Three burning questions as South Carolina heads into bowl practices
South Carolina’s first regular season under Shane Beamer has come to a close.
USC dropped its finale to in-state rival Clemson on Saturday in Columbia 30-0. The loss marked the first time since 1989 that the Gamecocks were shut out in the Palmetto Bowl.
Beamer became the third consecutive South Carolina coach to get his squad bowl-eligible in his first season in charge after both Steve Spurrier and Will Muschamp did so.
With South Carolina now headed for the postseason, here are three questions that must be answered in the wake of the Clemson loss:
Are South Carolina staff changes on the horizon?
Beamer is entering his first offseason as the head coach in Columbia, and there may not be any more pressing question than what he does with the offensive staff.
The first-year head coach will be the first to tell you South Carolina’s offense hasn’t been good enough this fall. Offensive coordinator Marcus Satterfield would say the same.
The Gamecocks close the season ranking at or near the bottom in just about every major offensive category in the Southeastern Conference. Saturday marked the fifth consecutive game USC failed to throw for more than 200 yards. It also scored more than 23 points against just two FBS foes this fall.
Beamer told reporters after Saturday’s game that he’d wait till after the season to make those kinds of decisions. Whether those decisions happen between now and a bowl game, though, remains to be seen.
Coaches like Nick Saban, Lincoln Riley and Dabo Swinney have made careers out of hiring the right people and filling roles on their staffs when needed.
It’s conceivable Beamer will have to fill a few holes among his assistant coaching ranks. How he manages that — or if he makes changes at all — could have a major impact on whether South Carolina can capitalize on the momentum gained from this fall.
What bowl game will the Gamecocks play in?
South Carolina reached the six-win bowl eligibility threshold for the first time since 2018 with its win over Auburn last week. It’s still to be determined where the Gamecocks actually end up.
After LSU’s win over Texas A&M and Florida’s downing of Florida State on Saturday, 13 of the SEC’s 14 teams are bowl-eligible in 2021. (Vanderbilt is the lone exception.)
Whether Alabama lands in a New Year’s Six bowl or the College Football Playoff stands to have a major trickle=down effect. If Nick Saban’s squad doesn’t make the CFP — meaning a loss to Georgia in the SEC Championship next week — it would likely take away a spot in the New Year’s Six from Kentucky or Ole Miss, forcing some shuffling down the line.
Most prognosticators suggest South Carolina could be headed for the Gasparilla Bowl (Tampa) or the Birmingham Bowl, though that’s subject to change. The Gamecocks were supposed to play in the Gasparilla Bowl last season before COVID-19 issues within the program forced them to cancel.
Bowl selections will be announced on Dec. 5.
Reinforcements on the way for Gamecocks?
South Carolina is slated to lose a handful of difference-makers at the end of this season. It’ll be crucial to fill those gaps heading into Beamer’s second season.
The Gamecocks had 19 players walk during senior day on Saturday — including receiver Josh Vann, running back ZaQuandre White and Edge lineman Kingsley “JJ” Enagbare. It’s not a perfect indicator, but walking on senior day generally suggests those players will conclude their careers at USC after this year.
Beamer and his staff made a conscious effort to hit the transfer portal hard in the last offseason. Carlins Platel, Debo Williams, Jordan Strachan, David Spaulding and Jason Brown have all had major roles on this year’s squad.
Expect South Carolina to add some veteran pieces — most likely at quarterback, defensive line and receiver during Beamer’s first full offseason in charge — to a 2022 signing class that should rank among the nation’s top 25.
This story was originally published November 28, 2021 at 5:00 AM.
