South Carolina fans would much rather be talking about the chase for an SEC East title and an ever-elusive SEC Championship as the 2015 season hits the home stretch.

But this season took a different turn — one that led to coach Steve Spurrier resigning earlier this month and handing the reins to interim coach Shawn Elliott.

Speculation is already in full swing about the next permanent coach at the University of South Carolina. Names like Alabama defensive coordinator Kirby Smart, Memphis coach Justin Fuente and Michigan State coach Mark Dantonio highlight a seemingly unending list of potential replacements for Spurrier.

We can’t ignore the possibility that Elliott does enough in the last few weeks of the season to earn the job himself. Everyone at the school makes a point to leave that door open when discussing the coaching search.

Guessing the name of the would-be successor is a fun game for fans to play, but it misses the larger point.

Forget the name. What kind of coach do the Gamecocks need?

Here are a few things I’d like to see when narrowing down the list of candidates:

A proper salesman — For me, recruiting is at the heart of South Carolina’s current issues. The number one priority in a new coach is the ability to cash in on the school’s natural advantages (conference, facilities, etc.) and lure top-level recruits to Columbia.

Sounds easy, right? The truth is that most coaching staffs find it quite difficult. However, there are guys out there that recruit above their level, so to speak. Imagine if one of those guys landed at South Carolina?

Potential fits: Marshall coach Doc Holliday, SMU coach Chad Morris (a long shot, if you ask me) and LSU assistant Ed Orgeron.

Offense vs. defense — The natural inclination when changing coaches is to go the opposite route of the previous regime. That’s a good policy when things have gone south, but Steve Spurrier was, by some margin, the most successful coach in the program’s history. I don’t think many would argue that his philosophy is the main reason he isn’t slinging his visor on the sidelines anymore, so why change a winning formula?

The Gamecocks should consider hiring another bright offensive mind as its next head coach. Someone with a proven record of orchestrating good offenses. Then, he should hire a good defensive coordinator and stay out of the way.

Potential fits: Fuente, Holliday, Western Kentucky coach Jeff Brohm and Houston coach Tom Herman.

Young vs. old — Now this is where I would suggest changing a bit. The last two coaches at USC were hired at the tail end of very distinguished careers. Both Lou Holtz and Spurrier faced the same age-based negative recruiting late in their respective tenures.

Now, I’m not saying you have to hire a fresh-faced assistant or young head coach. I’d just like to stay away from guys like former Texas coach Mack Brown. Ideally, the school will hire a coach with some experience. Just not too much.

Potential fits: Smart, Elliott and Fuente.

Local vs. national — In a perfect world, there would be a bountiful Gamecocks coaching tree from which to pluck the program’s next leader. In reality, if you want someone with ties to the school, or at least the state, the options are pretty narrow.

South Carolina athletic director Ray Tanner should have already called Dantonio to gauge his interest. The successful coach of the Spartans was a defensive back for the Gamecocks from 1976-78, and it would be worth seeing if he wouldn’t mind returning to Columbia. A few things are working against the Gamecocks here. He already has a great job, he’s one of the highest paid coaches in college football and every coaching job he’s ever had has been in the Midwest.

Elliott certainly fits the bill for a local choice. He’s a Camden native, he’s never worked or played anywhere other than the Carolinas and he’s been on the staff at South Carolina since 2010.

Morris and Arizona coach Rich Rodriguez have ties to the state, but those are orange-tinted and thus don’t exactly meet the requirements.

For me, if the Gamecocks search committee can’t get Dantonio and decides not to keep Elliott, they should look outside the program.

THE CHOICE

If I’m making the hire, here’s the list I’m working from:

  1. Dantonio (A splashy, qualified hire with ties to the school)
  2. Elliott (If he finishes 6-0 or 5-1 to close the regular season, he’ll be hard to dislodge)
  3. Fuente (Young, offensive-minded and used to recruiting the Southeast)
  4. Smart (Young, plenty of SEC experience as an assistant but unproven as a head coach)
  5. Holliday (He’s 58, but he’s a good recruiter and has done a nice job rebuilding Marshall)
  6. Herman (Young, maybe a little too young, but an exciting coaching prospect with quality mentors)
  7. Orgeron (Is it time to give him another chance at a head coaching job?)

I don’t think Brohm is ready for a job this big, and I don’t think Morris (a true Texas guy) would take it. I also would stay away from Rodriguez. I just don’t think he’s SEC coach material.

Whatever happens, it certainly won’t be boring.