Mark Kingston can exhale for a day. His South Carolina Gamecocks live to see another day, as they have advanced to the double elimination stage of the SEC Tournament.

The Gamecocks used the home run ball to defeat Alabama 10-5 in the first round of the SEC Tournament. The win for the Gamecocks all but locks them into the NCAA Tournament, and it is now just a matter of how the rest of the week in Hoover plays out to see where the Gamecocks will be traveling for the postseason in 2024.

As for my beginning statement of the article, Mark Kingston's days as the head coach at South Carolina are coming to a close barring a miracle run in the postseason. It is never too early to look at potential replacements.

Here are two guys I believe would be possible replacements:

Monte Lee

Monte Lee is one of the more obvious and clear-cut options, as he is the assistant head coach to Kingston at South Carolina. Lee, the former head coach at Clemson, has plenty of experience to be considered as the next head coach. There is also a chance that Lee could convince guys like Ethan Petry, Cole Messina, and Talmadge LeCroy to return back to South Carolina and make another run at it.

I believe this would be the Gamecocks number one choice to replace Kingston, if they decide to let him go at the conclusion of the season.

Landon Powell

Powell, the former Gamecock baseball, always has his name come up in this conversation. Just finishing up his 9th season at North Greenville, has always said that the only place he would ever consider leaving North Greenville for, would be his alma matter of South Carolina.

It has been rumored that in previous seasons, the Gamecocks have approached Powell to see his interest levels and he has turned them down. It will be interesting to see if the South Carolina administration will go back to Powell again if they decide to make a change.

Skylar Meade

Meade spent four seasons at South Carolina as the pitching coach on Mark Kingston's staff from 2018-2021 before leaving to become the head coach at Troy University. Coming off of a regional appearance last season, Meade has led the Trojans to a 36-20 record this season and the #3 seed in the Sun Belt.

I believe that Meade would jump at the opportunity to go back to a place he had success as the pitching coach and have full control of the program like he currently has at Troy.

Mike Bianco

Everyone in the college baseball world knows who Coach Bianco is. The Ole Miss Rebels have done nothing but have major success during Bianco's tenure that began way back in 2000. Since their national championship in 2022, it has been a lot of doom and gloom for the program, and a lot of Rebels fans are looking for a change.

I believe South Carolina would be the perfect place for Coach Bianco, as it would give Gamecock fans the fresh face they are wanting, and he would bring a winning attitude that South Carolina desperately needs. Bianco is certain that he will be back in the Ole Miss dugout next year, but if not, South Carolina should definitely make a run at him and make him tell you no.

Two other interesting names that have come to mind are former Gamecock greats, Justin Smoak and Jackie Bradley Jr. There is no real logic behind these two names, they are just alumni and great baseball minds that could look to lead this team back to the standards of Carolina baseball when they were members of the great teams they were on.