Shane Beamer discusses Jason Brown transfer, says he encouraged QB to stay
Shane Beamer on Wednesday said he wished South Carolina quarterback Jason Brown wasn’t leaving the program, but Brown is looking for a fresh start as he announced he would head into the transfer portal earlier in the day.
Beamer said he and Brown met multiple times to weigh his options, including Wednesday morning, but Brown ultimately decided he needed to move on.
“He came in before we started meetings (today), and he just felt like a fresh start would be what was best for him,” Beamer said in a Wednesday press conference. “I wish him well. I told Jason I don’t want him going anywhere. I want Jason to stay here, compete and continue to write his story at the University of South Carolina because it’s a fantastic story that he’s already started to write in the month of November.”
Brown’s decision came just two days after Oklahoma transfer quarterback Spencer Rattler announced he’d be joining the Gamecocks’ roster in 2022.
Brown, who started in the Gamecocks’ final four games of this season and led USC to wins over Florida and Auburn, announced his entry into the transfer portal in a tweet Wednesday.
“I hope our fans, because I know I do, appreciate how he’s worked since he’s got here,” Beamer said. “How he’s improved as a quarterback, the unselfishness that he showed, the way he played down the stretch and did some great things for us. I don’t want him going anywhere, and he just felt like the best thing for him was just a fresh start, which I certainly understand.”
The announcement signified Brown’s intention to leave South Carolina football after one year. A transfer from FCS St. Francis (Pennsylvania), Brown has one year of eligibility left and will be immediately eligible to play as a graduate transfer.
“I want to thank Coach Beamer, Coach (Satterfield) and the rest of the coaching staff for taking a shot and believing in me,” Brown wrote in a graphic posted to Twitter. “I want to thank my teammates for giving me some of the best moments of my life. We made memories I will cherish forever. Lastly, thank you Gamecock Nation for being unbelievable every week and making me feel loved from day one.”
Rattler, a former five-star prospect who generated Heisman Trophy hype after an electric freshman campaign. He struggled at times in his sophomore year with the Sooners, losing the starting job to Caleb Williams and electing to transfer after the regular season.
South Carolina will also add four-star quarterback Braden Davis next year.
Brown’s departure leaves South Carolina with a depleted QB room heading into the Duke’s Mayo Bowl on Dec. 30. Graduate transfer quarterback Zeb Noland will be the presumptive starter in the last game of his college career, as Luke Doty continues to nurse a season-ending foot injury that required surgery. Walk-on quarterback Connor Jordan announced his intention to enter the transfer portal earlier this week.
True freshman Colten Gauthier, who completed one pass through all of 2021, would likely be next up behind Noland. Wide receiver Dakereon Joyner, who played quarterback in high school and has stepped in at the position in the past, could be an option for the Gamecocks amid the flux.
“Not just Jason, I met with all (South Carolina’s quarterbacks) when the news with Spencer broke,” Beamer said. “But Jason felt like that was the best thing for him. He’s working through things right now, and we’re here to help him in any way.”
This story was originally published December 15, 2021 at 4:26 PM.
