South Carolina football: Shane Beamer's first month brings challenges, opportunities to show he's ready to be an SEC head coach
For those who wanted a clean break from the Will Muschamp era, you are getting your wish in spades, almost by the hour on offense especially, but also in terms of program leadership.
New South Carolina coach Shane Beamer hasn’t even organized spring practice, and he’s already faced making his second hire at two key staff positions, which is unique in and of itself even outside the 9 players who have entered the transfer portal in recent weeks, not to mention the departure of QB Collin Hill.
The Mike Bobo-to-Auburn departure is an indictment on Beamer’s prospects as a head coach, or the overall direction — or rebuilding — of the program. While Bryan Harsin is not a new head coach, he is new to the SEC without obvious ties to the South.
Bobo’s move speaks volumes that he believes there is a shorter, or easier, path to win on The Plains. Even though Bobo certainly lost some character points for ducking out on a newly signed and approved contract, he also has as close a view of the roster management outlook as anyone in the building. Or perhaps more troubling a proposition, could the Gamecocks match Auburn’s offer?
After all, if you take Beamer at his word, Bobo was his first choice regardless of the 2020 season.
“If Mike had not been on the staff when I got this head coaching job, he would have been my first call as offensive coordinator — I think that much of him,” Beamer said when Bobo was first announced to remain on staff. “You look at what he did at the University of Georgia and his track record of success for a long, long time, it speaks for itself.”
Then there were multiple reports that Beamer flew to Starkville, Mississippi, to try to lure Zach Arnett as defensive coordinator. That didn’t work out, so the Gamecocks turned to Western Kentucky DC Clayton White, who to his credit, has multiple nominations for the Broyles Award as the nation’s top assistant.
White’s defenses ranked No. 24 nationally in 2019 and No. 28 this season. The Gamecocks, meanwhile, were No. 105 in America in 2020.
Add White with Carolina Panthers assistant offensive line coach Marcus Satterfield, the new offensive coordinator, and Beamer has completed the hires of his top deputies, albeit not his first choices.
Plenty of Gamecock faithful have applauded the new blood element of these moves as they aren’t SEC retreads, and it more quickly puts Beamer’s fingerprints on the program.
While he took his time making initial hires, Beamer deserves credit for quickly turning around the second round of hires, which avoids doubt around his direction. The quick moves by Bobo and Will Friend, also to Auburn, combined with the understandable turnover on the roster, have accelerated Beamer’s unproven decision-making tendencies. The guy with the players’ coach reputation is being put to the task about his CEO role, and how hands-on he’ll be in calling plays and revealing his personality on the field. By all indications, these are capable hires.
One popular way a first-year coach helps flatten his learning curve on the job is to hire former head coaches around him. Bobo was thought to be part of that plan along with Pete Lembo. And former Vanderbilt coach Derek Mason was one of the interviewees for the defensive coordinator job. Beamer is experienced enough to know he’s already had to deal with decisions as a head coach that never factored into his assistant coach job description.
As for the new assistants, it’s healthy that Satterfield has stepped away from Matt Rhule-led teams after Satterfield has coached with Rhule at Temple, Baylor and the Panthers.
This is White’s third Power 5 job after previous stops before WKU at Stanford, Western Michigan and NC State. He has been a special teams coordinator at multiple stops, but this is his second stint as a DC.
The larger perspective on these moves speaks to the Gamecocks’ reality. More so than many of their rival programs, these coaches need to excel in developing overlooked, or underrated players, and have them perform and produce above their high school and underclassman expectations.
An old joke used by head coaches in press conferences in these situations is they weren’t even the first choice of their wife, and they are married and happy. But before he’s stepped on the practice field, Beamer has already faced these decisions and steadied the ship, for starters. How things appear after the honeymoon is the next step for Beamer.
Hill leaving certainly isn’t a loss in my book. I think that we would have been better off if he hadn’t ever been allowed to come. I am fine with what has transpired and hope that any other Muschamp polluted coaches or players are quick to go elsewhere as well! It seems like a clean slate is exactly what we need. Go Cocks!!
Beamer dodged a bullet with sleazy Blobo jumping ship. You can ding him for trusting that toxic slime bag, but it all worked for the best.
Did Bobo steal your lollipop? You sure have a lot of vitriol for someone who has likely done nothing to you, more than contribute to wins against the gators.
I think that was more an attack on Bobo being strictly in it for the money and showing loyalty to whoever pays him most
Don’t hate Bobo myself but I can see how folks think he’s a snake
It’s hardly “In it for the $”… Sorry, Auburn’s just a better job than USC.
SEC & NC’s can be won there. At South Carolina? Not so much..
You can only chest beat yourself so much. Did he even try to say South Carolina was a better job than Auburn?
You could look at it that this is Bobo’s last chance to prove himself before he disappears into coaching obscurity. Don’t kid yourself; his ultimate goal is to make a massive amount of money as a head coach somewhere.
It is definitely not an episode for Mike Bobo or Auburn/Harsin to beat their chest over. Money talks, but integrity has more real value.
Shut you’re mouth you lost to this sorry ass 2-8 Auburn is a crap fest we’ll beat ya next year too
I don’t know Shane but since he’s a chip off the old block he sure has an advantage from my perspective. Good luck to the Gamecocks faithful.
I have guarded optimism. We need to continue to change everything. This is a great time to completely change our uniforms as well.
Beamer’s a bust hire. He’ll turn SC into a group of 5 team trying to compete in the SEC. 2021 recruiting needs big help and Gunner’s likely gone.
Turn them into a group of 5 team? Have you seen the product on the field in the last three years? Group of 5 would be an inmprovement. Who knows if he’s a good hire, was not who I wanted as a fan but there’s no way to say it’s a bust hire at this time. Also if Gunner’s gone, then he’s gone. One 5* is not the linchpin of success for a program.
Chump was the block buster of bust hires. Beamer will get a legit chance. He starts with a completely clean slate and has a chance to build from the ground up.
Whatever outcome good or bad, Beamer will get 100% credit.
I just hope everyone remembers that it took Spurrier 6-7 years to build a SEC contender. Beamer is NOT Spurrier. This rebuild will take a lot of work and even more patience. As long as he doesn’t fall flat on his face we have to give him the time he needs!
The problem Go_Gamecox that was a different era. It also took Frank Beamer and Bobby Bowden over five years to make VT and FSU into competitors as well.
People today just don’t have the patience anymore to give some guys a chance.
And Shane is in the same situation as Bryan Harsin is at Auburn.
Both of them are in the same state with a football juggernaut and their time horizons will be even shorter than say other new coaches in the SEC
I have lived in SC for 6 years, they are now on their 3rd coach since moving here. I hope Beamer has a HUGE buyout. Muschamp was a mistake from day 1 but once again the Chickens just knew the program would be better hiring a failed FL reject. SC is an unmitigated disaster. Should be #1, or #2 team in this small state every year. But they have NO WINNING tradition, and the administration is a disaster. Now Coastal Carolina has risen and is taking some of the limited talent to state produces. The Chickens have an excellent fan base, they show up for games, watch on TV, buy their gear, for what? Annual disappointment. Beamer will be gone within 3 years. Either he will get hired away to a real program, or he will be fired due to unrealistic expectations. SC is a dumpster fire. For the sake of the SEC, I hope he was given the power to bring his own fire extinguisher.
What’s the implication behind “…once again the Chickens just knew the program would be better hiring a failed FL reject”? Spurrier wasn’t a failure, nor was he a reject, and he DID make the program better. Carolina’s in a bad spot with Clemson and UGA finally becoming great teams. Not sure if Beamer can fix it, but I have a hard time believing he’ll be worse than Muschamp.
Failed FL reject = Muschamp
Good point, 90Dawg. If there’s one thing UGA knows it’s bad coaches.
Perhaps, but that’s not really the way it’s worded.
90puppy, thank you for your insightful analysis of the program through a dog log lens. Living in a state for 6 years makes every “pick up and drop” an expert.