The Omaha dream continues for Scott Forbes and North Carolina baseball, but that doesn't mean ridiculous rumors won't keep popping up. As most fans know by now, Forbes, who loves Carolina blue more than anything, has been linked to the South Carolina opening. Could the Gamecocks get desperate in trying to bring in the veteran coach?
That could be on the table, as radio host Teddy Haffney, a veteran South Carolina insider, has claimed that Forbes has moved up to No. 1 on the Gamecocks' wishlist. USC is also willing to put $2 million a year on the table. Sure, that seems like a lot, but come on, Forbes is not going to make the move to Columbia, and even Heffner noted that it's unlikely at this point:
according to what I have been told, Scott Forbes of North Carolina is now No. 1 on the USC coaching search. I'm told the gamecocks are prepared to offer as much as 2 million a year. Forbes is signed through 2028 at a base salary of 1.7 million however I'm also told ...
— Teddy Heffner (@theTeddyHeffner) June 8, 2026
... that Forbes is unlikely to leave the Tar Heel state. The same with Steve Sabins of West Virginia. Skyler Meade is also at the top of the list, as, of course, is Kevin Schnall. One source told me the UNC athletic department is a mess with the Bill Belichick experiment ....
— Teddy Heffner (@theTeddyHeffner) June 8, 2026
Scott Forbes keeps getting mentioned for the South Carolina job, but it's nothing for UNC to worry about
Forbes feels like a Carolina lifer and the recent success the program has had only makes him even more beloved in Chapel Hill. Let's take a look back at his history with the program. He first joined the program in 1999 as an assistant, spending several years with the Heels before taking a job at Winthrop from 2003-2005.
He then returned to North Carolina in 2006, spending the last 20 years with the program for his second stint. He of course took over for the one and only Mike Fox in 2021. Since then, the Tar Heels haven't missed a beat, and people are still riding high following the Game 3 win over USC in the Super Regionals.
With that, sure, it's easy to see why a program like South Carolina may want to go all-in to get him to leave town for a new adventure. From our chair, though, this just feels like wishful thinking from the Gamecocks, as we all know just how much Forbes means to North Carolina, and the feelings are 100 percent reciprocated.
Normally, we'd look at the links to South Carolina as a potential distraction with the College World Series here, but a potential move feels like a long shot at best, which is why the UNC faithful are likely laughing things off instead of being overly worried about it.
Also, let's go ahead and keep in mind too that Forbes signed a contract extension with North Carolina in late March. With that new deal, he's under contract with the Tar Heels through the 2031 campaign, and it was a moment he was overcome with joy about.
“It’s humbling, number one, because I never dreamed I would be in this position,” Forbes said in an interview with Inside Carolina at the time. “Like I tell our guys, it’s an honor and a privilege to wear the Carolina uniform. I’m always going to believe that. Never take it for granted."
This is a guy who loves all things UNC, and while South Carolina is going to be a sexy move up for plenty of other candidates, Forbes should not be considered an option moving forward. Could he shock us all and take the job? Most likely not, but he's focused on World Series glory with UNC instead right now, and that's the way it should be.
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