Gamecock football dealing with Caslen statement fallout

University of South Carolina president Bob Caslen’s recent statements regarding Will Muschamp’s status at South Carolina have featured eye-raising comments, contradictions, and misstatements. In assessing the aftermath, GamecockCentral.com has learned that Caslen’s actions have created a condition for the Gamecock football program that has been difficult to manage over the last week.

While it is not Caslen’s fault that the football program has struggled as of late, his missteps have served to undermine what he – and everyone associated with the university, Muschamp included– wants to see Muschamp do in improving the program. The mistakes also illustrated slip-ups in two areas Caslen said within his first two months on the job that were key for him: choosing his words more carefully, and creating conditions that will enable success.

LIMITED TIME OFFER: New subscribers get up to 50% off the first year plus get free Gamecocks gear! All with in-depth coverage of your Gamecocks!

Many Gamecock fans have asked a fair question: what are the ramifications of this season’s on field results from a recruiting perspective? In taking the temperature of the current class as well as remaining targets, it is clear there is more concern over recent comments than what has happened on the field this year.

Many of South Carolina’s 2020 class commitments participate in a group chat, and family members of prospects also have communication.

“All of this is hard on the committed recruits,” one parent told us. “Our family is 100 percent committed to Will Muschamp.”

GamecockCentral.com spoke to a source close to one of South Carolina’s currently committed prospects, one projected to graduate in December and projected to enroll early. The source noted “concern” over Muschamp rumors and reports and was asked if the noise was coming from rival recruiters or the media.

“I’m talking about what the president said,” the source noted. “Other recruiters don’t speak on [South Carolina]. The article about the buyout is interesting.”

The aforementioned prospect is giving consideration to waiting until the later signing day – in February – to ink with a program. It’s something that, according to sources familiar, other prospects in the class have considered. The NCAA’s early signing period begins on December 18, and it has become standard practice in the two cycles of its existence for a coaching staff to ink the majority of its class. South Carolina signed 19 of its 21 prospects from the 2018 class in December, and 19 of 23 from the 2019 crop put pen to paper in December as opposed to February.

Another remaining target – a four-star at a position of need – for the 2020 class is one that sources believe South Carolina has lost due to the fallout, with the family expressing specific concerns about recent media reports – not South Carolina’s record.

Other committed prospects have indeed fielded calls from rival recruiters, or have discussed the potential of taking other visits in the future in recent days.

The hope for the athletics department, the football program, and the university at large is that all the waters will calm. South Carolina has not lost any 2020 commitments as a result of the season or the comments, and it’s possible the staff holds on to all the pledges. Indeed, the last several days have been spent clarifying things on the recruiting trail.

It is well known by now that Muschamp will need to make some changes in the offseason to his football program. Yet there is now a serious question as to whether or not his ability to attract quality candidates will be hampered. Money talks, but only so much; the administration will have to answer these questions and will need to project stability.

Multiple sources that spoke to GamecockCentral.com over the past 24 hours are of the belief that Caslen’s statement on Wednesday will be the final words from the president on the matter this season, and those same sources are confident that changes will be made going forward to prevent this from happening again.

Muschamp appears legitimately safe; he has the backing of long-time advocate Ray Tanner as well as the university’s Board of Trustees, all of who want to see him succeed in the short and long term.

Sources have told GamecockCentral.com over the past two days that Muschamp will return for the 2020 season, with no conditions attached as to the outcome of the season finale next Saturday. Therein lies the real shame, that the past week's comments have served to create the impression of more instability, and has generated press clippings that make life difficult for the staff in proceeding.

The job is already difficult enough with some circumstances in Muschamp’s control and some out of his control; this one qualifies as the latter. The effects of the past several days may not be visible in the public eye, but there have been consequences. And while everyone else moves forward, the football staff has been left to pick up the pieces.

LIMITED TIME OFFER: New subscribers get up to 50% off the first year plus get free Gamecocks gear! All with in-depth coverage of your Gamecocks!