Crying, cheering, smiling: How Shane Beamer’s Hall of Fame dad reacted to USC hire
Frank Beamer knew how badly his son, Shane, wanted the job.
The legendary Hall of Fame football coach had seen Shane grow and learn and develop over the course of more than 20 years as assistant coach, waiting for his chance to become a head coach, especially at South Carolina, a place he called his dream job.
So when the news finally came through this weekend that Shane Beamer had gotten the position with the Gamecocks, the 74-year-old Frank didn’t hold back in his reaction.
“You mean after all the crying and shouting and getting up off the floor?” Beamer said when asked Tuesday what emotions went through his head. “It was amazing, really. I mean, you kind of dream you’re going to hear that sometime. But you think about it ... and the way I was, I thought when I was at Murray State, I thought I was gonna have to take another job, a step up, to get to a place like South Carolina, the bigger final job. That’s the way I thought it’s going to have to be.
“But to see it happen and happen in a place that Shane really wanted to go to and happen this early really in his career, it’s amazing.”
It took the elder Beamer eight seasons at Murray State, six as head coach, before he went to Virginia Tech, where he established an impressive winning program over the course of nearly four decades. For the younger Beamer, the opportunity to lead an SEC program for his first head coaching experience is one that his father knows can’t be taken for granted.
“That’s where he wanted to go. I think that’s the other part of it, is that he talked about it so many times, that was his dream job. And he knows he’s in the Southeastern Conference, and he knows he’s in the top division. He knows it’s a lot of top teams in the Southeastern Conference. But I think he’s looking forward to the challenge for all that,” Frank Beamer said.
Knowing how important it was for his son, Frank Beamer said he was thrilled and emotional all over again Monday when he watched Shane get introduced as head coach in his first press conference.
“Between my wife and I crying and cheering and smiling, it’s just, it’s such a great feeling to see him being successful and how well he handles himself and how he conducted himself at the press conference. I’m very proud of him and, like I’ve said, I think he’s prepared for this for a long time,” Frank said.
Pundits and fans seemed to share Frank’s assessment of Shane Beamer’s performance in that press conference, with his enthusiasm and eloquence earning him rave reviews on social media.
Now, of course, comes the process of rebuilding a South Carolina program that has endured two disappointing seasons in a row, with a combined record of 6-16. When asked Tuesday what sort of role he might play in helping Shane with that, Frank Beamer demurred, talking mostly about he and his wife would visit frequently to see their grandchildren.
But as a veteran coach with a history of success building up a program not known as a national power before his arrival, Frank Beamer has had some advice for his son as he starts this new chapter.
“Be exactly who you are,” Frank said. “We talk about the things you have to do — you’ve got to care about your players, and they got to know it, and and he does that, he already does that. You’ve got to have respect for your players and their beliefs and so forth. He does that and he already knows that. And so, I think he’s got the background. The players have got to know that you know what you’re talking about, that what you’re teaching them can help them play better and reach their goals. And he’s extremely knowledgeable.”
This story was originally published December 8, 2020 at 5:48 PM.
