Skip to main content
south-carolina logo

Shane Beamer challenges next year's offensive line: 'It's time for them to step up'

imageby:Jack Veltri•about 21 hours•

jacktveltri

Untitled design-272
Shane Beamer (Katie Dugan/GamecockCentral)

Progress was undoubtedly made. That much was certain from how South Carolina’s offensive line looked at the start of the season compared to now. 

Coming off a year in which the Gamecocks gave up 41 sacks, the only real way to go from that low point was up. There were some shared struggles as the 2024 season began, but the blocking became much sharper with only seven sacks allowed in the last five games.

Even though the unit’s play improved, head coach Shane Beamer has higher standards than that. He knows there will be some losses on the line going into next season. But with some returnees and new faces joining the fold, he believes there’s a chance to take another step forward.

It’s going to take more from everyone involved to get to that point, though.

“I feel good. We’ve got some young players that are in our program,” Beamer said. “It’s time for them to step up. It’s time for us as coaches to develop them, and it’s time for those players to develop.”

[Join GamecockCentral: $1 for 7 days]

After the bowl game, South Carolina will officially lose three starters on the offensive line, specifically on the interior. Vershon Lee, a longtime starter who played center this year, will move on to his next endeavor. The same can be said for Torricelli Simpkins III and Kamaar Bell, both of whom transferred to Columbia with one year of eligibility remaining.

That means the Gamecocks will not only lose their starting center but two starting guards as well. They were quick to make new additions this month with interior offensive linemen Nick Sharpe and Rodney Newsom Jr. coming in from the transfer portal.

Sharpe comes from Wake Forest, where he appeared in all 12 games as a redshirt junior in 2024. He’ll have one year of eligibility remaining. Newsom, ranked as the No. 10 interior offensive lineman in the portal, will have two years of eligibility left after playing at Western Kentucky this year. He also spent time at Itawamba Community College and Memphis.

While it seems the team has their new starting guards, Beamer hinted at more IOL options coming before next season begins.

“We need to increase the competition,” he said. “That’s a room that I think we’re still looking for interior offensive lineman in the portal. Fact of the matter is, we lose our center and both guards.”

South Carolina will also return a heap of players from this year’s team, including Cason Henry and Josiah Thompson, who both started at the offensive tackle spots. Not to mention, Tree Babalade and Trovon Baugh, who started as freshmen in 2023, will be back for 2025.

“We got young guys; it’s time for them to step up,” Beamer said. “But we also need to continue to bolster the competition in that room. We’ve done that already, but I wouldn’t say that we’re done there yet either.”

Discuss South Carolina football on The Insiders Forum!

You may also like