Let the Beamer Experiment Play out; However, the Secret Sauce to Winning at USC is...

[Cockish]

Accept it or not, Beamer is the HC and Ray is the AD (for now). I for one can do nothing to change this reality so all I have is this free forum to share in the joys and miseries of being a Gamecock alumnus/fan. With that said, I have relegated myself to accepting the fact that if we're fortunate, we'll beat Vandy and finish the season 4-8. While this is no surprise, I am still hoping to see measurable progress (not the type where a team gets a commanding lead on us and then relaxes the 2nd half which allows our offense to score points...that is false hope) before season's end. So, I am telling myself that Beamer needs one more season (see Ingredient 4 below) before I should cast the first judgement stone.

With that said, what is the secret sauce to winning at USC? We only need to look no further than the man who changed USC's culture (Holtz), and then to the man who made us relevant (2011-2013) beyond our wildest dreams (SOS). Caution, the following secret sauce shall only be shared with Tanner's replacement as AD since Tanner has proven that he won't comply with ingredient #1.

Ingredients (Note, all components listed do not necessarily apply to a Power 5 team with firmly established tradition)

1) Hire a proven HC from a Power 5 school (e.g., Lou Holtz & SOS)
2 HC needs to hire proven OC/DC assistants
3) Recruit a top 30 class every season to get us/keep us over the 7 win mark every season (for a reasonable shot at division titles, recruit a top 10 class for at least two consecutive seasons)
4) HC needs at least 1 - 2 seasons to get things going in the right direction (Holtz went 8-4 in year 2 and SOS went 7-5 in year 1)

Follow this recipe, and we'll be eating happy cake for the rest of our days.

 

[Gamecockben1979]

Accept it or not, Beamer is the HC and Ray is the AD (for now). I for one can do nothing to change this reality so all I have is this free forum to share in the joys and miseries of being a Gamecock alumnus/fan. With that said, I have relegated myself to accepting the fact that if we're fortunate, we'll beat Vandy and finish the season 4-8. While this is no surprise, I am still hoping to see measurable progress (not the type where a team gets a commanding lead on us and then relaxes the 2nd half which allows our offense to score points...that is false hope) before season's end. So, I am telling myself that Beamer needs one more season (see Ingredient 4 below) before I should cast the first judgement stone.

With that said, what is the secret sauce to winning at USC? We only need to look no further than the man who changed USC's culture (Holtz), and then to the man who made us relevant (2011-2013) beyond our wildest dreams (SOS). Disclaimer, the following secret sauce shall only be shared with Tanner's replacement as AD since Tanner has proven that he "...can't handle the truth!."

Ingredients (Note, all components listed do not necessarily apply to a Power 5 team with firmly established tradition)

1) Hire a proven HC from a Power 5 school (e.g., Lou Holtz & SOS)
2 HC needs to hire proven OC/DC assistants
3) Recruit a top 30 class every season to get us/keep us over the 7 win mark every season
4) HC needs at least 1 - 2 seasons to get things going in the right direction (Holtz went 8-4 in year 2 and SOS went 7-5 in year 1)

Follow this recipe, and we'll be eating happy cake for the rest of our days.

Spurrier never really had great coordinators but it balanced itself out because he was the offensive coordinator at all times. That took care of 1 & a big part of 2.

I would add that Spurrier and Holtz were able to recruit both Georgia and South Carolina well and get some of the better players from both states.

4 is completely up to the current staff. My concern is I don’t see more than 1 sec win. Maybe Missouri but I have doubts about that one since it’s on the road.

 

[gpcocks]

Stopped reading after #1. Because 2 HOF coaches together could only muster 1 division title, no well-heeled D1 coach will touch this job. Reassign Ray and throw out big bucks = different story, but it ain't happening.

 

[Cockish]

Stopped reading after #1. Because 2 HOF coaches together could only muster 1 division title, no well-heeled D1 coach will touch this job. Reassign Ray and throw out big bucks = different story, but it ain't happening.

You are correct but this is CAROLINA football. While I want more than a consistent 7 win season, I do not have the answer (for division titles) beyond what I laid out. But the snake's head (Tanner) must first be "severed."

 

[gpcocks]

But the snake's head (Tanner) must first be "severed."

Correct, but this 1st step won't occur until Ray Ray retires. "It is what it is, and so forth." 😂

 

[JGH 35]

Correct, but this 1st step won't occur until Ray Ray retires. "It is what it is, and so forth." 😂

But what if we hire a forward thinking President who recognizes the situation and offers Ray another position within the University to finish up his tenure and then hires a top notch AD in his place immediately?

 

[goosecreekcocky]

But what if we hire a forward thinking President who recognizes the situation and offers Ray another position within the University to finish up his tenure and then hires a top notch AD in his place immediately?

That might happen but my winning the Powerball might also too. Between the BOT and the legislature our chances of hiring a competent President are about the same as us hiring a competent AD.

 

[stu1cocks]

Stopped reading after #1. Because 2 HOF coaches together could only muster 1 division title, no well-heeled D1 coach will touch this job. Reassign Ray and throw out big bucks = different story, but it ain't happening.

This. For all the nostalgia, Holtz and Spurrier didn't win most of the big games. They had unprecedented (for us) success but there was still lots of heartbreaks and missed chances along the way. I actually like the unproven coach angle because that is the reality. What we need though is dynamic schemes on both sides off the ball that are wide open and fun. Sucking and being boring are not great looks inspring good players to come here. Go no huddle and throw the ball around. If you're gonna lose anyhway, at least loom alive dloing it.

 

[gpcocks]

But what if we hire a forward thinking President who recognizes the situation and offers Ray another position within the University to finish up his tenure and then hires a top notch AD in his place immediately?

This would've certainly worked if Tanner were "reassigned" when Chump was canned. That did not happen though, which seems to indicate RT's 2 trophies give him a free ride to retire when he pleases.

By many accounts Tanner basically begged Spurrier to stay on prior to the season that he quit on Carolina. I think letting SOS retire gracefully with a modicum of success here would've allowed the university to acquire a much better coach than Muschamp.

 

[DarkHorse2001]

Ingredients (Note, all components listed do not necessarily apply to a Power 5 team with firmly established tradition)

1) Hire a proven HC from a Power 5 school (e.g., Lou Holtz & SOS)
2 HC needs to hire proven OC/DC assistants
3) Recruit a top 30 class every season to get us/keep us over the 7 win mark every season (for a reasonable shot at division titles, recruit a top 10 class for at least two consecutive seasons)
4) HC needs at least 1 - 2 seasons to get things going in the right direction (Holtz went 8-4 in year 2 and SOS went 7-5 in year 1)

Follow this recipe, and we'll be eating happy cake for the rest of our days.

 

[GarnetBeamer]

People do realize we made a whole bunch of really bad hires long before Ray was ever our AD or even at USC, right? Like, a lot of bad hires. The football program has mostly been crap for like 130 years, but it’s Ray’s fault we suck?

 

[gpcocks]

Remember we had won one bowl game before lou. One. Before then we thought we would never win a bowl game.

That's why we own Ohio State. 😂

 

[jonesz21]

That's why we own Ohio State. 😂

That’s my point past history has nothing to do with today. Before the year 2000 we had won one Bowl game Since then we have won 8. You don’t have to be defined by your past.

 

[RileyCock]

People do realize we made a whole bunch of really bad hires long before Ray was ever our AD or even at USC, right? Like, a lot of bad hires. The football program has mostly been crap for like 130 years, but it’s Ray’s fault we suck?

No, you're wrong. The BOT has always hired really competent President's to run the most important part of the University, education, and then spent a lot of money on a powerful proven AD to run the athletics department. That's why we were always a notional power [sarcasm font added].

There were rumors (FITS news and general rumor for what its worth) in 2019 of one BOT member (behind the scenes) trying to get Brad Edwards in to run the program but why do that when the BOT can just run things themselves because they're such experts in everything. Does anything really think that they can allow an AD to come and have more power than them with some success?

 

[JKC4USC]

I’m still dumbfounded that we have fans who think we can magically go out and hire a Hall of Fame coach that will take us to the promise land. We got semi-lucky with Holtz and SOS. In reality Holtz only had two good years and SOS of course had several average seasons and 4 great seasons. However, both were in the twilight of their careers and not a long term solution. I’m actually surprised SOS stayed as long as he did and some say he was ready to call it quits until we had a good season in 2009. I know there are a lot of doubts about Beamer, and I want to win as bad as anyone, but we’ve tried just about every avenue to find a successful coach with very little success so I’m kind of taking the what the hell do we have to lose mind set. It’s not like USC has some great historical football standard he needs to live up to.

 

[gpcocks]

That’s my point past history has nothing to do with today. Before the year 2000 we had won one Bowl game Since then we have won 8. You don’t have to be defined by your past.

There are many more bowl spots and all that, but point taken.
I agree with original sentiment of OPie. Any new coach needs a minimum of 4 years to change a program fundamentally. Sure there are some examples of 1st year coaches making an impact, but it's typically fleeting.

Carolina's football woes are, and have been for years, way more deep-seated than just HC issues. SEC profit sharing makes the desire to better the football program nonexistent. Sure TV has an impact on attendance, but Carolina has always gotten a pat on the back for filling WB stadium with 80k even during 1-10 and 0-11. That is gone now until it is worth paying hundreds of $$ to see a winning product.

Old school cronyism at its finest. We are what we are.

 

[uscwatson21]

I’m still dumbfounded that we have fans who think we can magically go out and hire a Hall of Fame coach that will take us to the promise land. We got semi-lucky with Holtz and SOS. In reality Holtz only had two good years and SOS of course had several average seasons and 4 great seasons. However, both were in the twilight of their careers and not a long term solution. I’m actually surprised SOS stayed as long as he did and some say he was ready to call it quits until we had a good season in 2009. I know there are a lot of doubts about Beamer, and I want to win as bad as anyone, but we’ve tried just about every avenue to find a successful coach with very little success so I’m kind of taking the what the hell do we have to lose mind set. It’s not like USC has some great historical football standard he needs to live up to.

Even with this being true, it doesn’t mean the best we could do was a TE coach with a famous last name.

 

[dwilkia1217]

Accept it or not, Beamer is the HC and Ray is the AD (for now). I for one can do nothing to change this reality so all I have is this free forum to share in the joys and miseries of being a Gamecock alumnus/fan. With that said, I have relegated myself to accepting the fact that if we're fortunate, we'll beat Vandy and finish the season 4-8. While this is no surprise, I am still hoping to see measurable progress (not the type where a team gets a commanding lead on us and then relaxes the 2nd half which allows our offense to score points...that is false hope) before season's end. So, I am telling myself that Beamer needs one more season (see Ingredient 4 below) before I should cast the first judgement stone.

With that said, what is the secret sauce to winning at USC? We only need to look no further than the man who changed USC's culture (Holtz), and then to the man who made us relevant (2011-2013) beyond our wildest dreams (SOS). Caution, the following secret sauce shall only be shared with Tanner's replacement as AD since Tanner has proven that he won't comply with ingredient #1.

Ingredients (Note, all components listed do not necessarily apply to a Power 5 team with firmly established tradition)

1) Hire a proven HC from a Power 5 school (e.g., Lou Holtz & SOS)
2 HC needs to hire proven OC/DC assistants
3) Recruit a top 30 class every season to get us/keep us over the 7 win mark every season (for a reasonable shot at division titles, recruit a top 10 class for at least two consecutive seasons)
4) HC needs at least 1 - 2 seasons to get things going in the right direction (Holtz went 8-4 in year 2 and SOS went 7-5 in year 1)

Follow this recipe, and we'll be eating happy cake for the rest of our days.

I agree with this as well why in the heck did RayRay not do that hell we are fans and see that but he can’t . This is unacceptable

 

[eno1946]

This. For all the nostalgia, Holtz and Spurrier didn't win most of the big games. They had unprecedented (for us) success but there was still lots of heartbreaks and missed chances along the way. I actually like the unproven coach angle because that is the reality. What we need though is dynamic schemes on both sides off the ball that are wide open and fun. Sucking and being boring are not great looks inspring good players to come here. Go no huddle and throw the ball around. If you're gonna lose anyhway, at least loom alive dloing it.

What was Lou holtz record the first two years in Columbia? Both beamer and muschamp have better records.