How past South Carolina coaches have fared in year four

With one day to go until South Carolina reports for fall camp, season No.4 of the Shane Beamer era is right around the corner.

Of the 36 head coaches in program history, Beamer will be the 16th to enter a fourth season with the Gamecocks. Below is how each of those coaches, who reached a fourth season in Columbia, fared.

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Will Muschamp: 2019 (4-8)

The highlight of Muschamp’s fourth season came with a thrilling upset win on the road against No.3 Georgia. Unfortunately, things would only go South after that. Muschamp would return for a fifth season in 2020 but would be fired seven games into the year.

Steve Spurrier: 2008, (7-6)

The winningest coach in program history, Spurrier would coach seven more seasons before stepping down midway through the 2015 season. Going (42-11) between 2010-13, it remains the most wins in a four-year stretch in Gamecock history.

Lou Holtz: 2002, (5-7)

After winning back-to-back Outback Bowls, Holtz and South Carolina suffered back-to-back (5-7) seasons. He’d return for a sixth and final season in Columbia in 2004, which would also be the National Championship-winning coach’s final year of coaching.

Brad Scott: 1997, (5-6)

Scott’s tenure with South Carolina would sizzle out. Returning for a fifth season in 1998, the Gamecocks went (1-10).

Sparky Woods: 1992, (5-6)

Woods’ fourth season with South Carolina marked the Gamecocks first in the SEC. He would coach one more season in Columbia in 1993.

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Joe Morrison: 1986, (3-6-2)

Morrison would coach two more seasons with the Gamecocks and would produce back-to-back (8-4) campaigns before his death in February of 1989.

Jim Carlen: 1978, (5-5-1)

Despite not reaching a bowl game that season, Carlen would go (8-4) in both 1979 and 1980. Reaching three bowl games in his seven seasons with the Gamecocks, his 45 wins with USC are the third most in program history.

Paul Dietzel: 1969, (7-4)

Reaching a bowl game for just the second time in program history that season, the 1958 National Champion-winning coach Paul Dietzel would go on to coach five more seasons at South Carolina.

Marvin Bass: 1964, (3-5-2)

Bass would return for a fifth season in 1965 and went (5-5). He’d go on to coach in several leagues as an assistant coach, including in the NFL and CFL, and spent one season as head coach of the Birmingham Vulcans of the World Football League in 1975.

Warren Giese: 1959, (6-4)

Spending five seasons as head of the Gamecocks, Giese last coached in 1960. 25 years later he was elected to the South Carolina State Senate.

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Rex Enright: 1941, (4-4-1)

Enright had two stints with South Carolina for a total of 15 seasons. He would go (4-6) in his fourth season of his second stint with the Gamecocks in 1949. He remains the longest-tenured head coach in program history.

Billy Laval: 1931, (5-4-2)

After a successful 13-year career at Furman, Laval struggled to find the same type of success in Columbia. He’d go on to coach seven seasons with the Gamecocks.

Sol Metzger: 1923, (4-6)

1923 would mark Metzger’s only losing season as South Carolina’s head coach. He would return for a fifth and final season in 1924 and compiled a record of (7-3).

Norman B. Edgerton: 1915, (5-3-1)

In what would be his final season as head coach of the Gamecocks, Edgerton his third five-win season in four years.

Christie Benet: 1909, (2-6)

After South Carolina had no team in 1907, Benet returned in 1909 for his fourth season with the program. It would also mark his last with the Gamecocks.

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