Shane Beamer has pointed message for portal QBs looking for starting spot guarantee
Nearly two weeks since the portal opened, South Carolina still has not landed a transfer quarterback.
There were reports from 247Sports that Vanderbilt transfer QB AJ Swann was “expected to sign with South Carolina,” but Swann committed to LSU soon after.
There are still uncommitted QBs South Carolina could snatch. The Gamecocks reportedly set up a visit with Texas transfer Maalik Murphy. Meanwhile, Southern Cal transfer Malachi Nelson — the former No. 1 QB in America — has told Phil Kornblut that he “has interest in the Gamecocks.”
Beamer, however, says he’s already shut down a number of quarterbacks who sought assurances from South Carolina.
“Just to be completely and totally honest, a lot of those quarterbacks (in the transfer portal) call and said, ‘Will you guarantee me the starting quarterback job?’ ” Beamer admitted Wednesday. “And I said, ‘Absolutely not. I will guarantee you the opportunity to come in here and compete.’
“We talk about competition in this building at all times. It’s on the walls in this building,” he continued. “I’ve never told a player, ‘I’m guaranteeing you a starting job.’ Never will. Because the minute I do, I’m a complete fricken’ fraud as a head coach in that.”
Beamer noted that “a lot of guys” heard the best USC could offer was a fair competition, and they chose to venture to another school that was promising they’d be the starting quarterback in Week One.
Perhaps there are some who believe that Spencer Rattler was offered the starting job when he transferred from Oklahoma to South Carolina before the 2022 season. If nothing else, they can look at what the Gamecocks did by elevating Rattler post-portal and think Beamer and his staff can do the same with them.
“They look around,” Beamer said, “and say, ‘Well here’s a quarterback who came from Oklahoma and look what he did in 2022 and 2023. I’m obviously going to be interested in South Carolina.”
Still, Beamer confirmed the Gamecocks are still searching for a quarterback in the transfer portal.
A big reason? Luke Doty, who is listed on the roster as a quarterback but played mainly wide receiver last season, will heavily focus on his role as a pass catcher and special-teamer while “continuing to be involved in the quarterback room as well,” Beamer said.
That will leave just two scholarship quarterbacks on South Carolina’s roster: redshirt freshman LaNorris Sellers and true freshman Dante Reno, who signed with the Gamecocks on Wednesday.
“We need to get some depth in that room and some competition in that room,” Beamer said of his quarterbacks. “LaNorris knows that and Dante knows that, without a doubt.”
