sitting-out-his" target="_blank">the incessant Clowney-should-sit-out talk</a><span style="line-height: 16px;">, conjuring up abandonment issues you first developed when your parents divorced while you were at an impressionable age?</span></p>
https://www.garnetandblackattack.com/2013/2/15/3991162/shawn-elliott-on-the-short-list-to-be-alabamas-new-offensive-lineConnor Tapp2013-01-22T04:33:08-05:002013-01-22T04:33:08-05:00The Daily Feed: Deke Adams replaces Brad Lawing
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<figcaption>Al Messerschmidt</figcaption>
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<p>Steve Spurrier hires away North Carolina's Deke Adams to replace the outgoing Brad Lawing and focuses on closing out the 2013 recruiting class.</p> <p>Brad Lawing's decision to leave South Carolina to coach defensive ends at the University of Florida was one by which most onlookers were thoroughly confused, especially when it came out that Lawing would be responsible for coaching just the ends - not the tackles - for D.J. Durkin's Gator defense. Rumors began popping up on message boards that the decision may have been made, in part, due to some marital strife in the Lawing household, and - though he didn't get into specifics - defensive coordinator Lorenzo Ward confirmed on Monday that <a href="http://blog.postandcourier.com/spur-of-the-moment/departure-defensive-line-coach-brad-lawing-florida-means-usc/" target="_blank">Lawing and his family "felt like they needed a new start"</a> and that the situation had become about "a little bit more than football."</p>
<p><a target="_blank" href="http://www.garnetandblackattack.com/2013/1/21/3899070/defensive-line-coach-brad-lawing-leaves-for-the-same-position-at" style="line-height: 16px;">As I mentioned yesterday</a>, I don't expect that Lawing's departure will be the sole cause for any defections from the 2013 recruiting class and that has remained the case as of the time I'm writing this. Of course, ti doesn't hurt that Steve Spurrier acted so swiftly in <a href="http://blog.postandcourier.com/spur-of-the-moment/deke-adams-talks-usc-d-line-job-thinks-jadeveon-clowney/" target="_blank" style="line-height: 16px;">identifying and hiring a replacement in North Carolina defensive line coach Deke Adams.</a> Adams is relatively young (special teams coordinator Joe Robinson coached him during his senior season at Southern Miss in 1994) and carries a reputation as a strong recruiter.</p>
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<p>South Carolina just hired a DL coach I feel is a rising star in former UNC assistant Deke Adams. Underrated recruiter.</p>
— Kipp Adams (@KippLAdams) <a data-datetime="2013-01-22T02:42:33+00:00" href="https://twitter.com/KippLAdams/status/293549181740670976">January 22, 2013</a>
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<p>A handful of players the Gamecocks are recruiting also weighed in on the hire:</p>
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<p>"@<a href="https://twitter.com/qbkilla52">qbkilla52</a>: I'd like them to get Deke Adams from UNC." Yes bruh he's a great coach</p>
— CGHS #4.... #11 ⚾ (@WatchOut4_11) <a data-datetime="2013-01-22T01:16:52+00:00" href="https://twitter.com/WatchOut4_11/status/293527618786037760">January 22, 2013</a>
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<p>@<a href="https://twitter.com/qbkilla52">qbkilla52</a> yea he recruiting me too if he go to SC that's another plus</p>
— CGHS #4.... #11 ⚾ (@WatchOut4_11) <a href="https://twitter.com/WatchOut4_11/status/293528631798538241" data-datetime="2013-01-22T01:20:53+00:00">January 22, 2013</a>
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<p>USC just got a good coach, but an awesome recruiter <a href="https://twitter.com/search/%23trustme">#trustme</a></p>
— Braxton Berrios (@HNYNUT_BERRIOS) <a href="https://twitter.com/HNYNUT_BERRIOS/status/293575831857541120" data-datetime="2013-01-22T04:28:27+00:00">January 22, 2013</a>
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<h3>Filling Out the 2013 Recruiting Class</h3>
<p><a target="_blank" href="http://www.garnetandblackattack.com/2013/1/21/3900254/naty-rodgers-verbally-commits-to-south-carolina" style="line-height: 16px;">Monday's verbal commitment from Na'Ty Rodgers</a> brought the size of the 2013 recruiting class to 20. One of the self-imposed NCAA sanctions South Carolina is currently dealing with is a scholarship limit for incoming players, capped at 22 - three fewer than the SEC-mandated ceiling of 25.</p>
<p>Havelock, N.C. defensive end Kendal Vickers is expected to be a JUCO or prep school placement for the Gamecocks, which would bring the number back down to nineteen. So depending on your interpretation of the <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncaa.org/wps/wcm/connect/public/ncaa/pdfs/2012/south+carolina+public+report" style="line-height: 16px;">Public Infractions Report,</a> that would mean that Steve Spurrier and staff have room to take either two or three more players in this class, spots that will likely be taken by some combination of the following linebackers: Quinton Powell, Skai Moore, Yannick Ngakoue, and Jonathan Walton.</p>
<p>Each of those prospects was on campus for the Gamecocks' big recruiting weekend that just concluded except for Powell, who visited Southern Cal last weekend, will be in Columbia this upcoming weekend, and is also considering a visit to Oregon. The four star linebacker has <a href="http://www.goupstate.com/article/20130121/PSPORTS02/130129922" target="_blank">narrowed it down to those three schools</a> after decommitting from Florida.</p>
<p>The Big Spur reports that Skai Moore came away from his official visit <a href="http://southcarolina.247sports.com/Article/LB-Skai-Moore-very-impressed-by-the-South-Carolina-Gamecocks-112530" target="_blank">very impressed with South Carolina</a>, citing early playing time opportunity with which we are all too familiar as a major factor favoring the Gamecocks.</p>
<p>Jonathan Walton was taken by what he saw and heard to the point of naming the Gamecocks the<a href="http://southcarolina.247sports.com/Article/Gamecocks-made-a-big-move-for-13-linebacker-Jonathan-Walton-112338" target="_blank"> leader for his services</a> at this point but Auburn is still a big factor here for the Mobile, AL native. Walton was <a href="http://www.goupstate.com/article/20130121/PSPORTS02/130129913" target="_blank">visited by Auburn head coach Guz Malzahn</a> on Monday and will host him for an official visit this weekend.</p>
<p>Yannick Ngakoue has been characteristically tight-lipped about his visit, but he has indicated via Twitter that his will be a signing day announcement. likely between South Carolina and Maryland.</p>
<h3>2014 Recruiting</h3>
<p>Prized 2014 offensive tackle Bentley Spain was among the unofficial visitors on campus last weekend, and he <a href="http://southcarolina.247sports.com/Article/14-OT-Bentley-Spain-spent-three-days-visiting-the-Gamecocks-112352" target="_blank">set a goal for his trip of spending more time interacting with the current Gamecock players</a> to see how he would get along with everyone if he came to South Carolina. Spain has indicated that he could be making a decision as early as May or perhaps sooner. Reading between the lines with some of his comments, it wouldn't shock me at all if he soon <a target="_blank" href="http://www.garnetandblackattack.com/2013/1/19/3894624/linebacker-joe-blue-is-south-carolinas-first-commitment-for-the-2014">joined Joe Blue</a> and became the second commit of the 2014 class.</p>
<p>With it currently looking as though South Carolina will not sign a single wide receiver in the 2013 class, wideout will be a high priority position in 2014. <a href="http://southcarolina.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=1461817" target="_blank">Steve Spurrier recently swung by the high school of 4 star Georgia receiver Terry Googer</a>, who will soon be naming a top five that is expected to include the Gamecocks.</p>
<h3>Loose Feed</h3>
<p>Beginning this August, the NCAA will be taking a more laissez-faire approach to contact between coaches and recruits. Blue And Gold Illustrated has a nice writeup of <a href="http://notredame.247sports.com/Article/New-NCAA-rules-deregulate-several-former-recruiting-restrictions-112559" target="_blank" style="line-height: 16px;">how some NCAA rule changes will impact recruiting.</a></p>
<p>Chicken Hoops takes you inside the basketball team's <a href="http://chickenhoops.com/2013/01/21/gamecocks-learn-relevance-of-shooting-in-basketball-lose-to-vandy-58-51/#more-245" target="_blank" style="line-height: 16px;">inability to score points in Saturday's loss to Vanderbilt.</a></p>
<p>Finally, this is exactly news, but I thought it was interesting and worth passing along:</p>
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<p>Anthony Gill on transferring from <a href="https://twitter.com/search/%23USC">#USC</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/search/%23Gamecocks">#Gamecocks</a> to <a href="https://twitter.com/search/%23UVa">#UVa</a>: "My coach got fired and I didn't really want to play for the coach coming in."</p>
— Whitelaw Reid (@WhiteysWorld365) <a data-datetime="2013-01-22T00:40:23+00:00" href="https://twitter.com/WhiteysWorld365/status/293518437416853504">January 22, 2013</a>
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https://www.garnetandblackattack.com/2013/1/22/3902610/the-daily-feed-deke-adams-replaces-brad-lawing-as-defensive-line-coachConnor Tapp2013-01-21T04:55:56-05:002013-01-21T04:55:56-05:00DL Coach Brad Lawing Leaves for Same Position @ UF
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<p>In an extremely unexpected move, the Gamecocks' defensive line coach Brad Lawing has made a lateral move from South Carolina to Florida.</p> <p>Just when I was getting ready to write a blog post about how South Carolina hadn't lost any assistant coaches for the first time in eight years, word came out on Sunday that defensive line coach Brad Lawing is leaving Steve Spurrier's staff to be the defensive line coach for D.J. Durkin's defense at Florida. (By the way, D.J. Durkin played a wedding I was at last weekend, and it was awesome.)</p>
<p>The move comes off as especially strange considering that Lawing had carved out a role as something of a Gamecock lifer, having a pair of lengthy tenures at South Carolina from 1989 to 1998 and again from 2006 to 2012 and that he had an opportunity to coach <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/players/138017/jadeveon-clowney">Jadeveon Clowney</a> during a potentially unprecedented Heisman Trophy campaign in 2013.</p>
<p>Obviously, any time that a high status assistant departs this close to signing day, it can create a certain amount of anxiety amongst a fan base, but I would be truly surprised if Lawing's defection from the coaching staff resulted in any decommitments at this point. As respected as Lawing had become as a defensive line coach, it seems pretty clear that the two main selling points on this defense right now are the opportunity to play for Lorenzo Ward and the opportunity to play alongside Jadeveon Clowney.</p>
<p>It would be almost silly to speculate as to who Lawing's replacement might be at this point other than to say that the new defensive line coach could already be on the staff. Linebacker coach Kirk Botkin was an All-SEC defensive end at Arkansas and special teams coach Joe Robinson was a defensive line coach at North Carolina in 2011. This isn't to say that either of these two will necessarily fill the vacancy, but their breadth of experience does allow for some flexibility.</p>
https://www.garnetandblackattack.com/2013/1/21/3899070/defensive-line-coach-brad-lawing-leaves-for-the-same-position-atConnor Tapp2012-12-07T08:03:46-05:002012-12-07T08:03:46-05:00Elliott turns down head job at App State
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<img alt="South Carolina's offensive line has come a long way since Shawn Elliott arrived in 2010." src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/kRYE-1xAWNd6Lt3PUkVZ9HPIlfA=/0x46:600x446/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/4564863/gyi0061585920.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>South Carolina's offensive line has come a long way since Shawn Elliott arrived in 2010. | Mike Zarrilli</figcaption>
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<p>With Shawn Elliott's decision to remain at South Carolina for another season, the Gamecocks retain much-needed stability along the offensive line.</p> <p>Shawn Elliott has a pretty sweet setup in Columbia. At <a href="http://www.gogamecocks.com/2012/02/10/201617/ggf-spurrier-tanner-receive-raises.html" target="_blank">$300K per year</a>, he's very well paid for a position coach, gets to put "Run Game Coordinator" on his résumé, and stands to ascend to the position of Offensive Coordinator - if not the head coaching position itself - if and when Steve Spurrier decides to hang up the visor. Given this situation, it would seem to be irrational for the engaging and well-regarded Elliott to take a position coaching an FCS level program.</p>
<p>But Appalachian State, whose longtime head coach <a target="_blank" href="http://www.sbnation.com/college-football/2012/12/2/3718846/jerry-moore-retiring-appalachian-state">stepped down last week</a>, is a different animal when it comes to Elliott. The young assistant was an all-conference defensive end for the Mountaineers from 1993-96 and spent another 13 years in Boone as a position coach, so he has the requisite emotional ties to the program to make it conceivable that those allegiances might override his ambitions of becoming a head coach at a major FBS program.</p>
<p>So when Jerry Moore's retirement was announced and rumors began to spread that Elliott, a logical candidate, was near the top of their list, it appeared as though the Gamecocks might be on the verge of losing another major assistant coach this offseason. But in the amount of time that it took me to go to the gym and come back on Thursday evening, Elliott both became ASU's primary target and<a target="_blank" href="http://southcarolina.247sports.com/Article/Shawn-Elliott-not-pursue-ASU-will-remain-with-the-Gamecocks-105490"> withdrew himself from consideration for the vacancy</a>.</p>
<p>And what a relief that was.</p>
<p>It might seem tautological to say that Elliott has been absolutely vital to the growth and development of South Carolina's offensive line, but it should be said all the same. While Spurrier was intermittently blessed with NFL-level skill players during his first several years in Columbia, the struggles of the offensive line prevented his offenses from being as successful as they might have otherwise been. The troubles began when the Head Ball Coach wasn't able to sign a single offensive lineman in the 2005 class that he inherited from Lou Holtz and <a target="_blank" href="http://www.garnetandblackattack.com/2012/2/2/2765518/signing-day-retrospective-february-1-2006">made some serious evaluation errors in the 2006 class.</a></p>
<p>The turnaround began during Eric Wolford's one-and-done season as line coach in 2009 (Kenny Miles' magical 5.35 ypc season) and finally developed into an above-average unit during Elliott's first season in 2010, a year in which he molded walk-on <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/players/116187/garrett-chisolm" class="sbn-auto-link">Garrett Chisolm</a> into an All-SEC performer. Recruiting has also taken a big step forward under Elliott, allowing him to put players on the SEC All-Freshman team in consecutive seasons (<a href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/players/116179/a-j-cann" class="sbn-auto-link">A.J. Cann</a>, <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/players/138038/brandon-shell" class="sbn-auto-link">Brandon Shell</a>) with several more talented players waiting to make their contribution (Under Armour All-American tackle Brock Stadnick is redshirting 2012.)</p>
<p>In 2012, the offensive line was bad but young. They allowed sacks on 9.6% of passing attempts and didn't create much room for the USC's backs to run (3.62 yard per carry). But with 4 out of 5 starters set to return in 2013 and 2014, Elliott has finally built the depth needed to compete consistently at the line of scrimmage in the SEC.</p>
<p>Keeping him away from Appalachian State was absolutely vital. It's conceivable that some FBS programs could come at him this offseason for coordinator positions, so the fight may not yet be over. $300K is a lot for a position coach, but I'd be fine with it if Ray Tanner decided that he deserved more.</p>
https://www.garnetandblackattack.com/2012/12/7/3738760/gamecock-football-offensive-line-coach-shawn-elliott-turns-down-headConnor Tapp2012-12-03T18:00:00-05:002012-12-03T18:00:00-05:00Whither Shawn Elliot? (No Laughing Matter!)
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<figcaption>Mark Zerof-US PRESSWIRE</figcaption>
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<p>A bad Monday just got worse when I learned (perhaps belatedly) that Coach Spurrier had given USC O Line Coach Shawn Elliot permission to interview for the head coach opening at Appalachian State University.</p> <p>The Mountaineer job came open when the powers-that-be in Boone (Yes - there are powers that be even in the hamlet of Boone, NC) decided not renew the contract of FCS legend Jerry Moore - winner of three straight national FCS titles at App State from '05 to '07 - not to mention 10 Southern Conference championships, 18 post-seasons and a record of 215-87.</p>
<p>Maybe the 73 year old Moore - with a 51 year coaching career - wore out his welcome with back-to-back 8-3 seasons and top 10 finishes the last two seasons? Sheesh - you'd think Appalachian State would let Moore retire on his own.</p>
<p>Nevertheless, Moore is out in Boone, and Elliot is definitely on ASU's short list. The news report via Phil Kornblut's Sports Talk Radio is <a href="http://sportstalkgolive.com/index.php/2012/12/02/shawn-elliott-in-play-at-appalachian-state/" target="_blank">here</a>.</p>
<p>K-Mac says that current App offensive coordinator, former assistant head coach and current interim <a href="http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2012/01/22/2947619/satterfield-eyes-chance-to-lead.html" target="_blank">Scott Sattefield is the frontrunner</a>. Here's hoping the Charlotte <i>Observer </i>finally knows what it's talking about. (Yes - I know that would shock most of you, but it <i>does </i>happen from time to time).</p>
<p>From my viewpoint, losing Elliot would be a huge blow - much bigger than the defections of Ellis Johnson and Jay Graham last year. When Coach Elliot joined the Cocks three seasons ago in replacement of Eric Woolford, it felt like a dream come true. The offensive line had been so wobbly under John Hunt during the HBC's first four seasons that it was an out-and-out liability in the SEC. Woolford had the tools to right the ship, but he bailed after one season to take the head job at his alma mater Youngstown State. So it fell to Elliot, a career App State guy but Camden, S.C. native, to turn the unit around. And turn it around he did. Not only did he recruit some real OL talent to Carolina, but he stabilized a unit that had been a big liability.</p>
<p>True, the line play slipped a lot this year as we lost some talented upperclassmen to graduation, but even the biggest grumblers spared their ire at Elliot - who is also the co-offensive coordinator and run-game coordinator. To him we owe the extremely effective zone-read offense that has catapulted us into SEC contention. Under Elliot, we've also been stockpiling top O Line talent (read 4 or 5 legit SEC-caliber big guys a year).</p>
<p>Will he go? I don't enough to say. It's hard for a guy to turn down a top gig at his alma mater. But I hope he stays. Along with Whammy Ward, I could see Elliot one day being our headcoach right here at USC. Maybe that will be through internal promotion ... or maybe it will by hiring him back out of Boone.</p>
<p>You know you're doing something right when other schools go after your program's assistants. But for my money, I want Elliot on the USC sidelines in 2013. Hopefully, Ray Tanner and the HBC can dig into their pockets a bit to keep him.</p>
<p>In other news,<a target="_blank" href="http://sportstalkgolive.com/index.php/2012/12/03/usc-locks-up-steve-spurrier-for-a-couple-more-years/">the HBC got a contract extension through 2017</a>. He'll probably get a salary bump too, though the numbers weren't released. Tanner- a better people guy than former USC A.D. Eric Hyman (Ed - talk about under-statement!) knows you have to have these extensions to keep rival programs at bay. At 67, Spurrier looks like a man in his 50s, I think he'll stay to chase that SEC Championship he craves. And when he goes out, whether it's at 72 or 75, no doubt he'll go out on his own terms.</p>
https://www.garnetandblackattack.com/2012/12/3/3724076/looks-like-someone-has-a-case-of-the-mondays-are-we-on-the-verge-oftryptic67