Shane Beamer confirms who’ll call plays for South Carolina in bowl game
As South Carolina practiced for the first time in Florida ahead of Tuesday’s Cheez-It Citrus Bowl against Illinois, there was a face missing from the crowd: Dowell Loggains.
Which perhaps, shouldn’t be surprising. Loggains, South Carolina’s former offensive coordinator, took over as Appalachian State’s head coach in early December but USC head coach Shane Beamer said that Loggains initially approached him and expressed his desire coach the Gamecocks through the Citrus Bowl while simultaneously building his staff and roster at App State.
While Beamer was coy in the past few weeks about who would call plays for South Carolina in the bowl game, he revealed Friday that Mike Shula — who was named South Carolina’s offensive coordinator a few weeks ago after spending the 2024 season as an offensive analyst — will begin his play-calling duty with the Citrus Bowl.
Shula worked with the offense and quarterbacks during the portion of Friday’s practice that was open to media at Celebration High School.
“Dowell’s not with us. He won’t be with us,” Beamer said. “Mike is the offensive coordinator and will be calling everything in the game.”
Beamer understood Loggains’ desire to finish the season with South Carolina, but also knew the duties of being a head coach would be daunting.
Shula and the remaining offensive staff members have been putting the game plan together and calling plays in practice since it was revealed South Carolina would face Illinois in the bowl game.
Loggains was last in Columbia the day after the SEC championship game, Beamer said.
“I felt like the longer it went and the more Dowell was away from Columbia, the less beneficial it was for both sides for both sides to be able to call it,” Beamer said. “There was a possibility Dowell may come back to call it, but in the end I decided it was best for Mike to continue to call it.”
No Vershon Lee at practice
Vershon Lee, a redshirt senior, has started all 12 games at center for South Carolina this season, was not seen practicing with the Gamecocks on Friday.
“He’s a little under the weather,” Beamer said. “We just felt like it was best to keep him the heck away from everybody else. He’s been in his own room at the hotel. ... He just woke up today and was not good. He’ll be fine for gameday.”
Lee and defensive tackle Alex “Boogie” Huntley are scheduled to appear at a Citrus Bowl press conference on Saturday morning, and there was no indication those plans have changed.
With Lee not out there, working at first-team center was Torricelli Simpkins III — who has started every game for South Carolina at right guard. Behind Simpkins was Ryan Brubaker, who has played some snaps at center this season when injuries forced South Carolina to tweak its offensive line midgame.
This story was originally published December 27, 2024 at 1:30 PM.
