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South Carolina is firing first-year offensive coordinator Mike Shula amid one of the worst offensive stretches in program history, CBS Sports' Matt Zenitz reports.

This marks the first time Shane Beamer has fired a coordinator during his five-year tenure at South Carolina. It also comes just weeks after he dismissed offensive line coach Lonnie Teasley following a loss to LSU.

The Gamecocks (3-6, 1-6 SEC) are the only Power Four team that has not surpassed 350 total yards in a game this season. They sit at or near the bottom of the league in most major offensive categories. Their 19.7 points per game is the program's lowest average since 2002 -- even with an SEC-leading six non-offensive touchdowns boosting that total.

Beamer promoted Shula from an offensive analyst role to offensive coordinator last December on a three-year contract, following Dowell Loggains' departure to Appalachian State.

What was supposed to be a fresh take on Loggains' pro-style scheme built around quarterback LaNorris Sellers' dual-threat ability has instead unraveled. After a promising 2-0 start, the Gamecocks' brief stint in the top 10 has vanished amid one of the SEC's most stagnant offenses.

South Carolina's stunning production numbers

  • Scoring offense: 19.7 PPG (16th in SEC, 119th nationally)
  • Total offense: 294.1 YPG (16th in SEC, 131st nationally)
  • Rushing offense: 100.8 YPG (16th in SEC, 128th nationally)
  • Passing offense: 193.3 YPG (15th in SEC, 104th nationally)
  • Third down conversions: 32.5% (15th in SEC, 127th nationally)
  • Sacks allowed: 34 (15th in SEC, 134th nationally)
  • Turnovers: 13 (13th in SEC, 97th nationally)

Sellers has regressed in his second year as a starter and often looks uncertain in Shula's system, leading to frequent red-zone breakdowns, third-down misfires, excessive sacks and a lack of explosive plays -- all in stark contrast to the dynamic closing stretch that vaulted him into the Heisman conversation last season.

South Carolina's prized offseason addition, former Utah State running back Rahsul Faison, has also failed to provide the expected spark. Though he leads the team in rushing, he's averaging a career-low 4.3 yards per carry and has struggled to find running room behind an underperforming offensive line.

Only Michigan State has allowed more tackles for loss among Power Four teams than South Carolina's 65, and the Gamecocks' rushing attack ranks as their second-worst in the past decade.

Saturday night's loss at Ole Miss appeared to test Beamer's patience, as he was visibly frustrated on the sideline during a series of offensive miscues.

"Pretty disappointing three plays right there," Beamer said after a stalled two-minute drive before halftime. "We get the ball. We get a turnover. We are in two-minute mode and went nowhere. That was a great opportunity right there that we squandered."

Sellers has thrown six touchdown passes with three interceptions and just 175 rushing yards this season — a steep drop from his 18 touchdown passes and 674 rushing yards as a redshirt freshman in 2024.

Beamer's upcoming offensive coordinator hire ahead of the 2026 season will mark his fourth in five years. Marcus Satterfield led the offense from 2021-22 before joining Matt Rhule's staff at Nebraska, followed by Dowell Loggains (2023-24) and Shula this season. Despite a couple of top-25 finishes and a near-playoff berth during Beamer's tenure, South Carolina's offense has consistently hovered around the middle of the SEC, even with quarterbacks like Sellers and Spencer Rattler under center.