South Carolina adjusts coaching staff, adds Joe Cox
South Carolina football coach Will Muschamp has made another adjustment to his coaching staff, Gamecock Central has learned.
Former Colorado State tight ends and receivers coach Joe Cox is joining the Gamecocks' on-field staff as tight ends coach, with Bobby Bentley shifting to quarterbacks coach, and new offensive coordinator Mike Bobo overseeing the entire offense, while still being involved with the QBs.
Muschamp confirmed the moves during a press conference Thursday morning.
"It was very evident to me early in the process in talking to Mike about coming here that he wanted somebody to be with him that he trusts, that knows and understands the concepts and things that he wants taught and is an outstanding teacher, coach and recruiter," Muschamp said. "Brought Joe in, in December, and brought three or four days with him and realized very quickly why Mike wanted him here.
"Very sharp, has done an outstanding job, I've seen Joe on the road recruiting. He's from Charlotte, played for the great Tommy Knotts at Independence High School. I think the world of Tommy and he recommended Joe as well. From the area, has done a really good job recruiting, a really good evaluator, and he's going to help our staff."
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In order to make room for Cox on the on-field staff, special teams assistant and nickels/SAMs coach Kyle Krantz is moving back into an off-the field defensive analyst role. Krantz spent his first two seasons in Columbia as a defensive analyst before being promoted to an on-field role for the last two season when the NCAA passed legislation allowing for a 10th assistant coach.
"This had nothing to do with Kyle's coaching, recruiting, anything," Muschamp said. "This had to do with making this move work for Mike and what's best for our staff at this time, so that's what we'll do."
Muschamp will now take over Krantz's role with the nickelbacks and SAM linebackers in addition to his role with the safeties.
While Bobo will still be involved with the quarterbacks, the move will allow the Gamecocks' new coordinator to focus on the entire offense with Bentley, a former quarterback himself, moving back into his natural role with that unit.
"That's Bobby's background (with quarterbacks). It's a huge advantage to us to have a guy like Bobby on staff, that's coached multiple spots on the offensive side of the ball and that's his background so that will be a good transition for us," Muschamp said. "It will let Mike be more adaptable on the (practice) field to be able to move around and do some different things."
Cox, a former Georgia quarterback, spent all five seasons of Bobo's CSU tenure working under him, first as an offensive analyst, then as tight ends coach and most recently as receivers coach in 2019.
Cox should bring recruiting ties to both North Carolina, specifically Charlotte, and Georgia to the staff.
A Charlotte native, Cox played high school football at Independence High where he went 31-0 as a starter, partially under now-Dutch Fork head coach Tom Knotts. Cox later returned to his hometown as offensive coordinator at Mallard Creek before joining Bobo's CSU staff.
Bobo was officially named South Carolina's offensive coordinator on Dec. 10, taking over for Bryan McClendon, who remained on as wide receivers coach.
Muschamp also hired former Ole Miss strength and conditioning coach Paul Jackson in the same role last month to replace the fired Jeff Dillman, Muschamp's head strength coach for all four seasons he's been in Columbia.
South Carolina's on-field staff
Head Coach (safeties coach) - Will Muschamp
Offensive coordinator - Mike Bobo
Quarterbacks - Bobby Bentley
Running backs - Thomas Brown
Wide receivers - Bryan McClendon
Tight ends - Joe Cox
Offensive line - Eric Wolford
Defensive coordinator/cornerbacks - Travaris Robinson
Defensive line - John Scott Jr.
Defensive ends/BUCKs - Mike Peterson
Special teams/Linebackers - Coleman Hutzler
