Why now? And why today? Ray Tanner explains decision to leave role as Gamecocks’ AD

On Friday afternoon, a day before the college sports world turned its eyes to Columbia for “ESPN College Gameday” and No. 16 LSU facing undefeated South Carolina, longtime South Carolina athletics director Ray Tanner dropped a bombshell.

After a dozen years as athletic director, Tanner will be stepping down from the role.

Tanner will remain athletic director until South Carolina brings in his successor, at which point Tanner will shift his job at the university. A press release sent out Friday morning stated that Tanner will transition into “athletics director emeritus and senior advisor to the president, focusing on fundraising and community engagement.”

South Carolina noted its search for a new athletics director will begin at the end of the fall semester.

It’s not necessarily surprising that Tanner, at 66 years old, is assuming a new role. But why now? Why on a Friday in September before one of the biggest home football games in years?

The first question: Was this completely Tanner’s decision?

In a Friday press conference, University of South Carolina President Michael Amiridis was clear to note that Tanner came to him with the decision and the president was “reluctant to accept.”

The second question: Why not wait until another day to announce this?

Amiridis said the search won’t begin until the end of November, telling agents of potential candidates “don’t call me now.” So why not just make the announcement in November?

There were closed-door conversations being had in recent weeks about him transitioning to a new role, Tanner said. The longer those went on, the better chance they were eventually going to go public.

Dropping the news Friday was to get out ahead of it leaking out.

“I was somewhat hesitant about today myself, because we do have a lot going on,” Tanner said. “But, again, there never is a perfect time. But it is — it’s not a sad day, it’s a happy day.”

The school announced Thursday morning that Friday’s board of trustees meeting agenda featured one item: “Approval of Personnel Agreement.” There was no mention that it was athletics-related.

“The conversations were occurring, that there will be a transition in place at some point,” Tanner added. “So we felt today would be a good day to go ahead and share it with you.”

Tanner will be paid current his current annual salary of $1.175 million through June 30, 2025, and then make $987,500 through June 30, 2026. The new contract calls for an $800,000 annual salary in its final two years.

Tanner, whose new contract runs until 2028, will stay at a university he’s been a part of since becoming the Gamecocks baseball coach in 1997. In 16 seasons manning the South Carolina dugout, Tanner elevated the Gamecocks baseball program to new heights, leading USC to a half-dozen College World Series appearances and national championships in 2010 and 2011.

Tanner shifted to athletic director in 2012, a 12-year tenure that has included three women’s basketball national championships, but also the hires of three baseball coaches (Chad Holbrook, Mark Kingston and Paul Mainieri), two football coaches (Will Muschamp and Shane Beamer) and men’s basketball coach Lamont Paris.