Jan. 9, 2009

G.A. Mangus, the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Middle Tennessee State University for the past three seasons, has been named the quarterbacks coach at the University of South Carolina, Gamecocks’ head coach Steve Spurrier announced today.

“I really believe G.A. is the best quarterbacks coach I could hire,” said Coach Spurrier. “He’s one of the best in the country. He was a walk-on quarterback and a graduate assistant with us at Florida and has earned his way up the coaching ladder,” continued Coach Spurrier. “He’s been named Coach of the Year twice and is a very qualified quarterbacks coach who will really help out our program.”

“Obviously this is an exciting opportunity to get back with Coach Spurrier, the one who gave me a start in the coaching profession,” said Mangus. “He has an excellent coaching staff in place and the SEC is a great conference. It’s the best place to coach, and having the opportunity to do that is very exciting for me.”

Prior to his arrival at MTSU, Mangus took over the Delaware Valley program in May of 2002, went 2-8 in his rookie campaign, and turned the team into an NCAA Division III championship contender during his four seasons. After that first season, Delaware Valley notched a 33-4 record, won three conference championships (ECAC in 2003, MAC in 2004 and 2005), reached the 2004 NCAA quarterfinals in the school’s first-ever trip to the national playoffs in a team-qualifying sport, and followed that up with another quarterfinal appearance in 2005.

In 2003, Mangus direct the Aggies to the fifth-greatest one-year turnaround in Division III history. They finished with a 9-2 record and captured the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Southeast Championship with a 54-37 victory over he College of New Jersey. Mangus was named MAC Coach of the Year for his efforts.

In 2004 and 2005, Mangus led the Aggies to perfect back-to-back regular season records and the team’s first overall Middle Atlantic Conference championship for an automatic bid to the NCAA postseason in 2004. The 2005 squad also earned a MAC title and advanced to the NCAA playoffs. Delaware Valley hosted and won their first two playoff games in 2004 and 2005 before falling in the quarterfinals and finishing with a 12-1 record each year.

The accolades poured in for Mangus following the 2004 season. He was named MAC Coach of the Year for the second year in a row and also earned the East Region Coach of the Year Award from Don Hansen’s Football Gazette. Mangus was then voted the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) Division III Region 2 Coach of the Year and was a candidate for the national honor as well. Mangus’ off-season was capped when he was named the Tri-State Coach of the Year by the prestigious Maxwell Football Club.

Mangus was a quarterback at the University of Florida from 1988 to 1991, including two years under Steve Spurrier. During that time, he was a member of the school’s first-ever SEC championship team in 1991 and was on the sidelines for the 1992 Sugar Bowl.

Following his 1992 graduation, Mangus remained at Florida for three years and served in the roles of graduate assistant and assistant offensive line coach. The Gators won two SEC titles (1993, 1994), reached the championship game in 1992, and made three bowl appearances during that tenure.

Mangus moved on to Widener in February of 1995 and was part of the powerhouse program for four seasons. He first began as the running backs and quarterbacks coach and was eventually elevated to offensive coordinator. The Pioneers had two eight-win seasons and made two postseason appearances, including an NCAA Division III playoff berth in 1995.

Mangus became the assistant head coach and offensive coordinator for Ursinus College in June of 1999 and joined a program that had gone 3-7 the previous year. The 1999 squad posted a school-record 10 wins (10-2), including the school’s first-ever NCAA Division III playoff win in the first round. The Bears came back the next year and went 8-2 for the first back-to-back winning seasons since 1954.

Mangus and his wife, Lauren, have two daughters, Grace and Hope.