Shane Beamer Gives Initial Thoughts On Drake Maye

South Carolina head football coach Shane Beamer had his first coaches show of 2023 on Sunday and discussed the importance of containing Drake Maye.

Gamecock fans, you've waited 241 days for this week to come, but now you don't have to wait any longer. It's officially game week, and Shane Beamer's weekly coaches show airing live on Sunday morning served as an unofficial kickstart.

On the show, Shane chatted with the Gamecocks' play-by-play announcer, Todd Ellis, about how the team was looking heading into their week one matchup against North Carolina and eventually was asked about his keys to the game for South Carolina. Unsurprisingly, the conversation mainly revolved around star Tar Heel quarterback Drake Maye, who's expected by many to be a Top 5 pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, but coach Beamer's comments revolved more around an aspect of Maye's that isn't frequently discussed.

"[Drake's] a really talented player, not just [as] a thrower, but as an athlete, being able to run as well. So we've got to do a great job of corralling him, and that also means offensively, we've got to be able to stay on the field and score points, because you're facing a team with a really good quarterback."

Drake Maye was the leading rusher for North Carolina in 2022, scrambling for 698 yards and seven touchdowns. South Carolina's rush defense has been lackluster for the past several years, and while North Carolina may not have a star running back, their quarterback is undoubtedly a great equalizer in the run game. The Gamecocks' ability to contain the Tar Heel legacy will be critical if they want to exit Charlotte with a win.

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