SC coach indebted to Pittman
South Carolina Coach Shane Beamer was a Georgia assistant along with University of Arkansas Coach Sam Pittman from 2016-17.
Pittman left Arkansas to be the Bulldogs’ offensive line coach, a position he had coached for many years. Beamer was coaching tight ends for the first time after coaching defensive backs, linebackers, running backs and special teams at previous stops.
“The tight ends are so intertwined with the offensive line,” Beamer said on Wednesday’s SEC coaches teleconference. “It was a learning experience for me, but Sam was very patient and taught me a lot of football, which I appreciated as a first-time tight ends coach.
“We lived in the same neighborhood, so I got to know Sam very well during my time there. I think a lot of Sam.”
Beamer said he expected Pittman to do well at Arkansas.
“It’s not a surprise to me the success he’s having, because he’s the same guy day in, day out,” Beamer said. “Very genuine and just does a nice job relating to people.”
Beamer said he was impressed by Pittman’s comments Monday about being positive with players.
“I saw his press conference clip about positivity and caring about guys and building them up,” Beamer said. “I think that’s very powerful, and I agree, and I hope our program is perceived the same way with our players.
“Sam came in there and gave those guys belief, and he has them playing hard and put together a great staff, and they’ve done a fantastic job.”
Beamer and Pittman were hired at Georgia when Kirby Smart became the Bulldogs’ coach after being the defensive coordinator at Alabama for Nick Saban.
“I’ve heard Kirby tell stories when he was on the Alabama staff,” Beamer said. “He and [offensive coordinator] Jim McElwain used to kind of hold hands under the table in the staff room if Coach Saban was getting on them about something.
“I think ‘Kumbaya’ was the word that Kirby used when they were trying to hang in there together. Certainly Sam would agree with me. We both learned a lot from Kirby, and it’s a very demanding place.
“It made us better coaches, but certainly Sam and I had those ‘Kumbaya’ moments together as well as assistant coaches early in Kirby’s tenure.”