Shane Beamer Discusses South Carolina's Dominate Win Over Vandy

South Carolina Football coach Shane Beamer had plenty to say after the Gamecocks' dominant showing over the Vanderbilt Commodores.

On His Respect For The Troops

"First of all, I just want to thank all of our veterans. I know today was a big day from that standpoint and I've got so much respect for those that serve and have served and give us the freedoms that we have. I told the team before the game, you can talk about, you know, noon, kickoff, rain, cold, if you need any motivation at all. I told them in this, this in the locker room before the game, just when you go back out, look up in the upper deck and the entire upper deck is filled with servicemen and women that protect our country and give us freedom. So they came out here in a cold, rainy day to sit in the upper deck and support us. So apologize for my language, kids, but those are some bad asses up there as well and I told our team that and I've got so much respect for them. Appreciate those guys and the energy they went men and women that they created up there in the upper deck also so thanks to them and and all that have served and and and continue to serve as well."

On If Boogie Huntley's Touchdown Sets A Standard For 'Big Man Touchdowns' Every Week

"My problem right now David, is now all the defensive players went in on the action so before, before Tonka even got to the sideline. DQ Smith is in my ear about a play for him next week. You know, so we've created a monster. But we're able to do that with Tonka and Boogie because they're good athletes and you know we've seen it with Tonka and some of the stuff we do on extra points and and Boogie on that route. I mean he actually ran a really good route and got a good release off the line and and and has done a done a good job. So that's the same play we scored used against. We we caught it against A&M. That's a touchdown that we threw to Simon I think and Boogie was on the backside but he did a nice job this week on that." 

On Kennan Nelson Jr.'s Blocked Punt TD & The Team's Reaction

"That to me that's another one like we we this is a we like the plan that we had with what we were doing. Vanderbilt's good on special teams and they're very multiple and what they do and really to me it kind of goes back to what David just asked. The elements were a factor on that one. You know they're when you're snapping the ball, that ball gets a little heavy in the velocity just isn't what it is. Plus you worry about fielding a punt as a returner back there. So it was one of those that you know the slower snap because the ball is heavy operation wise you feel like you're going to be able to get back there and make something happen. And our guys did a good job of good job of executing and it was good to see because we have we have been close really should have blocked one early in the game. Probably should have blocked about three today. You know we had one where I still don't know how we didn't block it kind of the same thing as the A&M game but we work a lot at it and and it was good to see those guys make a play and it brought a lot of energy to the to the sideline as well. You saw how excited those guys were for not just Keenan but for us to make a play on special teams like that and defense. That was really cool to see Emily today and today. Emily was just the, you know, offense, defense, special teams. Everybody's celebrating for one another when things there were some adversity early with playing sloppy. Everybody just stayed together and continue to bring energy and it was really cool to see throughout the day."

On The Message To The Defense Heading Into This Week

"Vanderbilt's a challenge to prepare for Shepherd. The receiver is a really good receiver, highly decorated. They've improved at the receiver position. They got a veteran offensive line and then the fact that they've got, you know 3 quarterbacks including up 6 foot seven, 240 pound guy that can run it, they present challenges to you. So for us it was going back just one, just continuing to get better without a doubt starts with stopping the run thought we played with great competitive spirit and physicality today. And then schematically you know we pressured them like we've been doing a little bit more up here recently and oh excuse me, I would say the only thing schematically is we've just we continue to evolve that you know three down package that we have where we started it with A&M we were always you know playing our base coverages and bringing pressure with it. And then we've kind of evolved to where this week we did a little bit of the same package but just played some drop 8 coverage with it where we essentially had kind of three safeties back there and then did a good job of disguising and and just playing fast. So nice to credit Clayton and our defensive staff for putting a good plan together and and you know really good job overall because that is a team like I said that they've they've scored some points against people and and present challenges to you mentioned some individual efforts." 

On The Secondary's Active Hands In Pass Defense

"[Vanderbilt's] have hit on some big plays. They had a lot of them coming into the game and and knew that was going to be a challenge stop the run and don't give up big plays and they did do a good job. They they continue to you know we put continue to put them in position to make plays and they do they did a good job of disguising coverages today we've got to continue to develop depth back there as well. So it's not just the starting five but when we're able to do be a little bit multiple on defense and mix the coverages up and and then also being able to get pressure on the quarterback that helps. I mean it all ties together and the quarterbacks not able to sit back there all day it it certainly helps DBS when they got to cover all day. It's going to be a challenge for him." 

On Trey Knox's Availability & The Reason For Holding Him Out

"He was available. He practiced on Thursday, traded. When we met as a staff this morning at the hotel at 7:00, what we said was, well, you know, would not, would love to not have to use him. Let's see how the game is going. Let's see how Trey feels in pregame warmups. And if we did use him today, it was going to be more of just, you know, maybe situational football, third down, red zone, things like that as well. But we we didn't need him. We used John Darius Morgan, one of our offensive lineman. We used him as kind of an extra tight end for blocking today and didn't have to. So Trey, you know, credit him for getting working hard this week to get in position to play if we needed him today. But we just didn't feel great about putting him in there with with Juju out." 

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