Shane Beamer celebration photo draws comparisons to ‘legendary’ Frank Beamer moment
Like father, like son.
Shane Beamer was captured on last week’s ESPN2 broadcast celebrating the South Carolina defense’s three-and-out stop against Tennessee just after halftime. The scoreboard read 38-7 Volunteers early in the third quarter, but with his fists raised as he bellowed an intense yell, Beamer showed he remained enthusiastic despite the Gamecocks’ deficit.
The image reminded some Twitter users of an iconic shot of Beamer’s father, College Football Hall of Fame head coach Frank Beamer, with his arms lifted as his Virginia Tech Hokies headed into overtime knotted with Wake Forest, 0-0, in 2014.
“Somebody sent me a thing, I guess it’s legendary, my dad’s reaction of the Wake Forest game when it’s 0-0,” Shane Beamer said in his weekly press conference. “It will never, ever, ever go away, but I guess I’ve created a new one. ... But you know what? I really don’t care. That’s me. It’ll always be me.”
Beamer said his sideline celebrations aren’t be limited to when the Gamecocks are winning. He’ll bring his same positive energy regardless of the score, and he’s shown that.
“I’m never going to be a guy that, ‘OK, I’m only going to be excited and celebrate with our guys when things are going well and we’re winning.’ That’s at all times as well,” Beamer said. “If I’m not doing that when the scoreboard is not in our favor, then I’m not being very real.”
Beamer said he’s preached to the Gamecocks not to concern themselves with the scoreboard, staying locked in on competing regardless of whether they’re leading or trailing.
South Carolina, which went into the half down 38-7 to Tennessee, showed more life in the second half. The Gamecocks outscored Tennessee 13-7 after halftime, finishing the game with a 45-20 loss. The defense held Tennessee to 99 yards in the last two quarters, compared to the 373 yards allowed in the first two.
“I love these young mean in this program and love seeing them have success, but also love seeing them go out there and battle their tails off when the scoreboard wasn’t what you wanted it to be,” Beamer said. “That game could have easily gotten away from us and from a lot of teams, and we didn’t let it happen.”
South Carolina plays Vanderbilt in Williams-Brice Stadium at 4 p.m. Saturday, hoping to earn its first Southeastern Conference win under Beamer. The game will be played on SEC Network and also coincides with the opening weekend of the S.C. State Fair.
