Beamer Ball 2

Shane Beamer takes over at South Carolina

COLUMBIA, S. C. — Shane Beamer was an assistant at South Carolina in 2010 when the Gamecocks made their only appearance in the Southeastern Conference title game.

Things didn’t go well that day; South Carolina lost to eventual national champion Auburn 56- 17.

At his introduction Monday as South Carolina’s new head coach, Beamer vowed that South Carolina would return to Atlanta “and this time we’ll finish the job.”

Beamer, named to replace fired Will Muschamp, laid out his vision in turning around South Carolina, which has gone 6- 16 the past two years and 5- 15 in the SEC.

Beamer thanked Muschamp for his dedication to South Carolina over the past five seasons, then pledged to bring consistency to the Gamecocks.

“People say you can’t win at South Carolina,” said Beamer, the 43- year- old son of former long- time Virginia Tech coach Frank Beamer. “You absolutely can. We have everything you need to win at a high, high, high level.”

Beamer arrived at South Carolina on Sunday, meeting with players and the Gamecocks staff. Several former players, some he coached including receiver Moe Brown, and others (Outback Bowl MVP Ryan Brewer and quarterback Perry Orth) stopped by Monday morning. Beamer came outside — South Carolina’s operations center is locked down because of COVID- 19 regulations — for a chat.

He’ll quickly head back to Oklahoma to finish the season as assistant head coach and tight ends coach with the Sooners.

“It’ll be chaotic, but I’m surrounded by a great group of people in this facility here and we’ll get it done,” he said.

Athletic director Ray Tanner declined to discuss Beamer’s contract length or salary. He said the Board of Trustees will review the deal at its next meeting Dec. 15.

Beamer said he’ll juggle his current and new job the next two weeks, using phones and video chats to connect with potential assistants, current recruits and Gamecocks.

Beamer said he has learned something from everywhere he’s coached from his time at Mississippi State with Sylvester Croom, the SEC’S first Black head football coach, to Steve Spurrier for four seasons with the Gamecocks from 200710 and five seasons with his dad at Virginia Tech.

“I haven’t sat in that ( head coaching) chair, but I know what it’s like from people who have,” he said.

Ap-steve Sisney, File Shane Beamer, an assistant football coach at Oklahoma, speaks during a news conference in Norman, Okla., in January 2018. Beamer is returning to South Carolina, this time as head coach. A source close to the search told The Associated Press on Saturday night, Dec. 5, that Beamer will be hired and take over the program run the past five seasons by Will Muschamp. Muschamp was let go last month with three games remaining in the season.