Shane Beamer explains balance of team install with returners vs. newcomers

South Carolina and head coach Shane Beamer have begun preparation for year two, kicking off spring practice with a combination of returning stars and incoming players who hope to make an immediate impact.

After practice, Shane Beamer broke down the difference between preparing returning stars and incoming players from the transfer portal and recruiting class to fit into the scheme.

“You certainly want to continue to build and tweak and there’s those things,” said Beamer. “So I don’t think you really change too much. You know that every time you start practice – whether it be in January or whether it be in August – you’re going to have new faces. Transfers, high school enrollees, whatever it may be. I think you just install your offense and know that RJ Roderick and Brad Johnson and Zacch Pickens and the returners on defense and the returners on offense, they’re going to be a little bit further along because they do have a year in this system compared to maybe a Donovan Westmoreland or an Anthony Rose or Peyton Williams or D’Andre Martin, whoever that doesn’t.

“You certainly understand that. But the one thing that definitely helps is the fact that we’re allowed to meet with them and do some walk-throughs before spring practice. Within the rules with what the NCAA allows, before we take the field before practice, we’re already four weeks into installing and teaching and learning and things like that as well. That certainly helps once you get out there on the field.”

In addition to the defensive players named by Beamer in his response, former five-star recruit and Oklahoma star Spencer Rattler, ranked the No. 11 overall prospect in On3’s Transfer Portal Rankings, will compete for the starting job. In addition, several other transfers complete the 2022 roster.

Shane Beamer on first scrimmage

Shane Beamer told reporters what he’s looking for in the scrimmage this weekend. It might be tough because he said the injury report “looks like a rainbow” because of the different designations. That said, the staff has a plan to evaluate things.

“Like all the scrimmages that we’ve always done, we’ll play it like a game and have a lot of [driving] the ball open field,” Beamer said. “But also make sure we have enough structured situations where we get some third-down work, we get some red-zone work, we get some two-minute offense work, we get some two-minute offense work. We get some short-yardage to goal line just in case it doesn’t come up during the course of play. Being able to kick and punt and things like that, as well. To see those specialists get out there, as well, will be critical.”