It’s official: Shawn Elliott is back at South Carolina as hire, contract approved
To many on the outside, it does not look like a step forward.
Georgia State head coach Shawn Elliott resigned on Thursday ... a few days into the Panthers’ spring practice. It was an oddly timed move made even more peculiar when it came out where Elliott was headed.
Elliott was not taking a better head coaching job. He wasn’t even taking a head coaching job. Heck, he wasn’t even taking an offensive coordinator job.
No, Elliott was heading back to the University South Carolina to be the Gamecocks’ tight ends coach and run-game coordinator.
And his hire was made official Friday. He replaces Justin Stepp, who departed USC to become the wide receivers coach at Illinois.
“It’s extremely difficult to step away from the Georgia State football program, particularly the players and staff who have gone above and beyond,” Elliott said Thursday via a Georgia State statement. “As hard as this decision is professionally, it’s something that I must do personally.”
On Friday, the South Carolina board of trustees approved a three-year contract (running through Dec. 31, 2026) that will pay Elliott $750,000 annually for the first two years and $775,000 in year three.
Elliott earned a contract extension at Georgia State in 2020 and made $811,000 in 2023, according to the USA Today salary database. The upcoming season was the final year of his contract.
In hiring Elliott, South Carolina will aid his buyout and pay $150,000 to Georgia State.
If Elliott left South Carolina before the end of the year, he would owe the university $500,000. If he leaves in 2025, that number decreases to $400,000 and further drops to $200,000 if he departs in 2026. If USC fires Elliott without cause, the school would owe him what’s left on his contract. The figure can be reduced if he’s hired elsewhere.
Elliott becomes the third FBS head coach to step down this offseason to become a coordinator or position coach elsewhere.
Elliott, though, has deep connections to South Carolina.
A Camden native, the 50-year old was an assistant coach at USC from 2010-16. When Steve Spurrier resigned midway through the 2015 season, Elliott stepped in as the interim head coach (and went 1-5) and stayed on as the Gamecocks’ O-line coach for a season under Will Muschamp.
Despite Elliott working in Atlanta for seven years, his family was still rooted in Columbia and his kids attended A.C. Flora High School. He split time between the two spots, constantly driving back and forth to accommodate his work and family life.
His hire also — likely — finalizes South Carolina’s 2024 coaching staff. He is the fourth new assistant on Beamer’s staff after the Gamecocks finished 5-7 last season. Joe DeCamillis was hired to coach special teams, with James Coley (wide receivers) and Marquel Blackwell (running backs) also joining the staff.
Running backs coach Montario Hardesty was fired, while special teams coach Pete Lembo and tight ends coach Jody Wright both left for head coaching opportunities. Stepp briefly moved over to fill Wright’s spot before opting to leave for Illinois.
South Carolina will begin spring practice March 19 and hold its spring game is at 7 p.m. April 20.
SOUTH CAROLINA ASSISTANT COACHES
Clayton White (DC) — $1.2 million
Dowell Loggains (OC) — $1 million
Joe DeCamillis (ST) — $800,000
Shawn Elliott (TEs) — $758,000 (average)
James Coley (WRs) — $750,000 (average)
Torrian Gray (DBs) — $675,000
Sterling Lucas (DEs/OLBs) — $575,000
Marquel Blackwell (RB) — $487,500 (average)
Travian Robertson (DL) — $400,000
Lonnie Teasley (OL) — $410,000
