Shane Beamer’s positive outlook holds steady amid Gamecocks’ fluctuating play
Shane Beamer radiates positivity.
He beams with excitement when talking about gutsy wins over East Carolina and Vanderbilt. He’s fiery and exuberant when losses like those against Georgia and Texas A&M looked hapless at points.
Some of it can feel cliche, sure. But Beamer assures there’s a realness to it all.
“I truly feel that way,” he said on his Sunday teleconference. “And I know it doesn’t always look like it on Saturdays. But I see how hard these guys work, and I see the kind of team that we can be. (I) want these guys to have success because I believe we can be a good team as the season finishes out.”
That Beamer has remained positive this fall is both part of his job description and just a glimpse into his persona. Taking over a program that had won a combined six games over its past two years has its challenges. A once-in-a-generation pandemic, a midseason firing and a slew of transfers made a messy situation all the more complicated.
Speaking with reporters Sunday night, Beamer didn’t mince words. He conceded his guys have had their share of struggles in rebuilding confidence after a down season and watching the man who recruited the bulk of the roster — Will Muschamp — get fired seven games into last season.
“Certainly that’s a lot of adversity that those guys went through,” Beamer said, listing off the numerous bumps the program has faced of late.
Winning, of course, aids in that ever-evolving confidence. South Carolina has done some of it sitting at 4-4, but not quite enough to to cure all ills.
It’s no state secret that the Gamecocks’ offense hasn’t helped the cause. A quick internet search will tell you that. South Carolina currently ranks 11th in passing, 12th in rushing and 13th in scoring offense in the Southeastern Conference. The Gamecocks also haven’t hit the 360-yard mark as a team in five of their eight games this season.
Lacking a consistent presence at quarterback between Zeb Noland and Luke Doty’s injuries hasn’t helped. That stands to become even more layered if Noland can’t rehab in time for Saturday’s game against Florida. Beamer said Sunday he’s optimistic the former graduate assistant will be able to play. If he can’t, though, Jason Brown would likely become the third South Carolina quarterback to start a game this season.
“Quarterback is the most important position on the field,” one former player told The State last week on the condition of anonymity regarding the inconsistencies under center. “And when your starter (Doty) — who is really young and then gets hurt — is having to play on a bum (foot) and part of his game is being elusive (it’s tough). And then taking (Noland), who was a coach, and putting him out on the field to play quarterback for you — that’s an interesting little deal.”
On Sunday, Beamer also gave a glimpse into South Carolina’s attempts at simplifying an offense that has been largely stagnant outside of a 46-0 blowout of FCS foe Eastern Illinois in the season opener.
He said USC is bringing a few less plays into each game plan. Other plays are being thrown out entirely in an effort to focus on what works. The Gamecocks have also tried to cut down on some of their pre-snap motion to eliminate communication issues.
“It‘s easy to say, ‘Well it’s too complicated because it’s pro-style (system),’ “ Beamer said in a diatribe about offensive schematics being too complicated for this roster and leading to the struggles that have played out. “That’s a cop out. People don’t know what we’re doing offensively. We’re constantly talking to our guys about making sure that they understand what we’re doing.”
South Carolina’s season through eight games has been, at its core, a rebuild. Doubling its win total (albeit without having to play an SEC-only schedule as USC did in 2020) and having an outside shot at bowl eligibility are certainly building blocks for the future. Losses to Kentucky and Tennessee, though, left something to be desired.
Dramatic ebbs and flows aside, Beamer has kept a positive outlook throughout the fall. Some might see it as an act. Really, it’s just who Beamer is.
“Obviously, we’re judged on what goes on on Saturdays during the four quarters that we’re out there,” he said. “But I see the big picture and what these guys are doing during the week as well and not trying to lose sight of that also.”
This story was originally published November 1, 2021 at 7:40 AM.
