South Carolina Basketball: 7 candidates to replace Frank Martin as head coach

Dustin Kerns

With all due respect, South Carolina isn’t quite at the same level of success as a program like Florida or LSU, which are also looking for new head coaches at this moment. That doesn’t mean the Gamecocks should settle for a weaker candidate or leave any stone unturned, it just means that Scott Drew or Rick Pitino aren’t walking through those doors.

Kerns is an intriguing candidate with plenty of experience in the Carolinas, going way back to his college days at Clemson. He’s been an assistant at Wofford, a staff member at Tennessee, and spent two seasons as head coach at Presbyterian. After impressive work with the Blue Hose, he was hired by Appalachian State in 2019, leading them to last year’s NCAA Tournament in just his second campaign.

The jump from Sun Belt to SEC is a bit of a leap, but Kerns has shown he’s a fantastic young coach, already turning around two different mid-major programs in the Carolinas. Aside from his days at rival Clemson, he doesn’t have any direct connections to the Gamecocks, but he’s a brilliant young mind who could be a steal of a hire if he falls into their laps.