Shane Beamer isn’t ducking the noise, but he isn’t buying the idea that South Carolina’s Kentucky game is a referendum on his future, either.
The Gamecocks are 2-2 overall and 0-2 in the SEC, and Beamer’s record in Columbia now stands at 35-32 overall and 16-26 in league play. He has yet to win a bowl game since arriving in 2021, and after South Carolina’s blowout loss at Alabama on Saturday, the temperature around the program has clearly risen.
That’s part of why On3’s Pete Nakos reported Sunday that next weekend’s matchup with Kentucky could be pivotal.
“Sources have told On3 that pressure is mounting on Beamer, who has a new athletic director, Jeremiah Donati, who did not hire him,” Nakos wrote. “A loss next Saturday at home to Kentucky could be too much for Beamer to rebound from, sources said.”
Beamer, though, said he feels fine about where things stand with Donati and the administration.
“I do (feel comfortable),” Beamer said. “ I’m focused on putting together a better plan and getting a team better this week to go play against Kentucky. That’s what my focus is on.”
He said he spoke with Donati after the Alabama loss and again on Sunday before his weekly media teleconference. Beamer called it a “great conversation” and said the administration has been “super awesome” and “super supportive last night after the game.”
Still, he knows the math of coaching is simple: wins matter, and losses pile up fast.
“When you are in this position, you understand that you’re judged on wins and losses. I get that, but I don’t know about national reports or any of that stuff,” Beamer continued.
“All I know is my conversations with my bosses have been super supportive. We got a hell of a football team.
We’re not playing like it right now, and it’s my job to get this stuff right and get us playing better football on Saturday. …
“As the leader of the program, I’ve got to, one, be strong for everyone in this program, and two, be able to plan the path of here’s what we’re doing and here’s how we’re going to do things going forward.”
Beamer pushed back on the idea that South Carolina’s 0-2 start defines either the team or his tenure. He said the roster has enough talent and enough care to turn things around, and he’s expecting the group to get back to work Tuesday.
“There’s ups and downs, and right now we’re in a funk with these last two weeks. But I do know that we have a really talented football team,” Beamer stressed. “I know we have a good football team that cares, and I know that they’re gonna come back to work on Tuesday when we hit the practice field and be ready to go attack this new week as a competitor.
“All you want is the opportunity to go compete again, and we get the opportunity to go compete again on Saturday and see if we can be a lot better.”
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