South Carolina football: what to expect of new coach Shane Beamer
By Jacob Elsey
Who will be calling plays for South Carolina football?
Coaching hires
The Gamecocks may have their new head coach, but they’ll still need to fill out the rest of the staff. It will be up to Beamer whether he opts to keep some of the current staff, or whether he wants to bring in some new blood, but he knows what he’s looking for in assistant coaches.
"“I want guys on this staff who have a lot of the same values I do. I want high character guys, I want good people that are in this program who are investing in our players’ lives each and every day setting great examples with the kind of husbands and fathers they are with their own families. You’re not going to get in the door with me if you’re not high character. I want great teachers, Xs and Os knowledge, elite recruiters is what we’re looking for, and a group of guys who are driven, not complacent and have a passion for the university and advancing this program like I do… There are certainly some guys on this staff I envision being in our program going forward. It has to be the right fit for them and for us as a program. I had some good, productive visits on that.”"
While folks on staff are not being ruled out, Mike Bobo and Travaris Robinson both have a strong affiliation to former head coach Will Muschamp, so it’s possible that the Gamecocks will be in search of both a new offensive and defensive coordinator. That process has started, but there’s not necessarily a timeline for Beamer, who said he’s focusing on the quality of each candidate, rather than making a quick decision.
"“The amount of people who have expressed interest here has been really cool. I want to get it done as soon as possible, no question about it, but I don’t want to be rushed. We’re going to put together a premier staff that is the perfect fit for Carolina.”"
Beamer has never been a coordinator on either side of the ball, so ensuring that he’s getting the right people in place is paramount. He knows that his success in Columbia will very much rely on the staff he’s able to assemble.
The Shane Beamer era has officially begun at South Carolina, and it appears to be moving in a positive direction.