How Will the South Carolina Gamecocks Offense Look Under Mike Shula

Alex Joyce | 2 Hours Ago

Nov 23, 2024; Columbia, South Carolina, USA; South Carolina Gamecocks quarterback LaNorris Sellers (16) throws a pass against the Wofford Terriers in the first quarter at Williams-Brice Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Blake-Imagn Images / Jeff Blake-Imagn Images

On Wednesday, Mike Shula was announced as the South Carolina Gamecocks' next offensive coordinator, following Dowell Loggains' departure to Appalachian State. Shula has a long history of working with offenses and that experience provides a picture of how the Gamecocks can look in 2025.

Shula, the son of NFL Hall of Famer Don Shula, began his coaching career in the NFL where it spanned more than two decades. This will be Shula's fourth stint as an offensive coordinator, his first with a collegiate program, though he did call plays with Alabama as the head coach from 2003-2006.

Here's how his offense's faired as the play caller:
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1996-1999): 17.25 average points per game, 4,425 average total yards per season
- University of Alabama (2003-2006): 23.74 average points per game
- Carolina Panthers (2013-2017): 24.21 average points per game, 5,433 average total yards per season
- New York Giants (2018-2019): 22.18 average points per game, 5,556.5 average total yards per season

Shula's best season as an offensive coordinator came in 2015 with the Carolina Panthers. That year the Panthers finished 15-1 before a loss in Super Bowl 50 to the Denver Broncos. Shula helped lead the NFL's best offense and had an MVP winner in Cam Newton. Newton finished that year with 3,837 yards through the air with 35 touchdowns and 10 interceptions, adding 636 yards rushing with 10 touchdowns.

While redshirt freshman LaNorris Sellers has a lot to do to catch Cam Newton, Shula's offenses do provide a picture of what could be done with Sellers. Recreating his successes of Newton with Sellers could put the young Gamecocks' quarterback in the 2025-2026 Heisman conversation and have South Carolina possibly looking at a playoff birth.

Gamecock fans will get their first look at the Shula-Sellers ear during the Citrus Bowl versus Illinois.

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