Stewart Mandel: What is Will Muschamp’s ceiling at South Carolina?

[lagator]

Who will have a better record over the next 2 years, Chump or Mullet?

 

[Durty South Swamp]

We just witnessed his ceiling. He will be around 6-6 this coming season.

 

[FireFoley]

Mandel’s Mailbag: What is Will Muschamp’s ceiling at South Carolina?

https://theathletic.com/240425/2018...uth-carolina-football-jacob-eason-washington/

I’m impressed with Will Muschamp’s success at South Carolina. What has made this time different from his rocky tenure at Florida, and what’s his ceiling with the Gamecocks?

Matt Giles, Seattle

First of all, we have to acknowledge the lower expectations at South Carolina, which went 3-9 the year before he took over, relative to Florida, which was just a year removed from the Tim Tebow era. Furthermore, Muschamp went 7-6 and 11-2 in his first two seasons in Gainesville, yet Gators fans weren’t nearly as satisfied at the time as Gamecocks fans are today coming off 6-7 and 9-4 marks.

There also was one important difference between the two scenarios: South Carolina is coming off the biggest win of Muschamp’s tenure, its Outback Bowl upset of Michigan, whereas he ended Year 2 at Florida with a dreadful Sugar Bowl defeat to Teddy Bridgewater-led Louisville.

And now comes the part where I rain on South Carolina’s parade a bit by pointing out that Muschamp’s “success” might not be quite as impressive as it appears.

Muschamp’s crucial mistake at Florida was his initial approach to offense. He tried to convert a roster recruited for the spread offense into a pro-style system, and he hired Charlie Weis of all people to do it. By the time he finally relented and hired Kurt Roper from Duke heading into his fourth season, it was too late. The offense was a largely unfixable mess (that Jim McElwain couldn’t fix either).

So, on the surface, Muschamp’s decision to bring Roper with him and run a spread from the start was a key difference. QB Jake Bentley’s emergence as a true freshman in 2016 only made him look smarter. But today, it’s harder to argue either was an overriding factor. After producing offenses that ranked 14th (2016) and 12th (2017), respectively, in the SEC, Roper was fired in December. Losing star receiver Deebo Samuel three games into the season did not help, but the fact is South Carolina finished with the same ranking as Florida in Muschamp’s Year 2.

Furthermore, even as a 9-4 SEC team, South Carolina finished just 60th nationally in Bill Connelly’s S&P+ efficiency rankings, behind the likes of Miami of Ohio, UTSA and Utah State. I asked Bill for an explanation, and he noted that statistically, the Gamecocks had the profile of a 6-6 team in the regular season, getting outgained in three of their victories (including by 258 yards against N.C. State).

For lack of a better word, they got a little lucky.

Ultimately, that 9-4 number is a whole lot more important than any efficiency ranking for the very reason you brought up — nothing seems “rocky” with the program. Everybody’s happy. If the Gamecocks continue to improve, especially on offense under newly elevated coordinator Bryan McClendon (who called plays in the bowl game), no one’s going to care how the wins came about.

But a word of warning: Teams that fare considerably better or worse in the win-loss column than their performance would suggest often boomerang the following season. Much like Florida did in slipping from 11-2 to 4-8 in Year 3 under Muschamp.

I absolutely love those stat numbers. I could not help but think of Butters. 9-4 two seasons in a row and the product on the field looked like a horrendous .500 team. I realize that the overall record will decide one's fate, but as a process person I think over time that the process will trend the record very close to those efficiency ratings.

 

[rogdochar]

I think we can all agree, Muschamp's ceiling is the bottom of the bucket.

 

[Swamp Donkey]

Who will have a better record over the next 2 years, Chump or Mullet?

Mullinz

 

[Swamp Donkey]

. I could not help but think of Butters. 9-4 two seasons in a row and the product on the field looked like a horrendous .500 team. .

I keep thinking of Jimmy Sexton. He sells piece of shyt like Butters to SEC ADs, then when Sexton clients like Butters and Band Boy self destruct, Sexton client Chimp gets handed two easy wins, and Sexton is knocking on the door wanting millions more for Chimp. Then he cash huge checks for Band Boy and Butters buyout, then he sells the schools two new Sexton clients.

Amazing really.

 

[TheDouglas78]

I keep thinking of Jimmy Sexton. He sells piece of shyt like Butters to SEC ADs, then when Sexton clients like Butters and Band Boy self destruct, Sexton client Chimp gets handed two easy wins, and Sexton is knocking on the door wanting millions more for Chimp. Then he cash huge checks for Band Boy and Butters buyout, then hell sells the schools two new Sexton clients.

Amazing really.

Strangely enough we move from one non-sexton client to a sexton client and the buyout for the former coach (also Sexton client) went up.

 

[gatormandan]

FVK Chump.

 

[Acecustis]

South Carolina is lucky CJ Henderson had the dumbass moment of the year on that should have been pick 6 (or at least down at the 1)

 

[aka]

I don't put Muschamp and Mac in the same category except as former head coaches I am glad are gone. Chump was OJT and just didn't get it done through stubbornness and bad decisions.Mac, in hindsight I just don't understand. Like the morning after of a regrettable tryst. It wasn't a good idea in the first place, it wasn't that good, seeing them in a good light is bad and you're left with something that may stay with you a while and affect your health.

 

[Swamp Donkey]

You mean except when he was screaming about Gator fans not knowing how to win bc we thought you needed to score points and score more points than the other team?

Or the rants after every loss? The screams about us not understanding the midline? Or showing his azz innthe stadium at Gator fans? Fvkking dwag.

Fvkk Musschump and all UGAs.

 

[GatorInGeorgia]

8 wins average per season is his ceiling.

 

[GatorInGeorgia]

I keep thinking of Jimmy Sexton. He sells piece of shyt like Butters to SEC ADs, then when Sexton clients like Butters and Band Boy self destruct, Sexton client Chimp gets handed two easy wins, and Sexton is knocking on the door wanting millions more for Chimp. Then he cash huge checks for Band Boy and Butters buyout, then he sells the schools two new Sexton clients.

Amazing really.

Hey, it’s not too late for you to switch from prosecutor to sports agent. Dust off your contract law textbook, spend a weekend brushing up and you’re in business.

 

[Swamp Donkey]

FVK Chump.

 

[Swamp Donkey]

Hey, it’s not too late for you to switch from prosecutor to sports agent. Dust off your contract law textbook, spend a weekend brushing up and you’re in business.

I'm not exactly a people person. Think that will hold me back?

 

[GatorInGeorgia]

I'm not exactly a people person. Think that will hold me back?

Nah. There are probably several coaches that won’t hire you because of the derogatory nicknames you’ve given them on this board but if you look hard enough I’m sure you’ll find one or two coaches you haven’t burned bridges with...yet. :)

 

[t-gator]

I'm with you when you say muschamps a good dude. He did ask a fan to come out of the stands for an asswhoopin after a uga loss though.
But when you say he's an elite defensive mind, i couldn't disagree more . He recruits good players to that side of the ball but I've never seen a more overrated "defensive mind" . Man when he was here we seen the likes of matty mauk and that simms kid throw for about 1000 yards between the 2 of them alone. That qb from kentucky that was awful freakin hung 40 on us. Every team we played that had a decent run game gashed us. His defenses outside of 2012 were never great.

 

[Swamp Donkey]

I'm with you when you say muschamps a good dude..

Fvkk Uga