‘He’s a football-ologist’: Former Gamecock lauds hire of new offensive line coach
Shane Beamer officially introduced South Carolina’s newest offensive line coach Randy Clements on Friday.
Clements comes to Columbia from TCU, alongside the Gamecocks new offensive coordinator Kendal Briles.
Clements’ connections with Beamer are slim, but he brings history with Briles (which spans over a decade across four schools) with him to Columbia.
There’s another small, albeit slightly unconventional, connection between Clements and his new job at South Carolina with a former player. Granted, it’s not even an offensive lineman.
It’s former Gamecock running back Oscar Adaway.
Adaway started his career at North Texas in 2019 and was with the Mean Green through the 2023 season. After that, Adaway transferred to South Carolina where he just wrapped up his college career after two seasons with the Gamecocks.
Clements and Adaway overlapped during the 2021 and 2022 seasons at North Texas. Although Adaway won’t get to run behind another offensive line coached by Clements, he said he was excited when he saw the news he’d been hired by the Gamecocks.
“What a whole-hearted man (Clements) is, and what a cool dude he is,” Adaway told The State. “But when it comes down to it, honestly, bro — I’m making up a word here — you know how they’re psychologists and there’s zoologists? He’s literally a footballologist. …Wherever he goes, he gets five guys, and they move the line of scrimmage. And that’s what we want, that’s what we need. What a great man for the job.”
During the 2022 season, Clements’ offensive line helped North Texas average 201.7 rushing yards per game. That mark was the second best of Conference USA teams and was No. 24 in the nation.
Clements first year at North Texas (2021) was spent as a volunteer with the offensive line. That season, North Texas ran for 233.5 yards per game which was first in C-USA and fifth in the country.
Adaway missed the 2021 season with an ACL injury but was part of the dominant 2022 Mean Green rushing attack. North Texas totaled 2,798 rushing yards that season and Adaway was the third leading rusher on the team, rushing for 583 yards and five touchdowns.
Adaway said Clements’ ability to make things simple for his offensive line was part of the reason for the success.
“I feel like one thing that’s overlooked when it comes down to coaches is that, to be a coach you got to be able to teach,” Adaway said. “If you can’t get to a player and teach them something, he’ll just be a raw athlete instead of a good football player. He’s a great teacher, he teaches the players very well. … He’s down to earth, and he’s going to tell you what it is and what it ain’t. That’s what you need in a great football coach.”
During Clements time at Baylor he helped players earn 13 All-Big 12 and six All-America selections. Clements also produced eight NFL Draft picks. Clements also mentored a few All-ACC selections during his time at North Carolina.
Adaway called Clements’ recruiting abilities “outrageous” and said he’ll have no problem fitting into the program.
“He’ll fit into the program because he’s a footballologist, and he wants to win,” Adaway said. “South Carolina wants to win. We want to be on that, on that pedigree at the end of the season. We want to be on that stage…He just wants to win like (how) every other South Carolinian wants to.”
Clements is tasked with fixing up an offensive line that allowed an SEC-worst 43 sacks last season. South Carolina’s offense as a whole struggled in 2025. The Gamecocks were near the bottom or in last in the SEC for most offensive stats last season, thus the new hires at offensive coordinator (Briles), offensive line coach (Clements) and running backs coach Stan Drayton.
Regardless of how last season went, Adaway is confident in Clements’ ability to help get South Carolina’s offensive line back on track.
“Plenty of potential,” Adaway said. “... You have Randy Clements coaching these guys, who’s done it for forever and a day. He’s done it every single stage, ACC, SEC, American, Conference USA, you name it…There’s bound to be greatness with the O-line this year.”
This story was originally published December 16, 2025 at 7:30 AM with the headline "‘He’s a football-ologist’: Former Gamecock lauds hire of new offensive line coach."
