Shane Beamer reveals what this season has meant for the progress of South Carolina program

South Carolina head coach Shane Beamer looks to be creating something special in Columbia, bettering the team’s record every season since he’s arrived and now having them poised for their second straight bowl game appearance this month. The No. 19 ranked Gamecocks will square off against No. 21 Notre Dame in the TaxSlayer Gator Bowl this year, an accomplished that may not have been expected from South Carolina heading into the season.

“It’s huge and I am proud of the progress, two years ago this team was 2-8 and then last year to go to a bowl game and win it and then this year to have multiple bowls that are fighting over you as well,” Beamer said. “I mean coach Tanner probably felt like a 5-star recruit this week with all the people that wanted us in their game, so I’m proud of the progress we’ve made.”

South Carolina athletic director Ray Tanner may have had fun being a hot commodity for multiple bowl games, but he wasn’t having as much fun before Beamer’s arrival. The Gamecocks hadn’t made a bowl appearance since 2018 prior to Beamer taking over, and will now be seeking their second straight bowl win on December 30.

The Gamecocks also achieved their first eight-win season since 2017, capping off the year with back-to-back upset victories over top 10 ranked opponents fighting for College Football Playoff contention.

“Certainly the last two weeks have been monumental for our program just on a national stage and with recruits as well that validates what we’re doing and that we’re on the right track. And we were doing some great things already before that and recruiting was going really well before that, but certainly being able to do what we did against Tennessee and Clemson was huge and has done nothing but create more energy,” Beamer explained.

Beamer elaborated on the positive energy their successful home stretch of their season has created, as they’ll look to carry that momentum into their bowl game and beyond in recruiting this offseason.

“There was a lot more, I don’t want to say excitement, but it was a lot more fun walking into high schools last week coming off a win over Clemson and a win over Tennessee than it was the previous year when we hadn’t done that,” Beamer said.