As South Carolina gears up to host Alabama on Saturday, head coach Shane Beamer took the time to praise the Tide's QB1 during his press conference earlier this week.
“I texted his dad a couple nights ago,” Beamer said Wednesday during his media availability. “I was sitting there watching their offense on tape, and some of the throws Ty [Simpson] has made this season. I mean, they’re as good as any I’ve seen in a long time. Whether it be clutch plays like that fourth down against Missouri. They’ve got great coverage; he makes a heck of a throw. Or some of the pressure he was under against Tennessee the other night, and he’s still able to sit in the pocket. Tennessee’s got great coverage on a receiver, and Ty literally put the ball where only the receiver could catch it. I mean, they’re literally perfect throws while he’s under duress. To say he’s hot right now is an understatement, and that’ll be a big challenge for us.”
Beamer is not the type to hand out empty praise. His comments were pure respect and reality check. Simpson has been playing like a Heisman contender this season. Through seven games, the Alabama quarterback has thrown for 1,931 yards, 18 touchdowns, and one interception. He has also added two rushing scores, and shows the poise and mobility that makes NFL scouts pull up the tape twice.
For Beamer, the connections runs deep. Simpson was one of the quarterbacks he heavily recruited during his early days at South Carolina. There is still mutual respect there, the kind that lasts even after the recruiting battles end and players pick different paths.
That personal link adds a little extra to Saturday's matchup in Columbia. South Carolina's defense has quietly been one of the few bright spots for the team this season, allowing just 171 passing yards per game, good for 28th nationally. That unit will need to play its best on Saturday to contain one of the hottest QBs in the country.
Alabama walks into Williams-Brice Stadium as a two-score favorite, sitting between -12 and -13 across most sportsbooks. Beamer and company have a chance to make it interesting if they can rattle Simpson early on. The last time South Carolina hosted Alabama, Williams-Brice was electric. That crowd could play a factor again, especially with the Gamecocks desperate for a statement performance. Whether they can slow down the Tide is the question. But one thing is for sure, Shane Beamer knows exactly what kind of quarterback he's up against.