Former South Carolina AD Ray Tanner: 'It is cyclical' for struggling men's programs

Tanner believes new AD Jeremiah Donati is the right person to lead the Gamecocks' turnaround.

Published on Feb. 14, 2026

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Former South Carolina athletics director Ray Tanner spoke about the current struggles of the school's major men's sports programs, including football, men's basketball, and baseball. Tanner, who was responsible for hiring the current coaches, believes the downturn is part of a natural cycle and that new AD Jeremiah Donati is the right person to lead the Gamecocks' turnaround.

Why it matters

South Carolina's men's programs have all struggled mightily in recent years, finishing near or at the bottom of the SEC standings in football, men's basketball, and baseball. As a former successful coach and longtime AD, Tanner's perspective on the cyclical nature of these struggles and his confidence in the new leadership provides important context.

The details

In 2025, South Carolina's football and baseball teams finished second-to-last in the SEC, while the men's basketball team went 2-16 and finished in last place. This rough stretch began during Tanner's transition out of the AD role in 2024, when Jeremiah Donati was hired as the new athletics director. Tanner, who hired all three current men's coaches, believes the downturn is part of a natural cycle and that Donati is the right person to lead the Gamecocks' turnaround.

  • In Sept. 2024, Ray Tanner stepped down as South Carolina's athletics director.
  • On Dec. 4, 2024, Jeremiah Donati was hired as the new athletics director and officially started work in Columbia one month later.

The players

Ray Tanner

Former South Carolina athletics director who was responsible for hiring the current coaches of the school's major men's sports programs.

Jeremiah Donati

The new athletics director at South Carolina, hired in December 2024 to replace Tanner.

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What they’re saying

“It is cyclical. I believe that. It happens that way. There's ups and downs. We were talking about men's basketball this morning a little bit with one of my friends, and just a couple years ago, Lamont (Paris) won 26 games. So, did he forget how to coach? No. I mean, things happen.”

— Ray Tanner, Former South Carolina Athletics Director (on3.com)

“I think Jeremiah is tremendous. I mean, you go out as a president of the board to hire a new athletics director, and we're a position in the SEC that a lot of people are interested in. I'm not sure that they could have made a better hire than Jeremiah. He's really, really brilliant.”

— Ray Tanner, Former South Carolina Athletics Director (on3.com)

What’s next

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The takeaway

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