South Carolina hired Georgia State head coach Shawn Elliott as its tight ends coach and run game coordinator, the university announced Friday. Elliott's contract, which was approved by the board of trustees, covers three seasons and will pay him $750,000 in the first two years and $775,000 in the final season, according to the Post and Courier. The move comes just days after the Panthers began what would have been their eighth spring practice under Elliott.
In a previous statement confirming Elliott's departure, GSU athletic director Charlie Cobb revealed that spring practice and Georgia State's spring game have both been postponed as the university searches for a replacement. Mike Sirignano, Georgia State's head strength coach, will serve as interim coach, according to The Athletic.
"It's extremely difficult to step away from the Georgia State football program, particularly the players and staff who have gone above and beyond," Elliott said in a statement. "As hard as this decision is professionally, it's something that I must do personally. I want to thank Charlie Cobb for giving me this opportunity seven years ago and working tirelessly to collaborate on growing and improving Georgia State football."
Elliott is a familiar face for the Gamecocks. A native of Camden, South Carolina, he joined former coach Steve Spurrier's staff in 2010 as the offensive line coach and run game coordinator. He was moved to co-offensive coordinator in 2012, and in 2015 he took over as interim coach after Spurrier resigned midway through the season.
Elliott won his first game against Vanderbilt but lost the last five contests in a row to seal a 3-9 season for the Gamecocks. He was retained on Will Muschamp's staff as offensive line coach for one season before he was hired by Georgia State in 2017.
In seven years with the Panthers, Elliott amassed a 41-44 record with a 27-30 showing in the Sun Belt. The program reached its zenith under Elliott in 2021 when it won seven regular-season games and capped things off with a 51-20 victory against Ball State in the Camellia Bowl. Georgia State also tied for second in the Sun Belt's East Division, its best conference finish with Elliott running the show.
Elliott improved to 4-1 in bowl games in 2023, guiding the Panthers to a win in the famous Idaho Potato Bowl after a 6-6 regular season. Overall, Elliott had five winning seasons during his tenure and won fewer than seven games just three times, including a 6-4 effort during the COVID-shortened 2020 season.
Elliott is the latest in a string of non-power conference coaches to leave their respective positions to fill an assistant spot at a more prolific program. Alabama, with new frontman Kalen DeBoer calling the shots, poached Buffalo's Maurice Linguist to be its cornerbacks coach and South Alabama's Kane Wommack to fill its vacant defensive coordinator spot.
Elsewhere, former Boston College coach Jeff Hafley also left his post to become the defensive coordinator with the Green Bay Packers. He was replaced by Bill O'Brien, which continued a chan reaction that saw UCLA coach Chip Kelly take the Ohio State offensive coordinator job in an unprecedented move.
