CBS Sports' view on South Carolina football head coach Shane Beamer and which coaches are really on "the hot seat"

South Carolina football coach Shane Beamer and his Gamecock squad are heading into a critical 2024 season. USC must have a better showing in year 4 of the Beamer era in order to get back on the upward trajectory that seemed to carry the program through the offseason after the 2022 campaign and before a disappointing 5-7 record in 2023.

In college football, overreactions and hot takes run amok during the offseason, and because the Gamecocks' didn't meet expectations in 2023, some narratives have formulated around the South Carolina football program.

This week, CBS Sports' Dennis Dodd released his hot seat rankings for college football coaches. Using a scale that ranges from 0 ("untouchable") to 5 ("win or be fired"), Dodd labeled all 134 Division-1 FBS head football coaches.

Dodd put Beamer in his 3 category, meaning that he believes the Gamecock head coach to be in a situation in which "pressure is mounting." It is probably a fair assessment of Beamer's situation. He isn't in the hot seat, but things aren't exactly sunshine and rainbows after last year. Heading into 2023, Dodd labeled Beamer a 1 and considered him far from the hot seat.

A good year from the Gamecocks on the field would move Beamer back down to a 2 or 1 on the 2025 version of Dodd's list, while another poor showing could make things a bit hairier. As is typical, South Carolina has a tough schedule again in 2024, but it isn't quite the top-5 gauntlet that they have had to deal with in recent years.

Making a bowl game is imperative for USC this fall, and Beamer and his staff brought in enough veteran talent from the transfer portal to fill some of the holes on the roster and make 6 wins a realistic goal for the 'Cocks.

On Dodd's list, 13 FBS head coaches were labeled "untouchable." As expected, coaches like Kirby Smart (Georgia Bulldogs) and Dan Lanning (Oregon Ducks) received this designation and had very friendly-looking 0s next to their name.

44 headmen like Mike Gundy (Oklahoma State Cowboys) and Mike Elko (Texas A&M Aggies) were called "safe and secure" with a 1 rating; most were new to their jobs or very long-tenured coaches.

Receiving a 2 and an "all good...for now" classification were 49 current head coaches. Some, like Dabo Swinney (Clemson Tigers) are seeing their stock fall, while others like Brent Venables (Oklahoma Sooners) are moving in the right direction in the rankings.

3 was a smaller group of just 19 that represented coaches who aren't on the hot seat but could have their situations described as "pressure is mounting." In addition to Shane Beamer, recognizable names like Ryan Day (Ohio State Buckeyes), Scott Satterfield (Cincinnati Bearcats), and Mario Cristobal (Miami Hurricanes) received 3s.

"Start improving now" almost feels like a threat levied by athletic directors against the 8 coaches in the 4 category. There aren't many in this group, but Billy Napier (Florida Gators), Dave Aranda (Baylor Bears), and Clark Lea (Vanderbilt Commodores) all find themselves on a hot seat this summer.

Sam Pittman (Arkansas Razorbacks) is the only coach marked as a 5, and "win or be fired" seems like an appropriate descriptor for his job security (or lack thereof).