One key attribute Beamer is looking for in the next batch of South Carolina recruits
The task put on Shane Beamer’s plate is a meaty one.
He inherits a South Carolina football roster that needs an infusion of talent. He inherits a recruiting class that sits at 10 total players just days before the start of the early signing period. And as a first-time head coach, he’ll have the challenge of figuring out the new instant-impact transfer era on the fly.
But he’s been around the SEC for a while, and he has a vision for what he wants from his next group of players.
“Guys that want to be here and guys that want to represent this great program and take great pride in being a football player at the University of South Carolina,” Beamer said. “I told the players (the day I was hired) how a core value that is very big with me and my life on and off the field is gratitude and how grateful I am for this opportunity.”
The longtime assistant is finally getting his chance as a head coach. He’s well regarded for his ability to close in the living room.
There was a bit of a social media kerfuffle after the firing of former coach Will Muschamp, when former players got into it with some fans. The mood in the building also didn’t seem good after losing 16 games in two seasons.
“I want a team that feels the same way and understands what an amazing opportunity and how special it is to be a Gamecock,” Beamer said. “That’s what I want to begin with is guys that want to be here. And then obviously every position has physical attributes that you’re looking for, but at the end of the day, if you have a bunch of guys that are high character, extremely competitive and have a passion for playing football, the rest of that stuff will take care of itself.”
Beamer’s four-season run with Steve Spurrier, two as a recruiting coordinator, didn’t produce the highest-rated classes, but it did produce some of the best players in program history. Two of those classes were outside the top 30, but one, the 2010 class, included Connor Shaw, Marcus Lattimore, A.J. Cann, Ace Sanders, Dylan Thompson and Byron Jerideau.
Muschamp actually recruited well, with his past four classes averaging 19th in the country. The key for Beamer is getting that talent on the roster to play closer to that level in the years ahead.
The current class has 11 open spots for freshmen and transfers, and a few intriguing pieces. Running back Caleb McDowell is an explosive play-maker. Defensive tackle Nicholas Barrett was a wrecking ball the last time he was on a high school field. The group also includes the likes of O’Mega Blake, T.J. Sanders and QB Colten Gauthier.
The early signing period starts on Wednesday. Beamer has yet to add a commit to the class.
But unlike the previous few years, this process won’t be mostly wrapped in December. There a lot of steps ahead, and the plan is to find the guys who want to be part of this experiment.
“Those are the guys that we’re going to target,” Beamer said. “Those are the guys that we’re going to recruit and have a bunch of guys out there that are as grateful to be a Gamecock as I am.”
This story was originally published December 12, 2020 at 1:28 PM with the headline "One key attribute Beamer is looking for in the next batch of South Carolina recruits."
