It is easy to understand why many South Carolina football fans respect Shane Beamer. The Gamecocks will carry a 3-4 record into Saturday's game with the Alabama Crimson Tide, and fans booed their team in last week's loss to Oklahoma. After the game, Beamer did not pull a Hugh Freeze move and point a finger at his players. Beamer took the blame for South Carolina's 26-7 loss.
Beamer said, "... we’re not playing up to our potential right now. We’re not, I am not getting the most out of this team right now, offensively, defensively, and special teams. Our guys continue to fight. I’ve got to be able to do more to help them. As the head coach and we as coaches got to continue to do more to help them." Beamer's statement is admirable, but results matter more.
Shane Beamer is in his fifth season as a head coach. The Gamecocks were 9-4 last season, marking a high point of Beamer's head coaching career. Otherwise, his 32-26 head coaching record is just slightly better than mediocre.
Beamer was a hot seat coach last season before South Carolina won six straight games, including a 17-14 win over Clemson. The season ended with a close Citrus Bowl loss to Illinois. The loss did nothing to blunt the expectations of South Carolina fans for the 2025 season. The Gamecocks were considered to be a potential Playoff team.
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In reality, the Gamecocks may not even be a bowl team. Last season's goodwill from South Carolina fans is all but gone. Beamer recently fired his offensive line coach. Fans want him to fire Offensive Coordinator Mike Shula.
Beamer says he understands the disappointment of fans, "I understand there’s noise out there, and there should be. I’m not happy with where we are right now, and I’m going to get it fixed,” he said. “I realize that I’m letting a lot of people down right now with the way that we’re playing. Our players, that I feel like I’m letting down, our coaches, our players’ families, our coaches’ families, the student body, the 80,000 people that pack Williams-Brice Stadium. ... They’re not happy, and neither am I."
Saturday, against the Alabama Crimson Tide is not a time to find happiness.