MarShawn Lloyd recalls Will Muschamp's role in recruitment to South Carolina

South Carolina faces SEC East rival Georgia on Saturday, which brings one of the Gamecocks’ former head coaches back to Columbia. Alongside Georgia head coach Kirby Smart will be Will Muschamp, the Bulldogs’ co-defensive coordinator and safeties coach.

One of Muschamp’s former recruits, MarShawn Lloyd, a top-50 member of the 2020 signing class, spoke about his former head coach ahead of the game this week.

“Coach Muschamp was a big reason for me coming here,” Lloyd said after practice on Tuesday. “He was a great coach and I loved him. He’s a big reason I got here. There’s no hard feelings, I still love the coach. Things had to change so that’s why things went the way they did.”

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So far this season, Lloyd has had 18 carries for 53 yards and two touchdowns in Shane Beamer’s offense. In 2021, he finished the year with 64 carries for 228 yards and one score. Lloyd has split carries with sophomore JuJu McDowell, as well as tight end Jaheim Bell.

Despite some talented ball carriers, including quarterback Spencer Rattler, the Gamecocks’ run game is last in the SEC, averaging 59.5 yards per game. It’s unlikely to do much better in Week 3 versus the Bulldogs’ staunch defensive line.

Smart praises former Gamecocks coach Will Muschamp

The Georgia Bulldogs are once again the No. 1-ranked team in the nation and head coach Kirby Smart is feeling pretty good about his staff’s work. Ahead of the South Carolina matchup, Smart raved about former Gamecocks head coach Will Muschamp as his co-defensive coordinator and safeties coach.

“There is a lot of value in that knowledge,” Smart said. “He understands the seat I am in. (Muschamp) understands recruiting in this conference. He is a tremendous asset to our defensive staff. He is a tremendous asset to our special teams staff.

“It is like having a second head coach, and that is what I am talking about when I talk about our staff being complete and being one of the best we have assembled, he’s a big reason why.”

After the Gamecocks and Muschamp parted ways, the former head coach joined Kirby Smart at Georgia. There’s a good chance he stays with the program for a few more years. His son, Jackon, is now a walk-on quarterback for the Bulldogs and he has several more years of eligibility.

Going up against the Gamecocks this weekend, Muschamp’s goal will be to slow down Shane Beamer and Spencer Rattler’s offense. South Carolina lost to Arkansas last weekend but still put up 30 points in the effort.