He has the Shane Beamer era Run its course in South Carolina? It was a fair question before The Gamecocks’ dismal 26-7 loss at home to Oklahoma. This is South Carolina’s fourth setback in five SEC games — a massive bummer for a program that came in one or two teams short of a College Football Playoff bid in 2024.
The disappointment remained Saturday afternoon, as another anemic display offensively has become an all-too-familiar script for the Gamecocks under their current regime.
numerous Sources told CBS Sports this week Which Beamer to Virginia Tech It’s more than just speculation — it has legitimacy — and it will only get stronger if South Carolina’s downturn continues this season. Several members of Virginia Tech’s search committee are “pushing for Beamer,” one source said.
He was a drug user He was asked about the vacant hockey position last month He said what he always had about his alma mater, where his father was a legend: He remains focused on winning at South Carolina.
But that was before three losses. At this point, a mutual cord-cutting may be the best-case scenario for Beamer and the new South Carolina leadership under athletic director Jeremiah Donati.
This does not mean that Donati and Beamer’s relationship was not rhythmic, direct and professional Since Donati’s arrival last Decemberbut system changes at the administrative level can often start the clock for current training periods while both sides determine the vision and future moving forward.
Beamer was hired by Ray Tanner in 2020 After Will Muschamp failed. Tanner made a smart swing at a former program assistant who wants to become a head coach.
This was always going to be a big season in Beamer’s fifth year, Who received the bonus and extension In January after finishing last fall 9-4. The Gamecocks were ranked among the top 15 teams before the season I paid large sums of money to keep it Lanoris Sellers and Dylan Stewart join despite other programs trying to swoop in.
With more wins over his first four seasons than any coach in program history, Beamer was still in good favor with fans and for good reason — he had removed the stains of the previous regime and effectively turned the page on a 5-7 record in 2023 that drew initial skepticism from the reinforcements.
Amid an already wild coaching tour within the Power Four with James Franklin now at the table following his dismissal at Penn State, Virginia Tech is ready to make Huge financial investment in football When and if its new coach is announced, it will be Beamer, he will get a chance to extricate himself from the weekly meat grinder he faces within the SEC to have a more favorable roster on an annual basis.
James Franklin breaks silence on the fairness of Penn State’s firing, plans to re-evaluate his coaching style
Carter Bahns
Sure, there’s probably a reluctance to follow in his father’s footsteps in Blacksburg, but the 48-year-old Beamer has been impressive against ranked teams at times with the Gamecocks and will only play two of those opponents each year in the ACC.
Buy Beamer in South Carolina $5 million If he chooses to terminate his contract this fall and take another job.
CBS Sports reported this week that Virginia Tech athletic director Whit Babcock and all members of the search committee recently signed nondisclosure agreements, indicating there has been no further public comment on the process and how close the Hokies are to naming their new coach.
Does this mean that behind the scenes there is an agreement already being worked on? Not necessarily, but it can happen when searches are relatively silent.
“The committee members are made up of people who love Shane and have long-standing ties to the program, including university president John Rockovich,” a source told CBS Sports on Saturday.
Offensive struggles under Beamer
Outside of nationally ranked finishes in 2022 and 2024 that were overshadowed by many shortcomings at the point of attack, the Gamecocks have been weak on the offensive line of scrimmage within a league dominated by power forwards. Lackluster play along the offensive line despite high-end recruiting success at the guard and tackle spots combined with game breakdowns that hampered development.
Rocket Sanders is the only South Carolina running back to finish inside the top 10 in the SEC in rushing numbers under Beamer, as he finished with 881 yards and 11 touchdowns as a senior transfer last fall.
Beamer fired offensive line coach Lonnie Teasley Last week after the Gamecocks lost to LSU, for only the second time during his tenure, he parted ways with his offensive assistant.
Marcus Satterfield left the staff to join Matt Rhule at Nebraska after the 2022 season as Beamer’s offensive coordinator amid cries for his firing, while his replacement Dowell Loggains took over for the Appalachians’ vacant position last cycle before the Gamecocks promoted Mike Shula to the role.
Gamecock fans rained down “Fire Shula” chants as the Gamecocks’ offense repeatedly chipped away at raw foe Brent Venables on Saturday, but the offense has been a struggle under Beamer in Columbia no matter who calls the shots (SEC rankings are indicated in parentheses).
|
2021 |
22.6 PPG (13th) |
337.3 (13) |
136.1 (eleventh) |
35.1 (13) |
48.8 (13) |
31 (9th) |
|
2022 |
32.2 PPG (7th) |
378.8 (9th) |
118.8 (12th) |
38.8 (10th) |
71.2 (9th) |
31 (eleventh) |
|
2023 |
26.1 PPG (12th) |
363.1 (9th) |
85.1 (xiv) |
33.8 (11th) |
66.7 (seventh) |
41 (xii) |
|
2024 |
30.5 PPG (7th) |
407.8 (eighth) |
184.4 (4th) |
43.3 (eighth) |
57.5 (15th) |
41 (XV) |
|
2025 |
22.3 PPG (15th) |
310.0 (16th) |
115.3 (15th) |
35.9 (15th) |
50.0 (sixteenth) |
20 (15th) |
Spencer Rattler and Lanoris Sellers, South Carolina’s last two quarterbacks, have been hit more often than most in the SEC at the position. Rattler is a starting quarterback in the NFL. The sellers will eventually be one.
No program in the conference has given up more sacks since the start of the 2023 season than the Gamecocks (102), and the same goes for tackles for losses (225).
Beamer preached to “stay the course.” Before the loss to the Sooners, but the facts are what they are – the offense is stuck in the mud and he’s the manager of the operation making the hires.
“I see signs — not signs, I see that we’re better,” Beamer said of his positive outlook after South Carolina’s 3-3 start in Week 8. “The key for us is that you take from previous years and then this year, we have to keep doing that and keep moving forward. We can’t sit here and be sad, because we’re 3-3.”
Regression from sellers
Despite being a preseason first team All-SEC selection for the media and First round 2026 NFL Draft As many insiders acknowledged heading into his redshirt sophomore season, Sellers has struggled to understand Shula’s offense and doesn’t look comfortable through seven starts.
Fans who consumed Sellers’ hype in August and then fell into a coma may not believe his stat line: six passing touchdowns across seven games (the number was five entering the day, the lowest among rookies in the SEC).
Sellers wasn’t effective in the run game either, and high pressure numbers from opposing defenses hampered his growth.
Looking forward
The Gamecocks need a restart on the offensive side of the football, no matter what happens with Beamer and the Hokies.
There is one school of thought that suggests Beamer might have a good time ripping off the Band-Aid and moving between jobs rather than dealing with what a return to South Carolina might entail. Does he have the nerve to hire another offensive coordinator? Does he have the desire to make the NIL play of holding on to Sellers (if he doesn’t go pro) and pass rusher Dylan Stewart in case the Eagles get into the rotation again, like he did last year?
These are just a few of the questions Beamer will have to answer amid a potentially disastrous end for the Gamecocks with several games remaining against playoff contenders.