Sep 20, 2025; Columbia, Missouri, USA; A general view of a South Carolina Gamecocks helmet against the Missouri Tigers during the second half of the game at Faurot Field at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images Denny Medley-Imagn Images

Report: South Carolina Is Expected to Bring in Mike Krysl as a Special Teams Analyst

Originally posted on South Carolina Gamecocks on SI
By Alex Joyce | Last updated Feb 26, 2026 4:04 PM ET

After hiring Matthew Smiley to take over the special teams unit last week, Shane Beamer continues to add to his staff as the team is expected to hire Mike Krysl as a special teams analyst. Krysl was last on the field as the special teams coordinator for the Houston Cougars in 2024.

Krysl has made previous stops at Samford, Army, Arkansas, Tulane, and Houston in recent years as either a special teams coordinator or special teams analyst. His last position was with Houston as he spent two seasons with the Cougars from 2024-2025 as both a special teams analyst and coordinator.

According to Houston's coaching page, during 2024, the Cougars ranked sixth nationally and tops in the Big 12 Conference in punt return defense (3.50), helped by freshman punter Liam Dougherty who downed 18 punts inside the 20-yard line and forced 22 fair catch signals (ranked third in Big 12).

During that same season, Mekhi Mews ranked 27th nationally and second in the Big 12 with 6.9 yards per punt return. Mews was one of five Big 12 players with a punt return touchdown, accomplishing the feat with a 75-yard return vs. Rice (Sept. 14).

South Carolina is expected to hire Mike Krysl as a special teams analyst, a source tells @CBSSports.

Was special teams coordinator at Houston in 2024. Before that, worked at Tulane. pic.twitter.com/OlawrmNQte
— Matt Zenitz (@mzenitz) February 26, 2026

A graduate of the University of Central Michigan, Krysl got his first coaching opportunity under Dan Enos as an offensive graduate assistant. In 2013, he would join West Virginia State helping with the offensive line and tight ends. Then he moved onto Georgia Southern for two seasons as a player development coach and first getting into the special teams side of coaching.

Both Smiley and Krysl were brought in to replace former special teams coordinator Joe DeCamillis who took on the same role with the Las Vegas Raiders.