South Carolina Football Overlook: Gamecock’s on the rise thanks to Beamer Ball

Nov 23, 2024; Columbia, South Carolina, USA; South Carolina Gamecocks head coach Shane Beamer directs his team against the Wofford Terriers in the second half at Williams-Brice Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Blake-Imagn Images
Nov 23, 2024; Columbia, South Carolina, USA; South Carolina Gamecocks head coach Shane Beamer directs his team against the Wofford Terriers in the second half at Williams-Brice Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Blake-Imagn Images / Jeff Blake-Imagn Images

Since Shane Beamer arrived in Columbia, the South Carolina Football program has been on the rise. This article will analyze the Gamecock's head coaches' tenure. 

Shane Beamer and South Carolina finished the 2024 season with a 9-4 record and narrowly missed out on a College Football Playoff bid. This idea seemed far-fetched the year before Beamer arrived, in 2020, when the Gamecocks finished the season 2-8. 

Beamer took over a Gamecock team that had gone a combined 6-16 over the previous two seasons. He immediately got the program back on the right track in 2021, finishing the season with a winning record of (7-6) and winning the Duke’s Mayo Bowl against North Carolina. 

In year two under Beamer, the Gamecocks continued to improve. They finished the 2022 season with an (8-5) record and were ranked in the top 20 for the first time since 2014. Beamer ball was working, and it seemed like the sky was the limit. 

However, things slowed down in year three. The Gamecocks finished (5-7) and failed to make a bowl game in 2023. This season caused some to start doubting Beamer, and his job security seemed to depend on the results of the upcoming 2024 season. 

All of those questions have now disappeared. After finishing the season with a record of (9-4) and fighting for a spot in the College Football Playoff, South Carolina extended Beamer's contract through 2030. 

The Gamecocks now enter the 2025 season with a promising young core, including an extremely talented quarterback in LaNorris Sellers. Expectations are high for Beamer's fifth year at the helm. 

Beamer has also been great at developing his players. Under His Leadership, the Gamecocks have had 16 players drafted to the NFL, including two first-rounders. He has done this despite his shortcomings as a recruiter. The Gamecocks have yet to finish above seventh in the SEC in recruiting class rankings, according to 247Sports.

Beamer's tenure in Columbia has mostly been a success, and the future looks even brighter. Next season will be Beamer and the Gamecock's best chance to win their first-ever SEC title or earn their first College Football Playoff appearance.

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