Shane Beamer admits facing Drake Maye in Week 1 could impact South Carolina's preparation

South Carolina closed last season on a hot streak and will now open this next one in primetime. In the end, though, Shane Beamer realizes what kind of effect that that could have on the Gamecocks.

Beamer spoke on the feeling from his team around opening with North Carolina, and against QB Drake Maye, in a press conference this week. He says playing a big-time opener does apply a certain amount of hype around the start of the year and will make a difference in how South Carolina preps to start their year.

“I was talking to another SEC coach about that same thing earlier this week. His program has opened up with some pretty high-profile openers. Certainly, it makes a difference,” Beamer said. “I can remember when my dad was coaching at Virginia Tech. They had years where they opened up with Southern Cal and Reggie Bush. Boise State, a conference opener against Georgia Tech. Whatever it might be.”

“I think any time that you’re opening up with a really talented opponent like North Carolina is? A really talented quarterback that many people say is going to be the No. 1 or No. 2 pick in the draft next spring? It certainly heightens the urgency,” said Beamer.

Still, Beamer does think that his players need to find the right balance between excitement and nerves. He wants them to focus on themselves for the time being but to not shy away from the competitiveness that that game will bring when the moment comes at kickoff.

“Our players are aware. We need to worry about ourselves and, certainly, we will. But we love competition,” said Beamer. “We talk about competition in this program as a core value. And what better way to start the season than getting a chance to go out on national television and compete against a team that’s really, really talented and led by a fantastic quarterback? Our guys are excited.”

College GameDay will be on hand in Charlotte for this Battle of the Carolinas on September 2nd. From now until then, though, Beamer is going to spend the next month ramping his team up appropriately for their eventual matchup with Maye and the Tar Heels.

“We’ll really dive into North Carolina as we get closer to it,” said Beamer. “But, absolutely, when you start preseason camp? As you go through the dog days of preseason practice? You get in the middle of August and game one seems so far away? It’ll probably be a little bit more of an urgency this year than maybe in years past because of who we’re playing week one.”