Shane Beamer Calls for 'Severe Punishment' of Teams Who Tamper in Transfer Portal

South Carolina Gamecocks head coach Shane Beamer has called for a severe punishment of teams that are violating NCAA transfer portal regulations.

College football is a sport that features many different programs and fan bases that often share differing opinions on a multitude of issues. However, when it comes to tampering, almost everyone is in an agreement that there needs to be drastic changes.

Since the emergence of NIL and the transfer portal into the sport, teams have unfortunately experienced a massive increase in tampering, which is when other teams illegally contact other players with substantial offers in order to entice them to enter the transfer portal.

This has caused numerous head coaches and fans a great deal of stress, and has resulted in many calling for changes within the sport. The latest coach to do so is South Carolina Gamecocks head coach Shane Beamer, who recently called for severe punishments of tampering offenders.

Shane Beamer Discusses Punishments for Teams That Tamper

Nov 22, 2025; Columbia, South Carolina, USA; South Carolina Gamecocks head coach Shane Beamer reacts to a play against the Coastal Carolina Chanticleers in the second half at Williams-Brice Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Blake-Imagn Images | Jeff Blake-Imagn Images

"What the penalty should be is for other people to figure out, but I believe it should be severe," said Beamer during a media presser. "If we have rules, and we're not going to enforce them, then what the hell do we have rules for? That's kind of how I see it."

Beamer was also extremely self-aware in his statement, admitting that he is certain that his staff had likely at some point or another operated in a gray area due to the massive complexities that the portal currently has.

"I'm sure there's a gray area that we've been in at some point and ticked off at some point. But we try to do things the right way," said Beamer. "But every kid in America has an agent, and those agents are reaching out to schools. That's happening during the season, and it's been happening for multiple years."

Beamer's revelation regarding agents making deals on players' behalf is part of the reason why enforcing tampering rules has become so difficult, as tracing concrete evidence back to offenders is nearly impossible since the majority of deals are not handled directly by players.

While the future for how the NCAA will enforce tampering remains uncertain, the recent uprising of coaches who are speaking out against it could provide enough momentum for some form of rules to be passed in order to mitigate its effects. However, with evidence of tampering remaining hard to prove, enforcement of tampering rules remains extremely difficult.