Where do Beamer, South Carolina’s offense go after Mike Shula firing?
Shane Beamer was out of answers. There was no way he could continue the season with Mike Shula running the offense.
So on Sunday, after the Gamecocks had averaged fewer points and yards than every SEC team though nine games, Beamer fired a coordinator for the first time in his head coaching career.
Just over 10 months after promoting Shula and saying, “There was nobody else I really considered,” Beamer fired him. And the prevailing question from a large majority of fans: What took so long, Shane?
“I make decisions that I feel are the best at the time,” Beamer said.
It also felt like Beamer was trying to give Shula chance after chance to rectify the offense, to give him any excuse to not make another firing after letting go of offensive line coach Lonnie Teasley after the LSU loss.
Yet, the offense stagnated. It scored 7 points against Oklahoma. It actually played well against Alabama before falling over itself in the fourth quarter. And then on Saturday against Ole Miss, the Gamecocks managed just 230 yards. Beamer had seen enough.
Through nine games, South Carolina’s offense never once eclipsed 335 yards. (For reference: All but two SEC teams average over 335 yards per game.) It’s accounted for the league’s fewest points (19.7 per game) and fewest first downs (17 per game). All the while, the Gamecocks have allowed 34 sacks this season.
Now that Shula’s gone, what’s next? What’s the answer?
As far as the rest of this season, Beamer didn’t want to divulge how his offensive staff would shake out, though JC Shurburtt of TheBigSpur reported that wide receivers coach Mike Furrey and O-Line coach Shawn Elliott will be co-offensive coordinators. It would also make sense that assistant quarterbacks coach Davis Koetter takes a bigger role in that room with Shula gone.
Will any of that make a difference? Perhaps, but it’s darn-near impossible to construct an entire offensive overhaul in November. It is reasonable, however, to think that Furrey and Elliott can put their stamp on the play-calling, which could bring some life to the offense.
“It’ll be a collaborative group effort putting together the game plan over the next couple of weeks,” Beamer said. “In regards to who’s calling plays on game day, that’s something we’ll get into at a different time.”
But, again, it’s November. Though the Gamecocks are on a bye week, they’re 3-6 and need to win out to make a bowl game, a tough ask considering South Carolina plays at No. 3 Texas A&M before returning home to face off against Coastal Carolina and Clemson.
And regardless of who’s the new offensive coordinator, there is still the curious case of LaNorris Sellers. The preseason Heisman contender has looked like a shell of his 2024 self this season. He’s struggled to be timely with the football. He’s missed on far too many throws to wide-open receivers. And though his offensive line has struggled, a number of the sacks he takes are the product of his indecisiveness.
He played so poorly against Ole Miss — going 16 of 30 for 166 yards and two picks —that Beamer was asked Sunday if there’s going to be a quarterback competition.
“No,” Beamer said. “I believe in LaNorris. ... Competition is a core value in our program, but LaNorris gives us a chance to win football games.”
In a month, the conversation around Sellers will drastically shift because his future will be in question. Perhaps he’ll declare for the NFL Draft. Maybe he’ll return to South Carolina for a fourth season. Or maybe he puts his name in the transfer portal. It’s all on the table.
And perhaps that decision could be the result of who Beamer hires as offensive coordinator.
Beamer didn’t want to delve into the specifics of what he’s looking for in his next offensive coordinator other than, “somebody who can help elevate this program and help us take the next step.”
On a positive note, Beamer should know what he wants. His next OC will be his fourth since taking over at South Carolina in 2021. It will either be the one who takes the program to a College Football Playoff. Or it could be the last one Beamer hires at South Carolina.
This story was originally published November 3, 2025 at 7:00 AM.
