The next era of South Carolina Gamecocks football may start with a little of that Alabama Crimson Tide magic. According to a report from Bruce Feldman of Fox Sports, Alabama defensive coordinator Kirby Smart is considered the "frontrunner" to land the recently vacated head coaching spot at South Carolina.
According to an ESPN report, Houston head coach Tom Herman is no longer considered a candidate for the position.
Longtime Gamecocks coach Steve Spurrier resigned from his post in Oct.
Smart, just 39, helms one of the nation's best defenses. The Crimson Tide are currently first in the NCAA in yards per play, second in run defense and third in total defense.
Smart won the 2012 AFCA Assistant Coach of the Year award and the Broyles Award, as the top assistant in college football, in 2009. He has coordinated Alabama's 'D' in seven of his nine seasons on Nick Saban's staff at Alabama. He was also a member of Saban's staff at LSU and with the Miami Dolphins.
Smart played collegiately at Georgia and would likely be considered a candidate there should the university choose to part ways with Mark Richt. Smart, Saban and the Crimson Tide tore through Richt's Bulldogs 38-10 earlier this season and there seems to be increasing talk that he may not last the year.
It remains to be seen if the pull of South Carolina will be enough to keep Smart from staying at 'Bama or pursuing Georgia.
