Gamecock's future looks bright despite the loss in the Gator Bowl
Jan. 01, 2022
Coach Beamer’s eyes welled as he stood behind the interview podium in the underbelly of TIAA Bank Field. He clutched either side of his perch, pushed back the lump in his throat, and fought through the disappointment that shone on his face and the faces of his players and staffers scattered throughout the facility. “For us to be down (12) players and for those guys to play their butts off as they did,” Beamer said, pausing for four seconds to hold back tears, “and leave everything out there like they did, I’m really, really, really proud to be their coach.”
That Beamer’s emotions showed in the moments following No. 19 South Carolina’s 45-38 loss to No. 21 Notre Dame in Friday’s Gator Bowl isn’t a surprise. He’s never one to fear showing his softer or fiery sides. He loves his players. He fires back at detractors. This version of Beamer in Jacksonville, though, was a reflective version of the head coach who has done so much in clawing South Carolina (8-5) back into college football consciousness after wandering through the abyss in the final months of the Will Muschamp era. Friday wasn’t the storybook ending 2021 brought, but it’s another stone turned in the rebuilding project he inherited.
“Very few people, I think, thought in 2021 that we’d finish the season in a bowl game, and we finished the season in a bowl game, in a bowl victory in Charlotte last year,” he said. “ We had a tough schedule this year and people didn’t think we may make a bowl game this year. Not only did we get in a bowl game, but we’ve also won eight games and were nationally ranked coming into this game. We’ve made a ton of progress, and it’s just the beginning.” Bowl season, at its core, has changed. Opt-outs are regular in college football these days. The transfer portal, too, has sapped playmakers from their squads across the country. South Carolina headed into this week with a skeleton crew of an offense. Quarterback Spencer Rattler and receiver Antwane “Juice” Wells Jr. played, but missing were veteran receivers Josh Vann (injury) and Jalen Brooks (off-field issue). Leading rusher MarShawn Lloyd entered the portal, as did tight ends Jaheim Bell and Austin Stogner, handicapping a unit already short of stars. Get unlimited.
There were moments of brilliance on Friday Xavier Legette’s with his touchdown grab, Rattler’s scrambling ability, and more, but the Gamecocks went from picking up five yards per play in the first half to just 3.7 yards per play over the final two frames. Tight end Nate Adkins went down with an injury in the third quarter and didn’t return. Even defensive end Jordan Burch lined up at the position simply out of necessity. The defense, inspired as it was, also slowed in its ability to stall a physical Notre Dame rushing attack. The Fighting Irish mauled their way to 210 yards rushing in the second half after mustering just 54 such yards in the opening 30 minutes. They finished the night out-gaining their Southeastern Conference opponent by a rushing mark of 355-100.
At some point, a patchwork squad of inexperienced freshmen and the defensive starters who stuck around can only shoulder so much of a load. “It was definitely fatigue setting in,” safety DQ Smith said. “But, you know, we’re a strong group.” There will be detractors from Friday night’s game. That South Carolina couldn’t capitalize on a blistering start. That the defense missed far too many tackles down the stretch. That the offense wasn’t consistent enough to beat a quality opponent. There’s truth in all of that.
But the fact that South Carolina resides in a place where it can even compete for a nine-win season two years out from the brutal end of Muschamp’s tenure ought to be a testament to what Beamer and his staff have accomplished in a short span. The Gamecocks were reeling from a 2-8 campaign when Beamer was hired. Most prognosticators this writer included suggested Beamer might be lucky to be better than anyone but Vanderbilt a season ago. Now? 15 wins in two years. Back-to-back Top 25 recruiting classes. A new contract likely on the way sooner than later. All that is marked progress. “It’s a journey, and today was a bump and a loss that really, really, really hurt,” Beamer said. “But we’ve got the right people in our program. You can tell that by the hurt that’s in that locker room right now. There’s not many dry eyes, to say the least.” Beamer is never one to let a moment go.
He remembers everything. On Friday he referenced a previously testy exchange with a reporter asking about his team’s “give up” after a loss to No. 1 Georgia this year and the team’s 1-2 start. He framed the yellow legal pad paper he scrawled the opening remarks from his introductory press conference in his office. It’s the kind of guy he is. Beamer will remember the sorrow he flashed in the moments after the Notre Dame loss. But, as he’s pitched throughout the year, there’s a foundation that’s been built in Columbia. Next comes testing how stable it is.
Jan. 01, 2022
Coach Beamer’s eyes welled as he stood behind the interview podium in the underbelly of TIAA Bank Field. He clutched either side of his perch, pushed back the lump in his throat, and fought through the disappointment that shone on his face and the faces of his players and staffers scattered throughout the facility. “For us to be down (12) players and for those guys to play their butts off as they did,” Beamer said, pausing for four seconds to hold back tears, “and leave everything out there like they did, I’m really, really, really proud to be their coach.”
That Beamer’s emotions showed in the moments following No. 19 South Carolina’s 45-38 loss to No. 21 Notre Dame in Friday’s Gator Bowl isn’t a surprise. He’s never one to fear showing his softer or fiery sides. He loves his players. He fires back at detractors. This version of Beamer in Jacksonville, though, was a reflective version of the head coach who has done so much in clawing South Carolina (8-5) back into college football consciousness after wandering through the abyss in the final months of the Will Muschamp era. Friday wasn’t the storybook ending 2021 brought, but it’s another stone turned in the rebuilding project he inherited.
“Very few people, I think, thought in 2021 that we’d finish the season in a bowl game, and we finished the season in a bowl game, in a bowl victory in Charlotte last year,” he said. “ We had a tough schedule this year and people didn’t think we may make a bowl game this year. Not only did we get in a bowl game, but we’ve also won eight games and were nationally ranked coming into this game. We’ve made a ton of progress, and it’s just the beginning.” Bowl season, at its core, has changed. Opt-outs are regular in college football these days. The transfer portal, too, has sapped playmakers from their squads across the country. South Carolina headed into this week with a skeleton crew of an offense. Quarterback Spencer Rattler and receiver Antwane “Juice” Wells Jr. played, but missing were veteran receivers Josh Vann (injury) and Jalen Brooks (off-field issue). Leading rusher MarShawn Lloyd entered the portal, as did tight ends Jaheim Bell and Austin Stogner, handicapping a unit already short of stars. Get unlimited.
There were moments of brilliance on Friday Xavier Legette’s with his touchdown grab, Rattler’s scrambling ability, and more, but the Gamecocks went from picking up five yards per play in the first half to just 3.7 yards per play over the final two frames. Tight end Nate Adkins went down with an injury in the third quarter and didn’t return. Even defensive end Jordan Burch lined up at the position simply out of necessity. The defense, inspired as it was, also slowed in its ability to stall a physical Notre Dame rushing attack. The Fighting Irish mauled their way to 210 yards rushing in the second half after mustering just 54 such yards in the opening 30 minutes. They finished the night out-gaining their Southeastern Conference opponent by a rushing mark of 355-100.
At some point, a patchwork squad of inexperienced freshmen and the defensive starters who stuck around can only shoulder so much of a load. “It was definitely fatigue setting in,” safety DQ Smith said. “But, you know, we’re a strong group.” There will be detractors from Friday night’s game. That South Carolina couldn’t capitalize on a blistering start. That the defense missed far too many tackles down the stretch. That the offense wasn’t consistent enough to beat a quality opponent. There’s truth in all of that.
But the fact that South Carolina resides in a place where it can even compete for a nine-win season two years out from the brutal end of Muschamp’s tenure ought to be a testament to what Beamer and his staff have accomplished in a short span. The Gamecocks were reeling from a 2-8 campaign when Beamer was hired. Most prognosticators this writer included suggested Beamer might be lucky to be better than anyone but Vanderbilt a season ago. Now? 15 wins in two years. Back-to-back Top 25 recruiting classes. A new contract likely on the way sooner than later. All that is marked progress. “It’s a journey, and today was a bump and a loss that really, really, really hurt,” Beamer said. “But we’ve got the right people in our program. You can tell that by the hurt that’s in that locker room right now. There’s not many dry eyes, to say the least.” Beamer is never one to let a moment go.
He remembers everything. On Friday he referenced a previously testy exchange with a reporter asking about his team’s “give up” after a loss to No. 1 Georgia this year and the team’s 1-2 start. He framed the yellow legal pad paper he scrawled the opening remarks from his introductory press conference in his office. It’s the kind of guy he is. Beamer will remember the sorrow he flashed in the moments after the Notre Dame loss. But, as he’s pitched throughout the year, there’s a foundation that’s been built in Columbia. Next comes testing how stable it is.
