Given Will Muschamp’s background as a defensive-minded coach, and how the Gamecocks have played this season, there are questions about a change in direction for the South Carolina program to find more success.

Athletics director Ray Tanner was asked at a Monday press conference about his expectation for qualifications and experience for the candidates he expects to bring in. Does the coach need to have head coaching experience, or even as a coordinator?

“I think as we sit here today and we think about college football … it may be a time that everybody lights up the scoreboard,” Tanner said. “The 10-7 games are distant memory. I think that’s important that we maybe get an offensive-oriented type situation whether it’s the head coach or fantastic coordinator to move the needle in that capacity.”

Tanner added that certain coaches would not be ruled in, or ruled about using certain offenses, such as a triple option.

“It’s not going to be a requirement that we take a sitting head coach, certainly we’ll take a look at some sitting head coaches, but there’s other examples and other circumstances around the country that have worked extremely well, whether they were a coordinator or a position coach. Being a sitting head coach doesn’t necessarily guarantee that it’s going to work out perfectly. You may have your own opinion, but there’s examples to defy that as well.”

He said other credentials they had in Muschamp, in terms of culture, passion and enthusiasm.

“You want guys to have fun, and it’s a heck of a lot more fun when you’re winning,” Tanner said.

Tanner said he hasn’t hired a search firm, but there have been conversations. Tanner said he will lead the search but will report to President Robert Caslen, but there will not be a formal committee.

“This is a very, very good job,” Tanner said. “This is a situation where facility-wise, resource-wise, is about as good as it gets, when compared to anybody around the country and the SEC and there’s some great opportunities ahead.”

Tanner added that ideally, the new coach will be hired by Dec. 16, the start of the early signing period.

Asked directly about Liberty coach Hugh Freeze being a candidate, Tanner said he wouldn’t address any candidate by name today, but nobody out there has been ruled out. He’s already started paring down a long list.