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Shane Beamer reacts to death of Brad Lawing

Matt Connollyby:Matt Connolly06/15/23

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Shane Beamer (Gilbert/Getty Images)

Former South Carolina assistant coach Brad Lawing passed away on Thursday at the age of 65. Lawing was an excellent defensive line coach for the Gamecocks from 2006-12.

He also spent time as an assistant at Florida State, Florida, Michigan State and Appalachian State during his coaching career.

Current Gamecocks head coach Shane Beamer was an assistant on the South Carolina staff alongside Lawing for four years, prior to Beamer taking a job at Virginia Tech. Beamer reacted to the news that Lawing has died Thursday afternoon.

“So sorry to hear this awful news …Coach Lawing loved @GamecockFB,” Beamer posted on Twitter. “Please keep his family in your prayers.”

Earlier in the day, the @GamecockFB Twitter page responded to the news that Lawing has passed away.

“Our hearts are broken hearing this terrible news,” the post said. “Thoughts and prayers go out to the friends and family of a tremendous man and coach.”

Lawing was critical to arguably the best run in South Carolina football history, helping the Gamecocks to their only SEC East title, as well as back-to-back 11-win seasons.

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He coached Gamecocks greats Jadeveon Clowney and Melvin Ingram during his time in Columbia. Lawing also coached current South Carolina defensive line coach Travian Robertson and had a big impact on his career.

When asked about how he got to this point in his career, Robertson gave Lawing plenty of credit.

Lawing coached Robertson during all five of his seasons in Columbia and helped develop him into an NFL player. After his playing career was over, Robertson eventually transitioned into coaching. He learned a lot from Lawing about being a coach.

“Coach Lawing was great for me. He’s a special guy for me, and our relationship that we had, it’s a lot different than others,” Robertson said. “He really, really poured his all into us, and we played for him. We played fast for him.”

Moreover, Lawing convinced Robertson to sign with the Gamecocks back in the day, and now he’s back at his alma mater on staff under head coach Shane Beamer after time spent in the NFL. He’ll always be special to Robertson.

“He’s got a special place in his heart for me. He offered me when I was a puppy in high school. He was at one school, then came over to the great Carolina. And he offered me here,” Robertson said. “Once I saw that he believed in me at multiple stops, I trusted him and he helped me become the player that I was while I was here.”