Shane Beamer shares reaction to being hired as South Carolina head coach

South Carolina coach Shane Beamer was optimistic about his chances of landing the Gamecocks head coaching job after going through the interview process.

Beamer recently sat down with Adam Breneman on the Next Up with Adam Breneman podcast and shared his reaction to learning that he would be the next head football coach at the University of South Carolina.

Gamecocks Athletics Director Ray Tanner called Beamer on Saturday, Dec. 5, 2020 to deliver him the news.

“It didn’t take me long to accept. That was probably 9 or 10 o’clock in Oklahoma time. Walked out of the room – my wife and three children, they were just sitting there waiting for me to come out of the room,” Beamer said. “I didn’t have to say anything. I just kind of shook my head yes that we got the job. Obviously we had this huge family bear hug. It was an emotional moment and a lot of fun.”

There wasn’t much time for Beamer and his family to celebrate, though. He immediately had a long list of things to get done before leaving for South Carolina.

“I didn’t tell anybody except my mom and dad. I called my parents to let them know. I think we called my in-laws to let them know. And then the next thing you know it’s breaking on national media and your phone immediately starts blowing up with phone calls and text messages,” Beamer recalled.

“At this point, it’s getting to be late. We had to sign the term sheet so they could send the plane. My computer wasn’t working or something, so we had to call a neighbor to come over to the house to help us with that, so we could sign the term sheet and get it back in. And I don’t think I really called anybody specifically about the job until the next day.”

Beamer flew to South Carolina Sunday morning and was introduced at a press conference Monday morning.

He had plenty of work to get done, both before and after the press conference.

“Sunday morning got on a plane, flew over here. The first thing I did was come to the facility. And then all I did the rest of the day on Sunday was I met with every coach that was in the program here, just to kind of tell them where they stood,” Beamer said.

“Because I had been a part of a transition before where the head coach never met with the existing staff. He sent the athletic director in, and the athletic director said, ‘He doesn’t want to keep any of you guys except he does want to meet with you, you and you tomorrow.’ And I just thought that that was bull crap. So I was like, ‘You know what, I’ve been on the other side of it, if I ever get a head coaching job, I’m going to at least take the time to sit down with the coaches and have a conversation with them.’”

Beamer also met with his team and immediately hit the ground running on the recruiting trail.

He has been an excellent recruiter with the Gamecocks, and South Carolina currently has the No. 6 class in the country for 2024, according to the On3 Industry rankings.

“The very first team meeting, just introduced myself. That was Sunday,” Beamer said. “And then the rest of that day was like recruiting calls. And then the next day, that Monday, is when we did the press conference.”