Update on Lance Thompson, expiring contracts for coaches
SOUTH CAROLINA GAMECOCKS
With John Scott Jr. officially added to the Gamecocks' staff, that means one assistant has to be let go from the current staff.
That coach is Lance Thompson, who will be officially parting ways with the Gamecocks this offseason.
Thompson, who was brought on at South Carolina when Will Muschamp took the job at South Carolina, is one of two coaches that will be moving on with Pat Washington also leaving the on-field staff a few weeks ago.
Also see: In-state guard eyeing a visit in the near future
Athletics director Ray Tanner said the university did not pay Thompson's contract buyout.
Despite changing offensive coaches last season and the year before, this is just the second change to the defensive staff since Muschamp took over three seasons ago and the first departure.
Kyle Krantz was added last season with the addition of the new tenth on-field assistant coach was implemented.
There is the matter still of five contracts on the football staff that will expire this year, and Krantz is one of them.
Also see: Why Sorrells and Sanders will be Gamecocks
His contract, along with the contracts of strength coach Jeff Dillman, BUCK/defensive ends coach Mike Peterson, tight ends coach Bobby Bentley and linebackers/special teams coach Coleman Hutzler all expire in May 2019.
Tanner said Tuesday that he and Muschamp have already begun talks about possible extensions for those coaches.
“Coach Muschamp and I have discussed that," he said. "That’ll be part of a future board agenda. We just do things in different cycles with single year and multi-year coaches.”
Also see: The latest on Shilo Sanders, Sorrells and rounding out the class
The Gamecocks hired John Scott Jr. as the team's new defensive line coach Tuesday morning and his one-year, $435,000 contract was unanimously approved.
Scott Jr. will start work immediately and, while Tanner has yet to meet him in person, says Muschamp is fired up about what Scott can bring to this staff.
“We had a number of conversations throughout the end of last week and this weekend about what he brings to the program," Tanner said. "He’s excited about what he’s done in the past and the guys he’s coached. He’s looking forward to getting him involved.”
