Shawn Elliott, who took Georgia State to five bowl games in seven seasons as head coach, stepped down to take an assistant coaching position at South Carolina.
Elliott, 50, resigned Thursday to become the Gamecocks’ tight ends coach and run-game coordinator. The decision was an emotional one for Elliott, who long has been pulled by the desire to be with his family – his wife, Summer, and high school-aged children Maddyn and Max – who remained in their home in the Columbia area while he worked in Atlanta.
“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 prepared statement. “As hard as this decision is professionally, it’s something that I must do personally.”
The timing was awkward. Georgia State was only two days into spring practice, which was suspended and will be rescheduled when a successor is named. No interim coach was named, but strength coach Mike Sirignano will continue to oversee the offseason weight program.
Elliott delivered the news in an emotional meeting with the players Thursday morning.
“We want to thank Shawn Elliott for his hard work and dedication the last seven years to build this football program,” Georgia State athletic director Charlie Cobb said in a news release. “I know this was a difficult decision for him, but I understand his personal reasons, and we wish the best for Shawn and his family.”
Georgia State has retained Parker Executive Search to help identify the next potential coach, and Cobb said, “We plan to move quickly.”
Elliott became an assistant coach with the Gamecocks in 2010 and served as interim head coach at South Carolina in 2015 after Steve Spurrier abruptly resigned. Elliott returned as a staff member in 2016. He retained close ties to the program, including South Carolina coach Shane Beamer.
Elliott became the head coach at Georgia State in 2017 and immediately began to produce results. His first team went 7-5 and won the program’s first bowl game, a victory in the Cure Bowl. After a 2-10 rebuilding season in 2018, the Panthers have been a model of consistency under Elliott.
The program’s biggest moment came in 2019 when Georgia State opened the season by beating Tennessee in Knoxville. Since then there have been other close calls against Power Five schools Auburn, North Carolina and South Carolina.
Elliott’s best season came in 2021, when the Panthers went 8-5, setting a school record for wins, and won the Camellia Bowl.
Georgia State won its first four games in 2023, a school record for wins to start a season, and was 6-1 and received a vote in the national coach’s poll. But the Panthers lost five consecutive games before ending the season with a win over Utah State in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl.
In seven seasons at Georgia State, Elliott’s teams went 41-44 and produced 71 All-Sun Belt players.
“I am proud of this program’s growth, our accomplishments and the foundation we laid for future success,” Elliott said. “I am especially proud of and grateful to all the players who have worked so hard to make this program successful. I know Charlie will hire a tremendous football coach to continue growing the program. With his leadership, GSU football is poised to do great things, and I know these young men do just that. I will always be grateful that I was allowed to be a small part of the journey.”
It is fitting that Elliott would become the running-game coordinator at South Carolina. His Georgia State teams embraced the running game and annually ranked among the best running teams in the country. Over the past four seasons the Panthers averaged 221 yards rushing per game, eighth best in the nation over that period.
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