Shane Beamer, South Carolina can hit a home run with new OC hire — and they need to

South Carolina will have a new play-caller in 2023 — even if the circumstances of why are a bit surprising.

ESPN’s Pete Thamel and Chris Low both reported on Monday morning that offensive coordinator Marcus Satterfield is on his way to Nebraska to rejoin his old buddy Matt Rhule, who was hired as head coach in Lincoln on Saturday.

That leaves Shane Beamer with a major opening on his staff to fill.

I’m all for fits, systems, etc. After all, winning is what keeps coaches employed. That said, Beamer needs a press conference-winning hire.

“South Carolina made a strong push to keep Satterfield,” Thamel wrote in his initial report. “But his ties to Rhule and the opportunity to go to Nebraska won out.”

If anything, Satterfield leaving for Nebraska is a clean ending to what could’ve been a messy divorce. South Carolina’s offense assuredly looked better in wins over No. 5 Tennessee and No. 8 Clemson the last two weeks. That doesn’t excuse the 23 games before that.

The Gamecocks ranked ninth and 13th in total offense in the Southeastern Conference in 2022 and 2021, respectively. It slogged through no-shows against Tennessee and Texas A&M last year — and Georgia, Missouri and Florida this fall.

Beamer was asked multiple times this year if he anticipated stripping Satterfield of play-calling duties. He resoundingly defended his longtime friend, whom he jumped into coaching with during their days as graduate assistants at Tennessee.

Satterfield was in the final year of a two-year contract that was set to expire on Dec. 31, meaning a return to Columbia next season would’ve necessitated some kind of new deal or extension.

“He’ll be the first to tell you we didn’t coach well enough in the Florida game, we didn’t coach well enough in the Missouri game,” Beamer said Saturday after the Clemson win. “We knew what the issues were. Coming into today, that is a fantastic defense that we just played. “

That Satterfield is leaving, though, opens the door for Beamer — and South Carolina — to make a splash.

The Gamecocks’ second-year head coach was hamstrung when he filled out his initial staff, given his lack of head coaching experience at the time. That shouldn’t be the case this go-round.

South Carolina feels like it’s on the upswing. The wins over Tennessee and Clemson give USC a shot at nine wins this year. Couple that with the work Beamer and his staff have done in the transfer portal the last two years, and there should be a nice slate of players for a new coordinator to work with.

That the offense has struggled, too, should be a selling point. Outside of the last two weeks, South Carolina’s offense ranked at or near the bottom of the SEC for much of the last two years. It wouldn’t take much improvement for a new offensive coordinator to make the product on the field look miles better.

“Remember when Shane Beamer got asked about his players giving up,” ESPN personality Marty Smith tweeted on Saturday night in the wake of the Clemson win.

“I do,” Beamer responded in jest.

Beamer has been a public relations department’s dream in his two years on the job. He’s overwhelmingly positive and effervescent. He’s incredibly active on social media. He plays the role of brand salesman as well as anyone in college football.

Winning on the field helps, sure. But if anyone should understand the need to win a press conference or two, it’s Beamer.

Now comes capitalizing.

The money will be there to try and sway a big name. Gamecocks defensive coordinator Clayton White is already making over $1 million annually after receiving a pay bump over the summer. Satterfield was also making a hefty $900,000 salary under the terms of his last deal.

Arkansas’ Kendal Briles and TCU’s Garrett Riley will be the sexiest names thrown around for an opening that should get plenty of attention. Proven offensive minds like Duke offensive coordinator Kevin Johns and Wake Forest assistant Warren Ruggiero should get consideration.

Beamer isn’t one to shy from the spotlight. Given the immense outside concern regarding his former offensive coordinator, he’d do well to hire one that could extinguish some flames — and win football games, to boot.