Dowell Loggains calling plays for Gamecocks in Citrus Bowl? Here’s how it could happen

There is an odd trend developing between South Carolina making a bowl game and its offensive coordinator leaving for another job.

Back in 2022, offensive coordinator Marcus Satterfield left for the same job at Nebraska just a month before the Gamecocks played Notre Dame in the Gator Bowl.

Analysts Freddie Kitchens and Nick Coleman shared play-calling duties in that loss. But that was back when programs were juggling bowl prep and recruiting simultaneously, so South Carolina had two analysts construct the game plan while the other coaches were on the recruiting trail.

Things will be a bit different this go-around.

On Saturday, just a day before it was announced South Carolina (9-3) will play Illinois in the Citrus Bowl, USC offensive coordinator Dowell Loggains took the head coaching job at Appalachian State.

South Carolina coach Shane Beamer said he and Loggains have had “initial conversations” about Loggains coaching in the Citrus Bowl for the Gamecocks while transitioning into the App State head coaching role. USC faces Illinois in that Orlando bowl on New Year’s Eve.

“Our initial conversations (Saturday) were he wanted to stay and coach the bowl,” Beamer told reporters on Sunday evening. “My initial thoughts were I wanted him to as well. But this was before he announced the job. As he’s finding out what I found out ... four years ago. There’s a lot that comes at you when you say yes and it gets announced that you don’t expect. He’s realizing that right now, and it’s a lot.”

Loggains will be officially introduced at noon Monday as the Mountaineers’ new head coach.

“We don’t have to decide anything right now,” Beamer said. “We’ll see how he handles his transition. I want to do what’s best for him and what’s best for our program. Those are all things we’re working through. Our initial conversations were to finish this thing out.”

Beamer was in Atlanta on Saturday, a part of a number of SEC Network broadcasts when he got the call from Loggains. The pair had spoken about what the future might hold and Beamer was blunt with Loggains to be picky when it came to taking a head coaching gig, to not just jump at the first offer but really make sure it’s the right fit.

Beamer said Loggains spent a little time in Boone, North Carolina and told him he thought it was the right fit for him and his family. For Loggains, it’ll be his first head coaching gig. For Beamer, it means a third offensive coordinator hire in his South Carolina tenure.

“When the news broke (Saturday) ... my phone just starts buzzing like crazy with people that want to come here. With our quarterback situation and our situation as a team, this is a very attractive situation to many people,” Beamer said.

There’s not a timetable for making a full-time hire beyond doing it “sooner than later,” Beamer said, but filling the job again on a permanent basis is a priority. That takes into account wanting to address concerns from any player on the offense who has to decide on whether or not he’s going to enter the transfer portal.

Beamer admitted there are “absolutely” in-house candidates he would consider for the job. The immediate name that comes to mind is analyst Mike Shula, who was basically the de facto quarterbacks coach this season. But Beamer did not seem keen on just making the quick, easy hire because it’s quick and easy.

“I want to make sure I get the right guy in here,” he said. “You’d love to have it done sooner than later, just for clarity for guys that are trying to make decisions on their futures. I also don’t want to rush it just to say I hired somebody.”