What South Carolina's Shane Beamer Said at SEC Media Days

© Randy Sartin-USA TODAY Sports

Now in his fourth season as coach of the South Carolina Gamecocks, Shane Beamer faced a barrage of questions at Southeastern Conference Media Days.

Topics ranged from his quarterback situation to the implications of Oklahoma and Texas joining the SEC, providing a comprehensive view of the team's current challenges and focus areas.

Shane Beamer at SEC Media Days

The Gamecocks enter this season after a 5-7 one. In the offseason, they lost quarterback Spencer Rattler to the NFL. Rattler led the team in passing last season. Beamer attacked the Transfer Portal to shore up both sides of the ball, adding what the fans hope are impact players.

Beamer's extensive experience in the SEC and familiarity with Oklahoma and Texas could be a strategic advantage for the Gamecocks. This could help them navigate the challenging schedule and maintain their position in the pecking order.

On Traveling Back to Oklahoma:

Beamer was asked about returning to Oklahoma; he had previous coaching duties there before taking the South Carolina gig. In typical coach-speak, Beamer said, "For me, it's a business trip."

On the Quarterback Situation:

The Gamecocks have to replace Rattler. When asked about his quarterback situation, Beamer said, “Yeah, obviously got to replace an elite player in Spencer, and I know he’s doing great things in New Orleans already and is going to have a long career in the NFL. We certainly are going to look different at the quarterback position and LaNorris Sellers and Robby Ashford. Both guys that are 240-pound guys that can run and are able to throw equally as well."

On Oklahoma Adjusting to the SEC:

Beamer is a perfect candidate to answer the question, having spent three seasons in Norman. He said, “I think it’s a couple things. One, on the field and another one off the field. From being in other conferences— and I’ve coached in multiple leagues in my career—it’s the size and the depth and the athleticism you see on the line of scrimmage every single week in this conference.

"I can remember being at Oklahoma, coaching tight ends, and you would be getting ready to play most Saturdays and there may be one or two guys on the opposing defensive line that you really got to be cognizant of," Beamer said.

"Like, this guy can completely wreck your game if you don’t have a plan for him," he said. "But then you come into this league, it’s not 1 or 2; it’s like 6 or 7 every single Saturday on the line of scrimmage. That’s one thing. The other part off the field, and it’s awesome, is just the venues that you go into this league. Being able, like every single Saturday, it’s an event in that town. There is 80, 90, or 100,000 people every single Saturday in this league."

On Raheim 'Rocket' Sanders:

After missing the spring due to injury and having questions about playing injury-free, Raheim Sanders transferred from Arkansas to South Carolina.

When asked about Sanders, Beamer said, "He will make our run game better along with the other running backs we brought in. He’s done a great job. Came in in January. He had to get healthy. He’s worked really, really hard to get healthy since then. Been a process with our strength and conditioning staff and training staff."

On Hitting the Transfer Portal:

For the first time, the Gamecocks had more players from the Transfer Portal than they signed from high school. When asked about the Transfer Portal, Beamer said, "To answer your question about relying on the Portal, to me, it’s really where we were. Receiver-wise, when we lost a first-round draft pick in Xavier Legette, we needed to replace him. We are very young. We needed to get some production experience in there. We did that."

What to Expect in Year 4:

In college football, you must win now, or you will be gone. Most coaches don't finish their contracts because they don't meet the standards that athletic departments and boosters have placed on the team and coach. For some, Beamer is in a hot seat to perform and make the Gamecocks more than just competitive; they want to win and win often. With the addition of players via the Transfer Portal, South Carolina will have a good mix of youth and experience that could lead to a surprising year.