Greg McElroy explains why he expects bounce-back year for South Carolina
By David Wasson
Published:
It is no secret that South Carolina was a dismal failure last season, and head coach Shane Beamer is very much on the hot seat entering 2026. But ESPN analyst Greg McElroy sees the 2025 failures as a catalyst to success for the Gamecocks this season.
“South Carolina came into last year ranked in the top 15 with legitimate Playoff hype and finished 4-8, probably one of the most disappointing seasons in the history of the program,” McElroy said. “It happened for one simple reason: The offense just struggled get out of their own way.”
McElroy pointed to Beamer’s midseason firing of offensive coordinator Mike Shula, and the resulting hire of Kendal Briles, as the key to unlocking Sellers’ potential and the Gamecocks’ offensive identity.
“(Briles) has made dual-threat quarterbacks sing for years and years and years,” McElroy said Wednesday on his “Always College Football” podcast. “LaNorris Sellers is back, and this is an explosive quarterback who regressed a little bit early in the season in a broken system. Now he gets an offense that is built to do exactly what he does. … This is a team that everyone expected last year, just one year late.”
South Carolina also drew four of the bottom five teams in the SEC for the 2026 schedule, which certainly helps. The Gamecocks open the 2026 season Sept. 5 at home against Kent State (12:45 pm ET, SEC Network) and kicks off SEC play at home Sept. 19 against Mississippi State (4:15 pm ET, SEC Network).
An APSE national award-winning writer and editor, David Wasson has almost four decades of experience in the print journalism business in Florida and Alabama. His work has also appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, the Los Angeles Times and several national magazines and websites. His Twitter handle: @JustDWasson.
