Will Muschamp

Muschamp joined Nick Saban's staff at LSU as the linebackers coach in 2001, before rising to become the LSU defensive coordinator in 2002. In 2003, LSU won the BCS Championship. That season, Muschamp's defense led the nation in both scoring defense (11.0 points per game) and total defense (252.0 yards per game). The Tigers topped the SEC in every major defensive category and also ranked second nationally in defensive pass efficiency (89.8 rating) and third in rushing defense (67.0 yards per game).[5] While at LSU, Muschamp coached four All-Americans including Bradie James, Chad Lavalais, Corey Webster and Marcus Spears. Muschamp left LSU with Saban after the 2004 season to join the Miami Dolphins staff as the assistant head coach.

As assistant head coach/defense of the Miami Dolphins, Muschamp, along with defensive coordinator Richard Smith,[11] supervised a defense that ranked fifteenth in total defense in the NFL. The Dolphins allowed 19.8 points per game and 317.4 total yards per game during the 2005 NFL season. The unit also ranked second in the NFL with 49 quarterback sacks.

When the Auburn defensive coordinator position became available in January 2006, Muschamp took the opportunity to return to the college game. In 2006, Muschamp's first season at Auburn, the defense finished seventh among NCAA Division I-FBS teams in scoring defense, allowing only 21 touchdowns.[12] In 2007, Auburn led the SEC in scoring defense and finished in the top 10 in four defensive categories (ranking 7th nationally in pass efficiency[13] and 6th nationally in total defense,[14] passing defense[15] and scoring defense[16] among NCAA Division I-FBS teams).

On January 3, 2008, Muschamp interviewed for the vacant co-defensive coordinator job for the University of Texas.[17] The next day, he resigned from Auburn to accept the position with Texas. Muschamp was slated to receive a raise to $425,000 per year with a two-year, no buyout, contract at Auburn for 2008, which would have made him the highest-paid assistant coach in the SEC.[18] Muschamp received a contract with a $425,000 annual salary at Texas, making him the highest-paid assistant coach in the Big 12.[19]

On November 18, 2008, the University of Texas announced Muschamp would succeed Brown whenever he retired. They agreed in principle to increase Muschamp's salary to $900,000. There was no timetable set for Brown's departure, and both Brown and UT said they expected Brown to stay a long time.[4][20] Fifty-nine-year-old Brown was under contract as head coach through 2016.[21][22] Upon Brown's retirement, Muschamp was slated to get a five-year contract as head coach.[23]

In announcing the move, the University of Texas noted, "Muschamp's Longhorn defense is leading the Big 12 in rushing defense (82.5 ypg/25th NCAA) and scoring defense (19.5 ppg/25th NCAA). UT ranks second nationally with four sacks per game. The Horns have held all of their Big 12 opponents below their season scoring average and limited six foes to 14 points or less."[20] UT Athletics Director DeLoss Dodds said, "With the landscape in college football and all of the changes around the country, I've been looking at this for the last couple of years. When it's not working, you have to go outside and make changes. Things are going well here, it's working, so it's best to be prepared to build from inside and that's what we're doing. Mack has provided outstanding leadership and continues to elevate our football program to a level as high as anyone in the country. We hope he stays a long time and he will be our coach as long as he wants, but this assures us that when the time comes, we have the right guy to step up into that position and continue to build on the great things we're accomplishing."[20]

Prior to this announcement, Muschamp had been mentioned in association with head coaching job openings at Clemson, Tennessee, Washington, and Auburn.[6] He had been planning an off-week interview with Clemson[24] but as a result of this deal decided instead to wait his turn at Texas, saying, "This is a special place. I think it is 'the' elite job in the country."[6] Austin American-Statesman columnist Kirk Bohls predicted this would be good for the program: "Muschamp's ascension conveys to fans and recruits that Texas values what it has now as one of the elite programs in the country and wants to maintain. This smart, bold move should bring coaching stability, sustained recruiting and possibly expanded recruiting into the Southeast and a continued framework for success."[25]

Muschamp as Florida's head coach in 2011

On December 11, 2010, University of Florida athletic director Jeremy Foley named Muschamp to succeed Urban Meyer as the 23rd head coach of the Florida Gators football program.[9] In his first year as head coach, Muschamp led the Gators to a 7–6 record overall and a 3-5 record in the SEC. This was the first losing conference record for the Gators since 1979. In 2011, Muschamp's Gators struggled on offense, ranking 98th in total offense and 83rd in passing offense. Muschamp's Gators earned a 24–17 Gator Bowl victory over the Ohio State Buckeyes playing under interim coach, Luke Fickell. The following spring, Muschamp brought in the No. 5 recruiting class in the nation according to Scout.com. However, the class had no top offensive talent and only two offensive linemen.

In 2012, Muschamp led the Gators to an 11–2 season with four wins over teams that were ranked among the top twelve of the BCS standings at the end of the regular season, including Texas A&M, LSU, South Carolina, and Florida State. The season also included a near loss to a non-BCS school Louisiana-Lafayette and a loss to Georgia in which Muschamp's Gators scored no touchdowns, costing the Gators the SEC East Division Title. The season ended with a disappointing 23–33 loss to the Louisville Cardinals in the Sugar Bowl. Although the 2012 Gators had a top defense, the season was primarily hampered by the lack of offensive output again. In 2012, the Gators offense ranked 97th in total offense and 116th (out of 124 teams) in passing offense. The following spring, Muschamp brought in the No. 7 recruiting class in the nation according to Scout.com.

It initially appeared the success would continue in 2013, when the Gators started out 4-1. However, they would lose seven consecutive games, their longest losing streak in recent memory. The 4-8 record was the Gators' first losing season since 1979. Muschamp again had a losing record in the SEC, 3–5. This made Muschamp the first Gators coach to have two losing SEC records since the 1950s. This also ended a 22-year bowl streak that dated back to 1991 when the Gators came off probation. The season included two particularly humiliating losses. The first was a homecoming loss to Vanderbilt—their first loss to the Commodores since 1988 and first at home since 1945. Muschamp's Gators also lost to an FCS team, Georgia Southern, the first loss to a lower division team in the history of the program. Muschamp lost to traditional rival Georgia for the third consecutive year and a 30-point loss to Florida State in the season's final game dropped his record against the Seminoles to 1–2. The Gator defense was again one of the best in the nation, ranking eighth in total defense. However, the Gator offense was again ineffective, ranking 114th nationally in total offense and 107th in passing. After the season, Florida athletic director Jeremy Foley brought Muschamp back for another season. The following spring, Muschamp's Gators brought in the No. 9 recruiting class, which trailed five other SEC teams and rival Florida State.

Despite a lackluster 2013 season, expectations were high for Muschamp and the Gators for the 2014 campaign. After a 42–13 homecoming loss to Missouri, some Gator fans called for Muschamp to be fired immediately. However, Foley refused to do so and allowed Muschamp to coach the annual Florida-Georgia football game. Florida, a 10-point underdog came in starting true freshman Treon Harris with throwing the ball only six times the Gators compiled 428 yards rushing to upset the 11th ranked Bulldogs 38–20. However, after a 23–20 overtime home loss to South Carolina 2 weeks later on November 16, 2014, Foley announced that Muschamp would be stepping down following the conclusion of the 2014 regular season, citing the season's high number of losses. Muschamp remarked, "I was given every opportunity to get it done here and I simply didn't win enough games—that is the bottom line. I'm disappointed that I didn't get it done and it is my responsibility to get it done."[26]

On December 12, 2014, a week after the end of the regular season, Muschamp became defensive coordinator for the Auburn Tigers. He agreed to a three-year deal with the Tigers that was worth between $1.6 million and $1.8 million annually.[27] This deal made him the highest-paid defensive coordinator in college football. He became Auburn's fourth defensive coordinator in five years and replaced Ellis Johnson, who was fired the day after the Tigers' 55-44 loss to Alabama in November of the same year.[28]

On December 6, 2015, Muschamp was announced as the 34th head football coach of the South Carolina Gamecocks.[29] Muschamp inherited a 3–9 team and would go 6–7 in his first season as head coach of the Gamecocks.

In his second season at the helm, Muschamp improved to 9–4, including a 26–19 win over Michigan in the Outback Bowl. South Carolina's 5–3 conference record marked the program's first winning record in conference play since 2013 under then-head coach Steve Spurrier.

In his third season as head coach of the Gamecocks, Muschamp led South Carolina to a 7–5 regular season record. Muschamp's 22 wins through his first three seasons at South Carolina is the most among Gamecock head football coaches.

His fourth season came with one of the toughest schedules in the nation. South Carolina finished the season 4–8, although they did upset #3 Georgia on the road. After that season, his record was 26–25, and his 25 losses through his first four seasons is the most among Gamecock head football coaches. He was fired during the 2020 football season from the University of South Carolina, following a disappointing outing.

South Carolina fired Muschamp on November 15, 2020. Offensive coordinator Mike Bobo replaced him as interim head coach with three games left in the season.[30]