Shane Beamer admits it: Coaching needs to be better as South Carolina closes out season
The numbers aren’t getting better.
After nine games, South Carolina is giving up more yards than any team in the SEC. The Gamecocks are surrendering over 30 points a game. They are allowing more passing yards than all but four teams in America. And their run defense just allowed 225 yards to Jacksonville State.
South Carolina, to its credit, finally showed some promise on Saturday, racking up four turnovers against Jax State after three-straight games without a takeaway.
But it still feels like South Carolina’s defense has been a stagnant group, always allowing big plays and struggling to get off the field.
On Sunday, South Carolina coach Shane Beamer was asked if he thought his defense was developing.
“I think we’ve certainly made some strides,” he said. “We made strides and then (Saturday) we got takeaways. We hadn’t been getting takeaways all season. We got four (Saturday). To me, that’s improvement that we’ve made from a takeaway standpoint.
“We found a way to win that game ... but it wasn’t pretty,” Beamer added. “And we can be a lot better still, but we’re running out of time. We’ve got three guaranteed weeks left and we need to be a lot better ... than what we were (Saturday) — and that’s in all areas.”
The Gamecocks’ defense is young. They have moved some guys around — like moving freshman Jalon Kilgore from safety to nickel. They have tried out new schemes — putting together some packages with a 3-3-5 look. They have gotten some stops, but have not shown consistency.
The result: South Carolina needs to win its final three games — vs. Vanderbilt, Kentucky and Clemson — to make a bowl game.
That is quite the shift after Beamer won 15 games in his first two seasons and made a pair of bowls.
Asked Sunday if he thought the Gamecocks had been well-coached the day before, Beamer was honest.
“I think, at times. We’ve all got to be better, starting with me,” he said. “I’ll be the first to admit at times (Saturday) that I didn’t think we were. That, obviously, starts with me.”
That’s the frustrating part of coaching.
An example Beamer gave: The Gamecocks’ coaches corrected how they wanted guys to try and block punts. For a few guys, the technique was perfect all week inside the facility. On Jacksonville State’s first punt, it was great again and USC almost blocked the kick.
“And then, for whatever reason, they don’t do it the same way versus the same look,” Beamer said. “As a coach, you’ve gotta ask yourself ‘Why is that happening?’ ”
He continued: “Certainly, when you’re 3-6, you can’t sit there and say we’ve done a great job. We haven’t. We all have to be better: players, coaches, staff, starting with me as the head coach.”
South Carolina football schedule: Next game
Who: USC vs. Vanderbilt
When: Noon Saturday, Nov. 11
Where: Williams-Brice Stadium in Columbia, SC
TV: SEC Network
Line: USC by 14
This story was originally published November 6, 2023 at 8:14 AM with the headline "Shane Beamer admits it: Coaching needs to be better as South Carolina closes out season."
