Around The SEC: Shane Beamer Brings Family Legacy In Year 1 With Gamecocks
Note: All Aggies' "Around the SEC" series will feature stories on all 14 programs in preparation for the 2021 season.
Shane Beamer is all smiles as he dons a crimson-striped tie in front of the media for the first time. After all, coaching is in his DNA.
Beamer now has the chance to run his own team at South Carolina in 2021. His father, Frank, might be a bit more well known for now. He currently sits as the all-time leader in wins after his 29-year run with Virginia Tech.
Coaching has worked out well for Beamer, 44, but public speaking could be an option if he ever chooses a different path. In his introductory press conference of over 3,000 words and 12 minutes of filibustering, he finally spoke of representing the program.
His program.
“To be here today representing the University of South Carolina, I’m very honored, very grateful and, frankly, really, really cool to be up here in front of all of you and representing our program today,” Beamer said at SEC media days in Birmingham, Ala.
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Shane isn't Frank despite sharing his last name. Sure, he coached in Blacksburg for five years, but his career took him across the SEC country. A quick stop with Tennessee, a small stint in Georgia, three years at Mississippi State all were on the radar.
Besides his time working under Lincoln Riley with Oklahoma, he's best known for his work in Columbia. Shane spent four seasons under the "Head Ball Coach" Steve Spurrier working with the defense.
Now, he's calling the shots following the firing of Will Muschamp. Maybe learning from two legends has its perks after all?
"There were certainly kids I played with who said, ‘The only reason you’re the starting whatever on the football team or the baseball team is because your dad’s the head coach at Virginia Tech,’ “ Beamer said. “Then I got into coaching — whether it’s right or wrong — I always tried to keep that chip on my shoulder or edge about myself to prove myself for sure.”
Twitter imploded with praise for his demeanor and passing when talking about Gamecock football. SEC Network's Jordan Rodgers called him "the MVP of Day 1" compared to the other coaches.
All that's fine, but it's the wins on the field that matter most. According to him, the program he inherited from Muschamp might just be missing the right coach instead of the right recruits.
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“I said in my press conference back in December that I didn’t feel like there was anything at South Carolina that we lacked to be a championship program, that we had everything we needed,” Beamer proclaimed. “I’m even more convinced of that now, after being there for seven months.”
The Gamecocks are coming off back-to-back losing seasons in the SEC East. Combined, they've tallied six wins against 16 losses, two have which have come in lopsided affairs to Texas A&M.
Beamer can see promise offensively after learning under Riley in Norman. One thing to watch from the start is his implementation of the tight ends.
“We want the premier tight ends in America,” Beamer said. “That’s the way we’re recruiting right now, to go get those guys.”
If anything, tight ends have found their way into conversation starters in recent years. Hayden Hurst was considered a John Mackey finalist before heading to the NFL Draft in 2018.
Last season, Nick Muse finished second on the team in catches (30) and receiving yards (425). Those numbers are expected to expand in Year 1 under the new regime.
"I feel like we've got assets there with Nick Muse, and I mentioned Jaheim Bell earlier, and a lot of other guys in that tight end room as well that we want to get the ball to," Beamer said.
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If not for the tight ends, maybe the run game can put together a promising outlook. Kevin Harris, the SEC's second-leading rusher, returns to the backfield for another year. His 1,138 yards on the ground and 15 touchdowns were enough to place him top 10 in every category.
The new head coach agreed, seeing a tremendous upside to what his offense will be built around in September.
"Kevin is very tough, very physical," Beamer said. "He's a guy that it's hard for one person to bring him down. He's a downhill runner that's really worked to improve his game, not just carrying the football, running routes, pass protection, all that stuff."
A two-win season shows South Carolina is at rock bottom. The good news? The only place to go is up.
The Gamecocks will be going fresh with Luke Doty at quarterback. Maybe there are some concerns since they haven't had a superstar at the position since Stephen Garcia in 2010. That year, Spurrier won 11 games and the SEC East.
Beamer is a glass-half-full kind of fellow. Maybe Doty is the next great gunslinger?
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"He’s done nothing over the summertime for us to change our thinking on that," Beamer said. "Luke’s a guy that played quarterback last year here down the stretch that’s really grown in that role since I got here. He’s a phenomenal young man."
As the Monday came to close, Beamer headed to an Arby's soda fountain and smiled with a thumbs up. Much like "OBC", he too recaptured the magic.
Maybe there's a little Spurrier in him. Perhaps there's some Frank there as well. No matter what, there's optimism in South Carolina, something that has been missing for years in the SEC.
“I am 100% convinced that the best days of South Carolina football are right in front of us,” Beamer said. “I couldn’t be more excited about that.”
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