Kendal Briles Takes Over South Carolina’s Offense with Familiar Pressure-and Familiar Tools
Kendal Briles is no stranger to walking into a tough situation and flipping the script. He’s done it before at TCU, Arkansas, Florida State, Florida Atlantic, and Baylor-each time raising the offensive ceiling and giving stagnant units new life. Now, he’s being asked to do it again, this time in Columbia, South Carolina, where the Gamecocks are desperately looking for a spark-and head coach Shane Beamer is banking on Briles being the one to ignite it.
Let’s not sugarcoat it: South Carolina’s offense in 2025 was hard to watch. The Gamecocks ranked second-to-last in the SEC in total offense, and their national numbers weren’t much better-108th in yards per game (336.3) and 104th in points per game (22.7). It was a frustrating season that ended with a 4-8 record and a fanbase ready to storm the gates.
The season started with promise. South Carolina entered the year as a preseason top-20 team, led by dual-threat quarterback LaNorris Sellers, a Heisman hopeful.
The Gamecocks opened with wins over Virginia Tech and South Carolina State, but even then, something felt off. The offense, under coordinator Mike Shula, never quite clicked.
After a blowout loss to Vanderbilt, things unraveled quickly. Shula was out by early November.
Offensive line coach Lonnie Teasley had already been dismissed a month earlier after the line gave up a league-worst 43 sacks.
Now, Briles steps in as Beamer’s fourth offensive coordinator in six seasons, and the stakes couldn’t be higher. Beamer didn’t mince words when introducing Briles, emphasizing his proven track record and readiness to lead at the Power Four level.
“This job is not for on-the-job training,” Beamer said. “He’s done it in this league and others, with different quarterbacks and different systems. That’s what makes him special.”
Briles’ challenge is clear: rebuild an offense that sputtered all season and do it fast. The good news? He’s got some pieces to work with.
Sellers is returning, and that’s the foundation Briles needs. The quarterback put up 2,707 total yards last season-down from 3,208 under Dowell Loggains the year before-but the tools are still there.
Wide receiver Nyck Harbor, who hauled in a career-high 30 catches, hasn’t made a decision on the NFL Draft yet. Tight end Brady Hunt is also expected back.
There’s talent, but it needs to be unlocked.
Briles isn’t coming alone. He’s bringing in trusted lieutenants who know how to execute his vision.
Randy Clements, a long-time collaborator, will oversee the offensive line-a unit that needs a complete overhaul with several players reportedly entering the transfer portal. Stan Drayton, who worked with Briles in the past and most recently served at Penn State and as Temple’s head coach, will take over the running backs.
He inherits a young group that’s expected to be bolstered through the portal.
At TCU, Briles’ offenses were consistently among the nation’s best, finishing 40th, 25th, and 43rd in scoring offense over three seasons. His units never averaged below 30 points per game. That kind of production is exactly what South Carolina is desperate for.
And this isn’t new territory for Briles. At every stop, his offenses have improved year-over-year.
Back in his early days at Baylor, Briles dialed up a 601-yard passing game against Michigan State-a still-standing NCAA record. His resume is filled with those kinds of numbers, which is why Beamer is betting big on him now.
One of Briles’ first major moves was offering a scholarship to 4-star quarterback Weston Nielsen, a Texas standout he previously recruited at TCU. Nielsen ultimately committed to Arizona State, but the offer signals that Briles is already thinking about the long-term future of the position.
In the short term, though, it’s all about Sellers. And Briles made it clear-he’s not going to force a system on his quarterback. He’s going to build around him.
“It’s really more the offense fitting around him,” Briles said. “He’s the one touching the ball every snap.
I’m not going to ask him to do something he’s not great at. We’re going to do what he’s good at.”
That philosophy served Briles well at Arkansas, where he helped KJ Jefferson develop into a true dual-threat weapon. Briles recalled Jefferson’s first start in 2021, when they had to pivot mid-game to better suit his strengths.
“We started doing the things KJ was very good at-running the football and throwing it downfield,” Briles said. “You’ve got to figure out what your team is good at and go from there.”
That’s the approach he’s bringing to Columbia. Briles isn’t interested in rehashing the struggles of 2025. He wants a clean slate, and he’s giving his players one.
“I want these guys to have a clean slate moving forward so we can judge them for what they are, whenever we see them practice and get on the football field,” he said. “But I saw some guys that are really talented, and we’ve just gotta fine-tune it a little bit.”
Fine-tuning might be an understatement. South Carolina’s offense needs a full recalibration. But if there’s one coordinator who’s shown he can do just that-and do it quickly-it’s Kendal Briles.
For Shane Beamer, this hire isn’t just about improving the offense. It’s about saving the program’s trajectory and, quite possibly, his own job.
The margin for error is thin. But with Briles calling the shots and Sellers back under center, there’s at least a roadmap for how the Gamecocks can get back on track.
Now it’s time to see if Briles can work his magic once again.