Two SEC coaches share 2021 Steve Spurrier award

South Carolina coach Shane Beamer and Tennessee coach Josh Heupel are co-winners of the 2021 Steve Spurrier award, the FWAA announced Monday. The award is given annually to the best first-year coach in college football.

There are two coaches this year because they are both very deserving,” Spurrier said. “Preseason, their teams were picked at the bottom of the league, 12 and 13, but instead of gloom and doom they took their players and improved every game and both finished 7-6.”

It is the second time that Heupel has won the award, which originated in the 2001 season. The first-year Volunteers head man also claimed the honor in 2018 following his first season with UCF.

Heupel took over a team that finished 3-7 in 2020 and fired its previous coach in the midst of an NCAA investigation. He led Tennessee to a winning record (7-6) this past season, losing to Purdue in the Music City Bowl.

The Volunteers lost 38 players from the season before, but retooled with several new faces. Heupel brought in quarterback Hendon Hooker from Virginia Tech, who ended the year with 2,945 yards passing, 31 touchdowns and just three interceptions. Tennessee improved its scoring offense from 21.5 points per game to 39.3 under Heupel.

Beamer, the son of legendary Virginia Tech coach Frank Beamer, also had an impressive head coaching debut. He took over a team coming off of a 2-8 campaign, leading them to a 7-6 finish and Duke’s Mayo Bowl victory.

The Gamecocks coach was presented with plenty of challenges in his inaugural season, particular at quarterback. Due to injuries, South Carolina started four different players at quarterback, including receiver Dakeron Joyner. Beamer’s squad achieved the impressive feat of becoming the second team in college football history to win games with four different quarterbacks.

This year marks the first that Steve Spurrier has been the namesake for the first-year coach award. He was a head coach for 26 years, primarily at Florida and South Carolina. He won a national championship with the Gators in 1996 and was named SEC Coach of the Year seven times.

A trophy presentation and reception will be held at Spurrier’s Gridiron Grille on Monday, Feb. 21 in Gainesville.