Former South Carolina assistant offers thank you to Shane Beamer, Gamecock program
Erik Kimrey offered a thank you to Shane Beamer and the rest of the South Carolina football program on Friday.
Kimrey, who served as South Carolina’s tight ends coach last year after a 17-year run as the head coach at Hammond School, was introduced as the head coach at The Baylor School in Chattanooga on Thursday.
“Thank you (Shane Beamer) for believing in me and your unbelievable support through this whole process!” Kimrey wrote in a tweet on Friday. “Can’t wait to watch you continue to build (South Carolina football) into a championship program! #ForverToThee.”
Beamer told reporters during his national signing day press conference on Wednesday that he and Kimrey had discussed his new role for more than two weeks.
“I wish those guys well,” Beamer said of Kimrey and former director of football relations Connor Shaw — who also departed the program this week. “Those guys are leaving on fantastic terms here at South Carolina. I hate to see them go.”
Kimrey has been a staple in the Columbia football scene dating back to his time as a backup quarterback for the Gamecocks around the turn of the century. He played for his father, Bill Kimrey, at Dutch Fork, before going on to South Carolina. Kimrey is forever etched in Gamecocks lore for “The Fade” — his throw in place of Phil Petty that helped USC beat Mississippi State in 2000.
Following his playing career, Kimrey served as a graduate assistant under Lou Holtz for two years before being hired at Hammond in 2004 at just 24 years old. He won 12 South Carolina Independent School Association football championships in 17 seasons, including four straight from 2017-20.
Kimrey coached current Gamecocks Alex Huntley and Jordan Burch at Hammond, along with running back CJ Stokes, who signed with Michigan in December.
This story was originally published February 4, 2022 at 12:39 PM.
