‘This is home for me’: Shane Beamer affirms commitment to USC as Va Tech job opens
The rumor mill has started swirling, but Shane Beamer isn’t taking part.
Speaking with reporters during his usual Tuesday press conference, Beamer dismissed rumblings he might be connected to the opening at Virginia Tech and reiterated his commitment to South Carolina.
“This is where I want to be,” Beamer said. “When I say this is my dream job, I wasn’t just saying that to sound good in a press conference. This is where my wife and I and my family want to be..”
Justin Fuente was dismissed Tuesday morning as Virginia Tech’s coach, and Beamer’s connections to that program run deep. His father, Frank, won more than 230 games during a 29-year run as the head coach in Blacksburg. The elder Beamer also helped the Hokies to bowl eligibility in each of his last 23 seasons in charge.
Shane Beamer spent five years on the staff at Virginia Tech’s staff as an assistant during Frank’s final few seasons as the head coach. He also played for the Hokies between 1995 and 1999 as a long snapper and receiver.
“Obviously I love Virginia Tech,” Beamer said Tuesday. “I moved there when I was 10 years old, I went to high school there, I went to college there, I coached there, my parents still live there. I have special memories of my time in Blacksburg and that’ll always be special to me.”
Beamer has spoken at length about his commitment to South Carolina during his 11 months on the job. He’s noted it’s his “dream job” and that he’s dedicated to building the future of the program in Columbia. He doubled down on that notion Tuesday.
“I love working for (athletic director) Ray Tanner and (senior deputy athletic director) Chance Miller. They are fantastic and we have an amazing relationship,” Beamer said. “I love this state. I want to live in this state. I love the city. I want to live in the city.
“I told our team a couple of weeks ago my son Hunter — he’s in second grade — I want him to graduate high school from here in Columbia. This is where I want to be. “
Beamer has helped the Gamecocks to a 5-5 record in his first season at South Carolina and needs just one win to get bowl eligible with games against Auburn and Clemson remaining.
If USC were to reach the six-win bowl eligibility threshold, it would mark the first time South Carolina would have done so since 2018.
South Carolina’s 2022 recruiting class also ranks No. 21 in the nation and No. 8 in the SEC, per 247Sports. USC has finished between the No. 18 and No. 21 class in four of the last five cycles — the lone outlier was the 2021 class that was signed amid the transition from Will Muschamp to Beamer.
The Athletic’s Bruce Feldman reported Beamer could be a wild card for the Virginia Tech job. Brad Crawford of 247Sports posted to Twitter on Tuesday morning that he didn’t believe there was mutual interest between both parties.
“There’s a lot of excitement about this program right now,” Beamer said. “My goal is to bring an SEC championship here to Columbia, and we’re just in the beginning stages of it, obviously.
“I am the head coach of South Carolina. I want to be the head coach at South Carolina. I love coaching these kids and couldn’t imagine not coaching these guys, love what they’re about and love being their football coach.”
This story was originally published November 16, 2021 at 1:31 PM.
