OPINION: Shane Beamer's Offseason Checklist
The South Carolina Gamecocks' 2023 season came to a disappointing end on Saturday night against the Clemson Tigers, in a game that was symbolic of the majority of Shane Beamer's third season in Columbia. While it would take a long series of articles to break down everything that happened this Fall, everyone who follows the program closely can agree on this much: changes have to be made.
Shane Beamer on the field prior to the Gamecocks matchup against Clemson (25th Nov., 2023)
David Yeazell | USA Today Network
The question that Beamer will have to answer over the next month or so is how many changes should occur in the program. Here are the following few things Shane must do to get things back on track:
1) Decide Who Stays & Goes
With the 2023 season officially over, Beamer will get ready to have end-of-season interviews with all of his players, and likely his coaches, to evaluate their current standing in the program and whether or not he thinks they still fit the program's long-term vision moving forward. Finishing 5-7, no matter the circumstances means everyone must be reevaluated, and some players and/or coaches may need to be advised to look elsewhere.
Shane is certainly not one to be harsh with this kind of stuff, and we're not going to speculate on anything regarding who should stay or go, but these are the kind of moves a head coach must make in modern college football to avoid falling behind the 8-ball.
2) Figure Out Who's Returning
Deciding who will be back in Columbia for the 2024 season won't be entirely up to Beamer, as several players who started multiple games this Fall could either move on or return for one last hurrah: Mario Anderson Jr., Nick Gargiulo (could apply for a medical waiver from his time at Yale), Tonka Hemingway, Joshua Simon, Jakai Moore, and Bam Martin-Scott. This doesn't even include guys who could opt on their own accord to enter the transfer portal, which could make things more murky for the headman.
3) Hammer The Transfer Portal
In the 2021 offseason, South Carolina was a big winner in the transfer portal, but last year, they were a net loser. Beamer and his staff will have to be active in the portal again this offseason. Positions like wide receiver, running back, offensive line, defensive end, and cornerback could all stand being looked at. One silver lining to having a down year is that you can offer players the chance to start immediately at key positions, which could pay dividends for the Gamecocks in this cycle.
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