Mike Shula is excited to return to the Southeastern Conference as the offensive coordinator for South Carolina, almost 20 years after he was fired as Alabama’s coach. He holds no hard feelings about the past, only excitement for the future.
“I learned a long time ago from every experience, just make sure you learn from it,” Shula said. “There’s nothing you can do to change the past, learn from it and be better.”
Shula’s new role at South Carolina was confirmed Tuesday when he was hired as the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach. He had been serving as an analyst for the team’s offense since March. South Carolina’s head coach, Shane Beamer, said he had Shula in mind for the role after Dowell Loggains left to become the head coach at Appalachian State.
Beamer checked with former players and colleagues from Shula’s time at the Carolina Panthers, where he served as the offensive coordinator, helping the team reach the Super Bowl in 2015.
Beamer also praised Shula’s work as an analyst, saying it helped him grow as a coach. “He’s got a great background from his time in the NFL, in college, and he will continue to make our quarterbacks better, our offense better, and this program better, as well,” Beamer said.
Shula, who is 59, agreed, saying, “It’s been very energizing for me” working at South Carolina.
Shula is the son of Don Shula, the late NFL coaching wins leader. He became the head coach at Alabama in 2003 and had a successful third season, finishing with a 10-2 record.
However, after a 6-6 season the following year, Alabama decided to move on. The school later vacated 21 wins, 16 of which were under Shula, due to NCAA violations. He spent the years between 2007 and 2023 working in the NFL.
When Loggains reached out to Shula about the analyst job, Shula thought it was a great chance to return to the SEC.
South Carolina’s offense improved significantly this season, moving from 13th in the SEC in scoring in 2023 to sixth this year. Their rushing yards per game increased from 118.8 last season to 232, leading the league.
Shula worked alongside Loggains and helped first-year starting quarterback LaNorris Sellers. The Gamecocks finished the regular season with six straight wins, including four over ranked opponents. Sellers, who threw for 1,481 yards, 13 touchdowns, and three interceptions during the winning streak, is gaining attention for the 2025 Heisman Trophy.
Shula said that Sellers, though not very vocal, has a strong leadership presence that inspires his teammates. “Without really saying a lot or being very vocal, he attracts guys in the leadership,” Shula said. “So, hopefully, the relationship that we’ve built here since last March will benefit us.”
South Carolina is set to play in the Citrus Bowl on December 31 against No. 21 Illinois. Beamer said it’s still unclear if Shula will call the offense during the bowl game or wait until after the season to make adjustments to the offense.
Shula’s goal for South Carolina’s offense is clear. “We want to do things just as good as we’ve done this past season,” he said. “That’s a challenge in itself.”
South Carolina’s strong defense, led by SEC sacks leader Kyle Kennard, will lose many key players next season, but Shula is focused on his offensive players and coaches. “We know that with the guys that we have in this program, the players, as well as the coaches that we got, to make sure we do our job first and not worry about anybody else,” he said.
