Shane Beamer confirms Mike Shula will call South Carolina plays in Citrus Bowl vs. Illinois

South Carolina head coach Shane Beamer has revealed who will call plays for the Gamecocks in the Citrus Bowl against Illinois.

Beamer told reporters on Friday that new offensive coordinator Mike Shula will call plays against the Illini, according to Jack Veltri. Shula was hired as the South Carolina offensive coordinator to replace Dowell Loggains after Loggains was named the head coach at App. State.

Shula was already on staff at South Carolina, prior to being named offensive coordinator for the Gamecocks. He was an offensive assistant who worked closely with South Carolina star QB LaNorris Sellers throughout the 2024 season.

Sellers has had a breakout season this year. He enters the bowl game with 2,274 yards passing, 655 yards rushing and 24 total touchdowns.

The decision about Mike Shula calling plays for South Carolina in the bowl game comes after Beamer originally said that the initial thought was that Loggains would stay with the Gamecocks through the Citrus Bowl.

Shula is a former Alabama head coach who has also spent extensive time as an offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach in the NFL. He directed the Crimson Tide for four years from 2003-06, leading them to a 26-23 record in that span.

Alabama parted ways with Shula following a 6-6 finish in the 2006 season, and he would spend the next 17 years in the pros. He worked for the Jaguars, Panthers, Giants, Broncos and, most recently, Bills.

Shula was the offensive coordinator for the Carolina Panthers during the MVP season for quarterback Cam Newton in 2015. The team also made an appearance in the Super Bowl that season but lost against the Denver Broncos.

Shula is a former Alabama quarterback who played at the school from 1984-86. He later began his coaching career just two years later as an offensive assistant for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 1988.

Shula’s extensive experience in the NFL should come in handy as the college game gets closer and closer to resembling the pros. His proven track record with quarterbacks and experience working with Sellers also likely played a factor in the decision from the Gamecocks.

South Carolina is 9-3 on the season entering the Citrus Bowl against Illinois. The Gamecocks narrowly missed out on the College Football Playoff. As they gear up for another run, they’ll do so with confidence knowing Shula is running the offense.