Shane Beamer after win over Kentucky: This one was bigger than others

South Carolina pulled off one of the biggest upsets of the weekend on Saturday night, knocking off Kentucky 24-14 in Lexington. The triumph over Kentucky was not only an important one for the Gamecocks, but it was one that hit close to the heart of South Carolina head coach Shane Beamer.

Beamer’s emotions were on display following the victory. When he entered the South Carolina locker room after the game, Beamer addressed his team and quickly took a shot at Kentucky head coach Mark Stoops before breaking out into dance and celebration.

Beamer then entered the media room, and his emotions were on display. A can’t miss smile was across his face, and Beamer was not shy about sharing what this moment means to both him and his program.

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“I’d be lying – when y’all asked me earlier this week if some of these were bigger than others, I lied to you and told you it was just another opportunity,” Beamer started. “This one was really big for us tonight in so many ways… I’m sure you all heard that locker room in there. That’s a joyous locker room. I’m just so happy for our players and our fans. It’s a great night for all Gamecocks.”

South Carolina’s win over Kentucky hit home for Beamer

Two years ago, Beamer was hired as South Carolina’s next head coach. At the time, he was an assistant on the Oklahoma Sooners coaching staff. As he sat at home sidelined with COVID, Beamer awaited a call from the Gamecocks as he hoped to become their next head coach.

One night, as South Carolina was facing off against Kentucky, Beamer received that anticipated call. He was the new head coach of the Gamecocks, and the news became official on the same night that Kentucky beat up on South Carolina, winning 41-18 in Lexington.

Between that point and now, Beamer has led South Carolina’s program in a new direction. And the weight of that wasn’t lost on him after the big victory on Saturday night.

“I just told the team in there that it wasn’t lost on me that two years ago, South Carolina came up here and there was a bunch of players on this team that were there that night. It’s not lost on me that that was certainly a low point for the players in this program,” said Beamer. “Coach had been fired, came up here and got beat handedly. Literally during the game, I’m watching it on television back in Norman, Oklahoma and during the game is when [South Carolina AD Ray] Tanner and Chance [Miller] reached out.

“I’ll never forget Coach Tanner calling me and saying, ‘You ready to do this?’ I said ‘I’ve been waiting my whole life for you to say that.’ The players came in that night and walked into this same locker room and saw the news and probably – Jaheim [Bell] I knew because I recruited him in high school, [Dakareon Joyner] I knew, I recruited him. Everyone else probably said who in the heck is Shane Beamer? And he’s our new head coach. For those guys to go from that point, where they were less than two years ago to this night up here is pretty, pretty special.”

South Carolina has now won three games in a row, improving to 4-2 on the 2022 season heading into the bye week.