Shane Beamer breaks down South Carolina’s redzone struggles

South Carolina head coach Shane Beamer watched his team enter the redzone three times in the fourth quarter Saturday versus North Carolina. The Gamecocks came away with just a field goal on those three attempts as they lost 31-17.

Beamer told the media this week the team needs to be better when they get into that part of the field.

“I wouldn’t say play calling,” Beamer said. “I think it was just execution and penalties. Three times, like I told you guys on Sunday night, on three different possessions, we have a 1st-and-10 inside the 22 yard line and we got three points out of that. It’s tough. If you just kick a field goal like we did on the one and then score two touchdowns, you’re going to overtime at the minimum, and we didn’t get that done.”

The first of those three possessions ended with a field goal to make the score, 31-17, with 12:19 left in the fourth quarter.

South Carolina got down to the North Carolina 13-yard line and 11-yard line before negative plays put the team back behind the sticks and later led to two turnovers on downs.

“We had a play where we threw a little perimeter play out there and we got beat at wide receiver and their corner beat our receiver and we had a tackle for a loss and you go backwards. We got beat with the poor technique. We had a mental error on the offensive line where we turn their defensive end free. If we don’t, we’re getting ready to probably punt the ball to Trey Knox for a touchdown. He’s going to be so open in the endzone or I think it was (Xavier) Legette on the corner route on the other side of the field. So that’s a mental error.”

Prior to those missed opportunities, South Carolina had entered the redzone on two of their first eight possessions. The Gamecocks scored touchdowns on both possessions.

“We got to be able to win our one on ones, make people miss and things like that,” Beamer said. “But when you get down there and then you go backwards either because of penalties or negative plays, it’s tough to overcome as well. I thought the play calling was good. Certainly could be better. We all can be better. Executions got to be better. You guys watched that game last night and redzone, situational football is the story of last night and certainly hurt us on Saturday night as well not being able to be better in the redzone.”