'Just bad ball': Beamer assesses rough special teams performance against Wofford

They knew it was probably coming. Shane Beamer preached it all week, knowing they were going to face a team in their final game of the year with nothing to lose.

And Beamer was right. From the start of South Carolina’s Tuesday team meeting, he made sure they were ready for what Wofford might do. But even though they were prepared for it, it didn’t make all too much of a difference when it actually happened.

Though the No. 18 Gamecocks rolled to a 56-12 win on Saturday, they struggled mightily on special teams in what was a rough performance for coordinator Joe DeCamillis’ group.

[GamecockCentral: $1 for 7 days and 50% off first year]

After taking a 14-3 lead in the second quarter, South Carolina’s defense saw Wofford run not one but two trick plays on the next possession. On 4th and 2 in plus territory — after a timeout — the Terriers lined up for an obvious fake punt.

The Gamecocks were ready for it, but it didn’t matter as Wofford ran a jet motion sweep pass where running back Kyle Parsons came around the edge and took a flip pass from linebacker Jon Schaffer. Parsons, already on the run since he was in motion, ran near the far sideline and got enough to pick up a first down to extend the drive.

“They pulling all the tricks out the hat. And I think they got like three yards on it,” Debo Williams said. “We were ready for it. But we just got to do more executing, so they don’t get that.”

Coincidentally, Notre Dame ran the same exact play against South Carolina in the Gator Bowl two years ago, which led to the Irish scoring a touchdown to take the lead in the fourth quarter of that game. Beamer remembered and pointed that out when he broke down what happened after Wofford ran that play.

“Against Notre Dame, we were in our punt pressure team meaning the people that come on the field to block punts and return punts,” he said. “Tonight, we were actually in our safe defense where we were ready for a fake. They did a good job of securing the edge and we allowed that guy to get inside. It wasn’t like a shock on that one. We were in a safe call for the fake and we just didn’t defend it well enough.”

Five plays later, Wofford caught South Carolina lacking once again, and this time with a fake field goal. And just like before, the trick play came right after a timeout.

The Terriers lined up to kick a long field goal but subtly switched their formation. Backup quarterback Bryce Corriston completed a 36-yard touchdown pass to defensive back Jahaad Scales. But the play was nullified by a false start penalty that forced Wofford to have to punt.

“We saw the guy, 48 maybe, he was in there in lined up as the tight end closes to us and he is in there in a three-point stance. He is not in there to block. As soon as they got to the line of scrimmage, I knew something was up,” Beamer said.

“I was on the headphones with Joe D and Clayton (White) both like, we need to call a timeout. Then, once they shifted, we checked into a look to defend the fake and we were in position, we just didn’t defend it very well.”

[On3 App: Get South Carolina push notifications from GamecockCentral]

In the span of one drive, Wofford made South Carolina look silly on special teams. Then in the third quarter, a short 32-yard punt hit off Gamecock defensive back Peyton Williams and was recovered by the Terriers, leading to an eventual field goal at the start of the fourth quarter.

While Beamer had the team ready for these situations, he blamed himself for not doing a “very good job of conveying that to our players” in practice this week. For a program that has usually been very solid on special teams, Saturday was an anomaly. And with an important road trip to Clemson coming up, Beamer will make sure those problems are fixed.

“Obviously, I didn’t deliver the message well enough on Tuesday that they were going to fake some stuff. It was their last game. They don’t play next week. They are going to let it all hang out and I don’t blame them,” he said.

“Disappointing that that happened. We just have to coach it better. Both of those situations. Just have to be better on special teams overall. Let a punt hit us tonight and gave a possession back. Just bad ball, bad coaching, starting with me.”

Discuss South Carolina football on The Insiders Forum!