COLUMBIA, S.C. — Mike Shula, a former head coach at Alabama, has been appointed as South Carolina’s new offensive coordinator. His contract spans three years with an annual salary of $1.1 million.
The Board of Trustees at the university approved Shula’s contract, along with extensions and pay raises for the other nine coaching assistants within the football program on Tuesday. Notably, defensive coordinator Clayton White’s new agreement elevates him to the highest-paid assistant in the school’s history with a salary of $1.9 million for next year, which will increase to $2 million in 2026 and $2.1 million in 2027.
Shula, who came on board earlier this year as an offensive analyst, will also oversee the quarterbacks. He takes over the offensive coordinator role previously held by Dowell Loggains, who recently became the head coach at Appalachian State.
This announcement follows a successful season for the Gamecocks, who were projected to finish 13th in the expanded Southeastern Conference but finished with a strong 9-3 record. Their impressive performance included winning their last six games, four of which were against ranked teams.
One of Shula’s primary responsibilities will be to enhance the performance of sophomore quarterback LaNorris Sellers. This promising first-year starter accumulated 1,481 passing yards and 13 touchdowns during the six-game winning streak, in addition to rushing for four touchdowns.
The South Carolina team is set to compete against Illinois in the Citrus Bowl on December 31.
Shula, whose father was the legendary NFL coach Don Shula, previously played quarterback for Alabama and held the head coaching position for the team from 2003 to 2006. His most recent coaching experience before joining South Carolina was as a senior offensive assistant with the Buffalo Bills in the NFL during the 2022 and 2023 seasons.
Clayton White earned his new agreement due to the strong defensive performance of the Gamecocks, finishing third in the SEC for overall defense with an average of 313 yards allowed per game, and fifth in scoring defense, permitting 17.8 points per game. The team also recorded 40 sacks, second in the SEC, with defensive end Kyle Kennard leading the league with 11.5 sacks. White’s contract will keep him at South Carolina through the 2027 season.
Several coaching assistants received noteworthy raises as part of the approved contracts. Offensive line coach Lonnie Teasley was awarded a $265,000 increase to a salary of $675,000 for the upcoming year. Receivers coach Mike Furrey’s salary saw a $225,000 raise to $650,000. Linebackers and defensive ends coach Sterling Lucas received a $200,000 increase to $775,000, and defensive backs coach Torian Gray earned a $150,000 raise to $850,000. Additionally, defensive line coach Travian Robertson also received a $150,000 raise, boosting his salary to $550,000.
Special teams coach Joe DeCamillis’ salary increased by $50,000 to $850,000, while tight ends coach Shawn Elliott’s pay went up by $10,000 to $760,000, with further increases to $775,000 in the last two years of this contract. Running backs coach Marquel Blackwell gained a $5,000 raise, bringing his annual salary to $580,000.