South Carolina Football: Beamer and Transfer Class Speak to Media

On Thursday morning, South Carolina football saw its head coach and 2023 transfer portal class take the podium for media availability. Many questions were asked about new Offensive Coordinator Dowell Loggains, Strength and Conditioning Coach Luke Day, and positional-specific depth.

The portal additions spoke for the first time since coming on campus in January. Western Illinois transfer Sidney Fugar and former Yale Bulldog Nick Gargiulo started the proceedings.

The offensive linemen provided insight into where they are expecting to play this season. Fugar said he has primarily worked at left tackle but is open to playing either tackle spot. He also added he lost weight this offseason before putting on good weight since coming to Carolina, putting him around 315 pounds.

Gargiulo followed Fugar and relayed that he has been, as expected, working on the interior. He has primarily worked with the center group but has gotten some reps at both guard spots.

More offensive transfers were up next as Newberry transfer Mario Anderson and ex-Florida Gator Nick Elksnis spoke highly of their position groups. Anderson said each running back provides “something different” to the team and can play a role this fall.

Elksnis came next and acknowledged the suddenly crowded but unproven tight end room but believes they will have “a heck of a group.” He added that he understands his role is as a blocker: “I’m not Kyle Pitts,” he laughingly said.

More tight ends were next as Arkansas defection Trey Knox and Western Kentucky transfer Joshua Simon spoke. Knox declined to claim he was TE1 at this point of the offseason but did say he is familiar with Coach Loggains from their shared time at Arkansas: Knox says Loggains’ offense is about knowing “what to do,” “how to do it,” and “how to do it under pressure.” He also says LaNorris Sellers has the strongest arm he’s ever witnessed.

After Knox’s media availability, Simon stepped to the podium. He believes he will also have a chance to play quickly this fall if he shows he is ready and feels his and Knox’s experience is important.

The two defensive transfer portal players came next. Former Ole Miss Rebel Jaron Willis said he brings “violence” to the linebacker position and looks forward to playing at a place that “feels like home.”

Walk-on and former 5-star athlete DeAngelo Gibbs acknowledged his time away from football, saying he stepped away from the team at Tennessee (after transferring from Georgia) because of things in the program (and with former Head Coach Jeremy Pruitt) that he didn’t want to be around. He will work with the DBs initially.

Wide receiver and return man Eddie Lewis was the final player to speak. He gives credit to Pete Lembo for getting him to Columbia. He will be rooming with Juice Wells and expects to play at receiver and on the kickoff and punt return teams.

Shane Beamer took the podium after his new players were done speaking. He began his time teasing a new commercial that he was filming with Heisman Trophy winner George Rogers. He also acknowledged (without naming any names) that a staff member just turned down a job with another SEC East program. Justin Stepp was rumored to have been offered and turned down the Wide Receivers Coach position with the Florida Gators this week.

He addressed injuries next as he reminded the media that Jordan Strachan, Mo Kaba, and David Spaulding are all recovering from major injuries but have looked good in limited practice. Potential offensive tackle contributor Cason Henry and returning defensive tackle Tonka Hemingway will likely miss the spring recovering from minor surgeries.

Beamer disputed something Trey Knox said during his time in front of the microphones. Knox implied that the offense would be up-tempo and “fast,” but Coach Beamer quipped, “That’s news to me” as he feels that is something that we will do when they have to do it but that the offense will be tailored to what the offense can do and will need to do.

Without going into many details, Beamer revealed that the three suspended freshmen who were removed from the team and university in February are still not with the team. There is no timetable for their return if there ever will be one.

Beamer lamented turnovers from the last two years. The Gamecocks embarrassingly have ranked last in the SEC in offensive turnovers during Beamer’s tenure. He evaded a question about offensive identity by exclaiming that South Carolina’s offense just needs to “quit turning the ball over so frickin’ much.”

Coach Beamer is pleased with the progress of the early enrollee freshmen so far. He singled out Grayson “Pup” Howard because his extra early enrollment allowed Howard to participate in Bowl practices.