Gamecock Digest

South Carolina's Shane Beamer Previews SEC Opener vs the Kentucky Wildcats

Alex Joyce

Aug 31, 2024; Columbia, South Carolina, USA; South Carolina Gamecocks head coach Shane Beamer reacts after a play against the Old Dominion Monarchs in the second half at Williams-Brice Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Blake-USA TODAY Sports
Aug 31, 2024; Columbia, South Carolina, USA; South Carolina Gamecocks head coach Shane Beamer reacts after a play against the Old Dominion Monarchs in the second half at Williams-Brice Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Blake-USA TODAY Sports / Jeff Blake-USA TODAY Sports

The South Carolina Gamecocks are set to go on the road to Lexington, Kentucky in the SEC opener against the Kentucky Wildcats. Gamecocks head coach Shane Beamer met with the media on Tuesday to discuss the challenges the Wildcats will bring on Saturday.

Similarly to the Gamecocks, Kentucky is starting a new quarterback in Georgia transfer Brock Vandagriff along with a new offensive coordinator in Bush Hamden. The difference between the two offenses is the weapons Kentucky has on outside. Barion Brown and Dane Key are the leaders in the wide receiver room. Their skillsets can challenge opposing defenses, specifically the back end.

"On offense, we know they have weapons at receiver, a big veteran offensive line, a talented quarterback in Brock Vandagriff who I'm very familiar with," Coach Beamer said. "New offensive coordinator, but they're operating at a high level."

On the other side of the ball, the Kentucky defense has talent and is filled with experience, just like South Carolina's defense. One of the biggest offseason moves for the WIldcats was the addition of another Georgia transfer.

Defensively, [they're] a veteran defense. 10 of the returning starters are either juniors or seniors, so it's guys we've been playing against here for a while. Essentially the same defense as last year, they just traded out a linebacker that's with the [Carolina] Panthers now and brought in a linebacker that just happened to start at Georgia [Jamon Dumas-Johnson]," Coach Beamer on the Wildcat's defense.

Shane Beamer took the time to shout out Kentucky's Deone Walker on more than one occasion during Tuesday's press conference. Walker is one of the best returning defenders in the conference and routinely disrupts offensive gameplans.

"This number zero [Deone Walker] can absolutely wreck your entire gameplan. Not just mess up a play, he can wreck your entire gameplan. He is a load to handle. We've got to do a great job on the offensive line this week for us to be able to do the things we want to do offensively."

Coach Beamer also mentioned several others like Tre'vonn Rybka, J.J. Weaver, Keeshawn Silver, and Octavius Oxendine. South Carolina earned a win this past saturday, but it was a performance Coach Beamer referred to as "unacceptable." The Gamecocks have a lot to figure out this week in order to leave Lexington with a win on Saturday.

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Alex Joyce
ALEX JOYCE