Columbia — This offseason, South Carolina is trying to fill out its football staff for the fourth time.

James Coley, the wide receivers coach who was hired 43 days ago and made public 36 days ago, will instead train the Bulldogs’ pass-catchers in Georgia. He owes USC $450,000 as per the provisions of the contract he signed there.

In addition to paying that buyout, Georgia is anticipated to reimburse Coley with a sum akin to the $1.5 million that USC paid in total over a two-year period.

In 2016 and 2017, Coley was the Georgia receivers’ coach; in 2019, he was named the offensive coordinator for the Bulldogs. He is, ironically, taking over for former Gamecocks offensive coordinator Bryan McClendon, who departed to take a position in the NFL.

After Justin Stepp was promoted to tight ends coach at USC, Coley took his place. Shawn Elliott took Stepp’s place once he moved to Illinois.

Pete Lembo, Jody Wright, and Montario Hardesty were also replaced by USC this offseason. Lembo and Wright accepted head coaching positions.