South Carolina did not expect to start the 2019 season 1-3. While some Gamecocks fans are ready to move on from Will Muschamp, athletic director Ray Tanner remains confident in the head coach.

“I am very fond of Will Muschamp. I am very fond of his coaches,” Tanner said on 107.5 The Game, per Josh Kendall of The Athletic. “I believe in them now as much as when they came here. … The expectations are great. We understand that.”

Questions surrounding Muschamp’s future at South Carolina started immediately after the Gamecocks fell in Week 1 to North Carolina. While Week 1 contests are rarely considered “must-win games,” it was considered one of South Carolina’s more likely wins with Alabama, Georgia and Clemson on the schedule. After that loss, Tanner was asked Muschamp’s buyout. Tanner said it was “in line with other coaches around the country” and also expressed his confidence in Muschamp.

Since the North Carolina game, South Carolina has gone 1-2, defeating FCS Charleston Southern before falling to Alabama and Missouri in back-to-back weeks. The Gamecocks play Kentucky in Week 4. UK has won the last five meetings.

If Tanner keeps talking to the media, we can expect more public comments on Muschamp’s status throughout the 2019 season.