What South Carolina coach Shane Beamer said about Notre Dame after Gator Bowl

South Carolina head coach Shane Beamer was animated during numerous points of the Gamecocks’ Gator Bowl loss to Notre Dame. Here’s what Beamer had to say about the Irish after the game.

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Opening statement

“First of all, congratulations to Coach [Marcus] Freeman and Notre Dame. He’s got a heck of a team, and what a football game that was out there tonight, and what a great environment. Congratulations to them.”

On the Notre Dame defense stifling South Carolina in the second half

“They didn’t do anything different, we just didn’t perform as well as we needed to. Had an opportunity there after the interception that Nick Barrett got, plus territory. I think we were up one score at that point. We’ve got to punch that in for seven at that point. Give them credit, they’ve got a good football team. They kind of did what they do, and we got beat out there on the perimeter a couple times on some perimeter plays, and just didn’t execute as well as we needed to.”

On South Carolina’s fake field goal for a touchdown

“It was just something that we had some options off that play and something that we felt good about going into the game. I just felt we had some momentum, and I forget what yard line we were on, but there was a little bit of wind out there and had confidence in Mitch [Jeter] being able to hit a field goal there, no question about it, but just something that we felt good about, and Kai [Kroeger] has got some options off the play based on how they cover it, and we’ve got some pretty good athletes out there in Hunter Rogers and Mitch Jeter both and Kai has got a great feel for it.

“Just wanted to be aggressive coming into this game, and that was an opportunity for us to do something. We knew special teams was going to be key in this game. They had a huge play on the fake punt, and we certainly had some opportunities to do some things, as well, and didn’t get it done.”

On his unsportsmanlike conduct penalty

“I’ll say this, I don’t believe I deserved to get a flag. I hate to see it sometimes when officials try to make the game about them. And I’ll be honest, I think a couple times in the first half that took place. We got talked to more in 30 minutes than we did 12 games in the SEC this season.

“The group of guys that were on our sideline in the second half, awesome, professional and all that. First half, disappointed with some things. But again, I’ve got to be better. I can’t get us 15-yard penalties, and I told the team that at halftime.”

On Notre Dame quarterback Tyler Buchner

“He’s a good athlete. He was the starting quarterback at the beginning of the season for a reason, and I know how talented Drew Pyne is. When I was at Oklahoma we recruited Drew Pyne like crazy and were crushed when we didn’t get him and I know how talented Drew is, so for Tyler, I don’t know him, but for him to be named the starting quarterback going into the season kind of tells you everything you needed to know about him.

“I don’t know the severity of his injury that he had at the beginning of the season, but what a tough kid he is to go out there and run the ball like they did tonight. They made some nice calls with him, and he’s a good athlete. He made some big-time throws, and they certainly caught our young DBs in some plays that were tough on us, and he did a great job of capitalizing on it, as well. But he didn’t look a lot different to answer your question. He looked good the first two games, and he played well tonight.”

On South Carolina’s penalties on the final drive of the game

“I know they had the personal foul, unsportsmanlike earlier in the draw that gave us 15 yards and I didn’t see exactly what happened. I think they were being pretty aggressive with Spencer [Rattler] on the ground. Official said he didn’t see that. But regardless, they’re usually going to catch the second guy. So we’ve got to be smarter there and not come in there and retaliate and get a 15-yard penalty there.

“They made the call, but that can’t happen. We’ve been a disciplined football team, and we told the team coming into the game that in bowl games it’s like a first game because there is such a long layoff, whether it be special teams plays, you saw that today, missed tackles, but penalties especially.

We pride ourselves on playing smart football, and we did today. We didn’t retaliate a couple times and they got 15-yard penalties, but certainly that’s a critical one when you’re in plus territory and then you get an intentional grounding — I guess it was back to back plays, intentional grounding, and then a late hit unsportsmanlike, that’s a tough way to finish for sure.”