Shane Beamer: South Carolina needs 'great urgency' in August

South Carolina has made several strides over Shane Beamer’s two-year stint in Columbia. However, to get where they want to go this fall, especially with who they’re opening against, the Gamecock head coach is expecting another leap from his group.

Beamer spoke on South Carolina’s goals over the course of fall camp in a press conference on Thursday. He said the main focus at the moment is making the necessary improvements this month, including with their young players, in order to be where they want to be come kickoff in Charlotte on September 2nd.

“We got better this summer. There’s no doubt about it. But now the key is going to be, for us? We’ve got to get better in August,” said Beamer.

“There needs to be great urgency on this team because of who we’re opening up with and how quickly we’ve got to get better,” Beamer continued. “There should be great urgency to get these freshmen that we have ready to play as quick as possible. We’re going to need them in game one as well.”

Playing North Carolina in the opener is a big-time hurdle for the Gamecocks. They’ll be facing a program that won nine games a season ago under Mack Brown and boasted a Top-30 offense in the country with one of the nation’s best quarterbacks, Drake Maye, leading them.

Even so, this development that Beamer wants to see is more than just about the Tar Heels. It’s about taking their next step as a program in his third year after already improving their win total in each of the last two.

It’s been so far, so good this offseason to Beamer but, with the season drawing closer, he wants South Carolina to lock in on what they need to in August so they can be at their best from the start.

“From what I’ve seen since January and now throughout the summer? We’re on the right track. But these next four weeks will be critical, critical for us,” said Beamer.

Beamer discusses the significance of being part of College GameDay

For Shane Beamer, being on College GameDay in Week 1 is a testament to how far his program has come. Set to enter his third season with the Gamecocks, they will play a primetime matchup against North Carolina on Sept. 2 in Charlotte.

That national interest simply wasn’t there when Beamer took over and the College GameDay appearance is proof of otherwise.

“It’s a great statement about where we’ve come,” Beamer said. “I was telling somebody earlier today that two years ago at this time? It was about the same time a national media member made the statement that the ceiling for the 2021 team was two wins. To go from that where we were picked sixth or seventh in the SEC East my first season? To now you have College GameDay coming — two really good teams in the season opener? It makes a really great statement about the progress we’ve made and some of the things we’ve accomplished.”

Beamer hopes it can be the start of another great season. Even so, he added that the Gamecocks are still far from where they want to be despite the progress made.

“I’m certainly proud of that, but we also know we’re nowhere near being where we’re gonna go,” the coach said. “There’s a lot more that we can do in this program and are gonna continue to do as we build this program and move it forward. Proud of the strides that we’ve made in two seasons. But I think we’re all aware that there is a lot we can be better at as well.”