Shane Beamer Signing Day News Conference With video, quotes, and more
Dec. 21, 2022 / FROM USC SPORTS MEDIA
Head Coach Shane Beamer met with the media on Wednesday afternoon to recap the first day of the early signing period
Beamer: Juice Wells is fine, he's been practicing sense getting back on campus and he'll be ready to go in the bowl game.
Beamer: Trying to get another year for DE Jordan Strachan and optimistic about that, and Greg Adkins has been back working as OL coach with Lonnie Teasley, roles will be defined in spring but wants both on the staff.
Beamer: Carroll is injured, still on team, can't play in bowl game, hope to have him in spring, Brooks dealing with off field issue, is practicing and will travel to Jacksonville, Reed will not play in bowl game.
Beamer: Cason Henry, Tyshan Wannamaker among the guys they are working at RT in place of Dylan Wonnum. Also, he has not talked to Lloyd in 2 weeks, when asked if there's a possibility for him to return, he said he only wanted to talk about players on the team.
Beamer: A great group of lineman coming in on offense and defense, and they were very impressed by Mario Anderson's tape and they felt he could play on any level.
Beamer: Had a great visit with Babalade Sunday a week ago, they gave him some space after he decommitted but kept communicating with him, dealt with the reasons he originally chose USC.
Beamer: Howard practiced with the team yesterday and today.
Beamer: High praise for Grayson Howard, great personality, positive all the time, competitive, mature, business-like.
Beamer: Still work to be done for the class, some guys they are still recruiting in high schools and portal who have not made decisions.
Beamer: Signed 3 of top 4 players in state of South Carolina. That's huge, when they were good under Spurrier, they kept the best players at home.
Beamer: Not a bad day for a program some had said had lost some momentum since the Clemson win.
Beamer praises Grayson ‘PUP’ Howard
Grayson Howard is making an impact for the South Carolina football program and he hasn’t played a game yet. Howard, a linebacker from Jacksonville, Florida, and one of the 10 four-star recruits who signed with the Gamecocks on Wednesday, has been very active in growing this year’s recruiting class and helping keep it intact. Coach Beamer singled Howard out during his signing day press conference.
“Grayson PUP’ Howard is unbelievable.,” Beamer said. “When I told you about a text message from a recruit saying that we want people that would die for this university that was PUP.His ability as a player speaks for himself. He’s got a great personality. He is so positive all the time, competitive, mature, business-like. I’m impressed with him the more and more I am around him.” Howard’s official signing was the first one announced Wednesday by USC shortly after 7:20 a.m.
“He did a great job recruiting these other guys and we had a lot of guys who got this class going,” Beamer said. “But the momentum he created because he is such a national recruit he turned down so many programs to come here and was a huge pickup for us. He is going to make our program better from Day One.” Howard already is having an impact on the field, as he enrolled early and was is taking part in bowl practice before the team arrives for Jacksonville on Christmas Day for the TaxSlayer Bowl.
He will play in the All-American Bowl and then come back to campus to begin classes in early January, Beamer said. “Most kids would be at home celebrating signing day and having parties but he wanted to practice,” Beamer said. “He’s awesome.” Howard committed to USC on June 27 over Arkansas, Auburn, Florida, Florida State, LSU and Tennessee, among others. He had a standout season at Andrew Jackson High School this year, recording a team-high 188 tackles including 18 for loss.
After a couple of weeks of losing star players like Jaheim Bell, MarShawn Lloyd and Cam Smith to the transfer portal and NFL Draft, Beamer and the Gamecocks had a victory to celebrate on the recruiting trail, reeling in a 2023 class that ranks No. 16 in the nation in the 247Sports Composite rankings. All but one of the teams 22 commits signed with the school on the first day of the early signing period, which runs from Wednesday through Friday. And Beamer hinted that more signings could be on the way.
“We’re off to a great start, without a doubt,” Beamer said. “And we got better as a program for sure with these young men and their families today on and off the field.” The 2023 class is the kind Beamer helped recruit during his time as an assistant under Steve Spurrier, classes that included the likes of Jadeveon Clowney and Marcus Lattimore and were heavy on local talent.
Winning in-state recruiting battles was a core mission that Beamer presented on the day he was hired, and the 2023 class might be the best example yet of him working to fulfill that promise. Offensive lineman Markee Anderson and defensive linemen Monteque Rhames and Xzavier McLeod were all highly recruited four-star, in-state prospects who chose the Gamecocks over other big-name programs. Carolina targeted those three specific players almost as soon as Beamer got to campus, the head coach said Wednesday.
“We always want to start here in this state,” Beamer said. “You look at the rankings of the top players in South Carolina, we signed three of the top four in the state of South Carolina, which is huge. “I say it all the time: That’s how we got this program to a high level where we’re playing for the SEC championship.
It’s doing it by keeping the best players in South Carolina at home.” Anderson, Rhames, and McLeod headline a deep group of offensive and defensive linemen in this class. With offensive line veterans Eric Douglas, Jovaughn Gwynn, and Dylan Wonnum moving on and defender Zacch Pickens declaring for the draft, the Gamecocks could use fortification on both lines.
Notably, the Gamecocks signed a pair of promising Maryland products in defensive end Desmond Umeozulu who chose Carolina over Ohio State, and four-star offensive tackle Tosin “Tree” Babalade. Tight end was another key area of fortification, with the Gamecocks losing Austin Stogner, Bell, and Traevon Kenion. The Gamecocks signed three tight ends and added two more through the transfer portal, highlighted by former Arkansas tight end Trey Knox. And Beamer said the Gamecocks could also add another tight end or two. Beamer also hinted that USC is still in the market for a quarterback, with Class of 2023 target LaNorris Sellers announcing his destination Friday.
“Certainly we’re not done,” Beamer said. “There’s a lot of work still to do with the class that we’re putting together.
Dec. 21, 2022 / FROM USC SPORTS MEDIA
Head Coach Shane Beamer met with the media on Wednesday afternoon to recap the first day of the early signing period
Beamer: Juice Wells is fine, he's been practicing sense getting back on campus and he'll be ready to go in the bowl game.
Beamer: Trying to get another year for DE Jordan Strachan and optimistic about that, and Greg Adkins has been back working as OL coach with Lonnie Teasley, roles will be defined in spring but wants both on the staff.
Beamer: Carroll is injured, still on team, can't play in bowl game, hope to have him in spring, Brooks dealing with off field issue, is practicing and will travel to Jacksonville, Reed will not play in bowl game.
Beamer: Cason Henry, Tyshan Wannamaker among the guys they are working at RT in place of Dylan Wonnum. Also, he has not talked to Lloyd in 2 weeks, when asked if there's a possibility for him to return, he said he only wanted to talk about players on the team.
Beamer: A great group of lineman coming in on offense and defense, and they were very impressed by Mario Anderson's tape and they felt he could play on any level.
Beamer: Had a great visit with Babalade Sunday a week ago, they gave him some space after he decommitted but kept communicating with him, dealt with the reasons he originally chose USC.
Beamer: Howard practiced with the team yesterday and today.
Beamer: High praise for Grayson Howard, great personality, positive all the time, competitive, mature, business-like.
Beamer: Still work to be done for the class, some guys they are still recruiting in high schools and portal who have not made decisions.
Beamer: Signed 3 of top 4 players in state of South Carolina. That's huge, when they were good under Spurrier, they kept the best players at home.
Beamer: Not a bad day for a program some had said had lost some momentum since the Clemson win.
Beamer praises Grayson ‘PUP’ Howard
Grayson Howard is making an impact for the South Carolina football program and he hasn’t played a game yet. Howard, a linebacker from Jacksonville, Florida, and one of the 10 four-star recruits who signed with the Gamecocks on Wednesday, has been very active in growing this year’s recruiting class and helping keep it intact. Coach Beamer singled Howard out during his signing day press conference.
“Grayson PUP’ Howard is unbelievable.,” Beamer said. “When I told you about a text message from a recruit saying that we want people that would die for this university that was PUP.His ability as a player speaks for himself. He’s got a great personality. He is so positive all the time, competitive, mature, business-like. I’m impressed with him the more and more I am around him.” Howard’s official signing was the first one announced Wednesday by USC shortly after 7:20 a.m.
“He did a great job recruiting these other guys and we had a lot of guys who got this class going,” Beamer said. “But the momentum he created because he is such a national recruit he turned down so many programs to come here and was a huge pickup for us. He is going to make our program better from Day One.” Howard already is having an impact on the field, as he enrolled early and was is taking part in bowl practice before the team arrives for Jacksonville on Christmas Day for the TaxSlayer Bowl.
He will play in the All-American Bowl and then come back to campus to begin classes in early January, Beamer said. “Most kids would be at home celebrating signing day and having parties but he wanted to practice,” Beamer said. “He’s awesome.” Howard committed to USC on June 27 over Arkansas, Auburn, Florida, Florida State, LSU and Tennessee, among others. He had a standout season at Andrew Jackson High School this year, recording a team-high 188 tackles including 18 for loss.
Beamer restocks roster with highly ranked 2023 class
Mere seconds into his Wednesday afternoon signing day news conference, Beamer pointed to critics who said the Gamecocks “lost momentum” as a program after their win against rival Clemson in November. “Rumors of our demise were greatly exaggerated,” Beamer said, with his usual heart-on-sleeve zest.After a couple of weeks of losing star players like Jaheim Bell, MarShawn Lloyd and Cam Smith to the transfer portal and NFL Draft, Beamer and the Gamecocks had a victory to celebrate on the recruiting trail, reeling in a 2023 class that ranks No. 16 in the nation in the 247Sports Composite rankings. All but one of the teams 22 commits signed with the school on the first day of the early signing period, which runs from Wednesday through Friday. And Beamer hinted that more signings could be on the way.
“We’re off to a great start, without a doubt,” Beamer said. “And we got better as a program for sure with these young men and their families today on and off the field.” The 2023 class is the kind Beamer helped recruit during his time as an assistant under Steve Spurrier, classes that included the likes of Jadeveon Clowney and Marcus Lattimore and were heavy on local talent.
Winning in-state recruiting battles was a core mission that Beamer presented on the day he was hired, and the 2023 class might be the best example yet of him working to fulfill that promise. Offensive lineman Markee Anderson and defensive linemen Monteque Rhames and Xzavier McLeod were all highly recruited four-star, in-state prospects who chose the Gamecocks over other big-name programs. Carolina targeted those three specific players almost as soon as Beamer got to campus, the head coach said Wednesday.
“We always want to start here in this state,” Beamer said. “You look at the rankings of the top players in South Carolina, we signed three of the top four in the state of South Carolina, which is huge. “I say it all the time: That’s how we got this program to a high level where we’re playing for the SEC championship.
It’s doing it by keeping the best players in South Carolina at home.” Anderson, Rhames, and McLeod headline a deep group of offensive and defensive linemen in this class. With offensive line veterans Eric Douglas, Jovaughn Gwynn, and Dylan Wonnum moving on and defender Zacch Pickens declaring for the draft, the Gamecocks could use fortification on both lines.
Notably, the Gamecocks signed a pair of promising Maryland products in defensive end Desmond Umeozulu who chose Carolina over Ohio State, and four-star offensive tackle Tosin “Tree” Babalade. Tight end was another key area of fortification, with the Gamecocks losing Austin Stogner, Bell, and Traevon Kenion. The Gamecocks signed three tight ends and added two more through the transfer portal, highlighted by former Arkansas tight end Trey Knox. And Beamer said the Gamecocks could also add another tight end or two. Beamer also hinted that USC is still in the market for a quarterback, with Class of 2023 target LaNorris Sellers announcing his destination Friday.
“Certainly we’re not done,” Beamer said. “There’s a lot of work still to do with the class that we’re putting together.
