When Shane Beamer took over as South Carolina’s head football coach back in December 2020, he had a clear vision for the kind of program he wanted to build - and part of that vision included Stan Drayton coaching his running backs. It took five seasons, two coaching changes at the position, and a disappointing 4-8 finish in 2025, but Beamer finally got his guy.
On December 12, Drayton officially joined the Gamecocks as their new running backs coach, signing a three-year deal worth $750,000 annually. He becomes the third person to hold the role under Beamer, following Montario Hardesty (let go after the 2023 season) and Marquel Blackwell (dismissed earlier this month).
But make no mistake - this hire wasn’t about filling a vacancy. It was about fulfilling a long-standing plan.
“Stan’s what I’ve been looking for at the running back position since I got hired in December of 2020,” Beamer said. “When I made the change at running back, there was one running backs coach that I thought of, there was one running backs coach that I called, there was one running backs coach that I offered a job to, and no one else.”
That kind of clarity isn’t common in coaching hires, but Beamer’s conviction makes sense when you look at Drayton’s résumé. With 33 years of coaching experience and seven 1,000-yard rushers developed under his watch, Drayton brings a level of expertise and consistency that South Carolina’s backfield has sorely lacked.
The relationship between Beamer and Drayton dates back to 2004, when both were young assistants at Mississippi State under head coach Sylvester Croom. That early connection clearly left a lasting impression.
“I think Coach Croom was probably looking for young coaches that he could hire cheap, and Stan and I fit the bill on that one,” Beamer joked. “It was a powerful year for me to be able to learn to see (Drayton’s) work ethic, what he’s about as a running back coach, what he’s about as a person.”
That mutual respect carried through the years, even as their careers took them to opposing sidelines. From 2018 to 2020, Beamer and Drayton were associate head coaches at Oklahoma and Texas, respectively - two programs that don’t need much help fueling a rivalry.
After that, Beamer landed at South Carolina, while Drayton took the head coaching job at Temple following the 2021 season. Most recently, he was back in the Big Ten, coaching running backs at Penn State.
So, was this hire years in the making? Not exactly - at least not in terms of active discussions.
“No,” Beamer said when asked if he’d previously offered Drayton the job. “I didn’t think he was going to leave Temple to come be the running backs coach here.
He was at Texas and whatnot. He’s somebody that I’ve certainly kept in touch with over the years because of how I feel about him, but he was the only person that I reached out to.”
That kind of loyalty and singular focus speaks volumes about how highly Beamer regards Drayton. And for Drayton, the timing finally felt right.
“I did a lot of praying with my wife about this situation,” Drayton said. “And I just kept coming down to the geniality of Coach Beamer and his vision for this program, and it just happens to fit who I am as a person and as a coach at this time of my career.”
Drayton’s arrival comes at a pivotal moment for South Carolina’s offense. The Gamecocks’ ground game struggled mightily in 2025, finishing second-to-last in the SEC in rushing yards per game.
To make matters more challenging, they didn’t sign a high school running back in the 2026 recruiting class. That puts added pressure on Drayton to develop the talent already in the room - and possibly reshape it through the transfer portal.
But before he fully dives into that task, Drayton had one final commitment to fulfill. He chose to stay on with Penn State through their Pinstripe Bowl matchup against Clemson on December 27 - a decision that speaks to his professionalism and loyalty.
“I’ve just got to do right by those guys and make sure that we’re preparing to the fullest, giving those guys an opportunity to win that game against Clemson,” Drayton said. “They’re going to get every essence of what I need to be for them, and this place has nothing to worry about.
I know I have a job assignment that I need to embark on, and it doesn’t start tomorrow. It starts today.”
That mindset - accountability, commitment, and a readiness to go all-in - is exactly what South Carolina needs as it looks to reset its offensive identity. Drayton’s track record suggests he’s more than capable of delivering. And if Beamer’s belief in him is any indication, the Gamecocks may finally have the backfield leadership they’ve been missing.