Nick Muse posts career day for Gamecocks. What would bring him back for another year?
South Carolina tight end Nick Muse’s night Saturday started with senior day, a traditional sign he won’t be back next season, and it ended with a request for what would make it happen.
Following his career day in Columbia, he gave a simple request at the end his postgame press conference: “Keep coach (Bobby) Bentley.”
That’s a complicated ask with a coaching change underway, but the Charlotte-area product delivered against Georgia. The Gamecocks were down from the jump and missing a slew of receivers, including top option Shi Smith.
But Muse just kept getting open for freshman quarterback Luke Doty, who kept finding him. At day’s end, Muse had eight catches on eight targets for a career-high 131 yards and his first touchdown in 17 games as a Gamecock.
He joked afterward that he’d been allergic to the end zone and noted he’d built a rapport with the young passer.
“Ever since he’s got on campus, he’s a guy that I’ve liked hanging out with,” Muse said. “That’s how chemistry is made. You hang out with somebody. You start to like them, whether it’s football-related or not. Out here on the football field, he just trusts me. I think I can be one of his go-to guys.”
The pressing question of his presence next season looms as Smith is almost assured to leave for the pros, and the Gamecocks will have to manage a large-scale rebuild of the passing corps.
Muse, a transfer from William & Mary, has 30 catches for 425 yards this season, which points to him being able to help that problem facing the Gamecocks in 2021. He said he’s spoken to some people about NFL plans, but he made clear what would get him back.
“I’ve talked to some people about whether to go or to leave. Or if coach Bentley comes back, I’ll definitely be back,” Muse said. “So that’s one thing. It depends.
“Whatever happens happens, and I’ll make my decision, I don’t know when I’ll make it. I’m not worried about that right now.”
That is a tricky question as everything is in flux. The school fired Will Muschamp, which means Bentley’s fate is in the hands of an as-yet-unhired coach. There’s also the distinct possibility Bentley could look around for jobs as another college might give him the chance to call plays, something he excelled at as a high school coach.
Bentley was one of Muschamp’s first hires at USC and has coached either running backs or tight ends across fives year. His son Jake was a multi-year starter and is playing at Utah this year as a grad transfer.
This story was originally published November 28, 2020 at 11:47 PM with the headline "Nick Muse posts career day for Gamecocks. What would bring him back for another year?."
