The South Carolina football team landed a 46-0 victory over Eastern Illinois over the weekend, pitching their first shutout as a program since the 2008 season. Much of that success was due to what head coach Shane Beamer’s father, Frank, made famous in Blacksburg, Virginia when leading the Virginia Tech Hokies.
Beamer Ball.
Essentially what Beamer Ball is, is having the ability to make an impact on the scoreboard outside of the offense. Special teams and defense can be major game changers, and that showed on Saturday in Beamer’s first game on the sidelines in Columbia.
It started early in the matchup, with the Gamecocks using a bit of a trick play to convert a two-point conversion following its first score. That put South Carolina up 8-0 in a game they’d never trail in.
Beamer and Co. weren’t done yet, though. Not even close.
The Gamecocks not only scored on an interception by defensive end Jordan Burch later in the game, but transfer linebacker Debo Williams also blocked two punts to help change field position for the team early in the contest.
Debo Williams was credited with both punt blocks on Saturday night vs. EIU. He's the first SEC player since Florida's Chris Rainey (vs. Vanderbilt in 2010) to have multiple blocked punts in a game. Three players across FBS did it last season. 🤙#Gamecocks🐔🏈 // #ForeverToThee pic.twitter.com/yayLCRbdXa
— Gamecock Football Info (@GamecockFBInfo) September 6, 2021
Both of those blocked kicks led to scoring drives, which helped the Gamecocks blow open the game early.
This is a new, yet welcomed phenomenon for the South Carolina football program, who’s last blocked punt came all the way back in 2014 against the University of Florida. That blocked punt led to a touchdown, ultimately forcing overtime in a game that the Gamecocks would win. The loss for the Gators led to the firing of Will Muschamp in Gainesville.
Muschamp would come to Columbia two short years later, but his teams never blocked a punt during his five-year stint at the helm.
The Gamecocks are hoping that this success on special teams continues. Other key performers included punter Kai Kroeger, who booted two punts for an average of 42 yards, as well as senior place kicker Parker White, who knocked in his only field goal attempt of 36 yards.
South Carolina will look to keep its momentum going with a road trip to East Carolina this weekend. The Pirates have opened as four-point favorites after dropping their opener to Appalachian State last Thursday.
The matchup will kick off at noon this Saturday on ESPN 2, but you can also stream live on Fubo TV.