SOUTH CAROLINA GAMECOCKS FOOTBALL
In his new role as director of player development, Connor Shaw can’t do any on field coaching with the Gamecocks’ quarterbacks, but that doesn’t mean he still can’t make an impact in the room.
Shaw, who started his new gig this week with the football program, is in charge of the team’s Beyond Football program designed to build players up off the field.
He gets to work with every player in the program, but his new boss thinks Shaw will be extra beneficial for the quarterback room.
“I personally feel like he’ll be a tremendous asset for those guys at that position. It’s easier to talk through those things if you’ve been there and done that,” Muschamp said. “He certainly has a high level. I don’t think there’s any question it’ll be a huge benefit for us moving forward. Because of social media, everybody has a platform and opinion no matter how ignorant it might be. They do. What (Shaw) said was great: control the controllables and control the things that are important.”
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Shaw isn’t able to work with guys on the field so he won’t have a hand in Ryan Hilinski’s footwork or getting Luke Doty ready to read Cover 2 defenses, but he’ll have a hand in other off-the-field intangibles.
It’ll be up to Shaw to help get that group ready for the other challenges that come from playing the most scrutinized position on the football field.
“I think a lot of it is blocking out the noise and understanding what’s important and how do I progress each day whether that’s on the field, whether it’s in the meeting room and in the weight room,” Shaw said. “That’s what you have to focus on. There are a lot of things as a quarterback that presents distractions for you. It’s really understanding what’s important and honing in on that.”
Playing quarterback comes with a lot of attention on the field and sometimes opinions get shared publicly on social media and can affect a student’s mindset.
Muschamp’s seen it over the course of his coaching career and it can be hard for guys who are just turning 20 to understand how to handle those hurdles.
“Someone’s opinion on Twitter isn’t important, to be honest with you. Let’s lock in on those things. But that’s hard when you’re dealing with 17, 18, 19 or 20 year olds. They’re concerned about the perception of things,” Muschamp said. “They’re not totally focused in on the reality of things of what’s going on and how we need to improve and get better as an individual player, one side of the ball or as a whole team. Everyone has a platform nowadays. That’s unfortunate but that’s how it is.”
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The Gamecocks have a relatively young quarterback room with incumbent starter Hilinski is just a true sophomore with Dakereon Joyner a redshirt sophomore and true freshman Doty getting settled after moving on campus in early January.
The oldest guy in the room when the season starts—graduate transfer Collin Hill—hasn’t been in the program at all spending the last few years at Colorado State with new South Carolina offensive coordinator Mike Bobo.
Shaw is tasked with getting them and the rest of the team mentally ready for life after football and the rigors a student athlete goes through, but did say he won’t hesitate spending some time in the quarterback room and getting a chance to talk ball.
And it can’t hurt for the team’s current quarterbacks to learn from the quarterback with the most wins in program history as well.
“They have a great coach in Mike Bobo. They have a great support staff here and they know what they’re doing from that standpoint,” Shaw said. “I think it’ll be fun for me to go sit in that offensive meeting room, that quarterback meeting room and get to know the quarterback room and maybe talk a little football. My involvement with football is going to be being in sync with coach Muschamp on what’s a win for our guys on and off the field.”
