Live updates: Shane Beamer, Dowell Loggains press conference

For the first time since the bowl announcement, Shane Beamer is set to meet with the South Carolina media.

The Gamecocks’ head coach will meet with the media at 10 a.m. South Carolina just named Dowell Loggains the offensive coordinator, begins bowl practice Thursday and had multiple defections to the transfer portal.

GamecockCentral is on hand for it providing live updates.

Follow along with live updates here.

From South Carolina media relations

University of South Carolina head football coach Shane Beamer has named Dowell Loggains as the Gamecocks’ offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach, it was announced today.

Loggains, 42, has spent the past two seasons as the tight ends coach the University of Arkansas as part of Sam Pittman’s staff. Equipped with a wealth of experience as an offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach from his time in the NFL, Loggains has also established himself as an excellent recruiter in his two-year stint with the Razorbacks, ranking in the top 25 nationally.

Loggains spent 16 years in the NFL (2005-2020) with six different organizations, primarily as a quarterbacks coach, including seven seasons as an offensive coordinator. He served as either an offensive coordinator or quarterbacks coach for the Tennessee Titans (2010-13), Cleveland Browns (2014), Chicago Bears (2015-17), Miami Dolphins (2018) or New York Jets (2019-20).

•Subscribe to Gamecock Central until the 2023 football season for only $10!

Loggains served as the New York Jets offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach in 2019 and 2020. During his first season in The Meadowlands, he guided an offense that was among the league’s most proficient on opening drives, scoring 40 first-possession points. Quarterback Sam Darnold’s numbers improved from his rookie campaign, increasing his completion percentage, passing yards, touchdown passes and passer rating while also lowering his interceptions.

Loggains oversaw a Miami offense that averaged 4.68 yards per rush in 2018, the NFL’s ninth-best mark. The Dolphins also ranked second in the league with 14 passing touchdowns of 20+ yards. Running back Kenyan Drake become one of just nine players in the league to register at least four rushing and receiving touchdowns while producing over 1,000 total yards.

Loggains began a three-year stint in Chicago in 2015 as the Bears’ quarterbacks coach, where he mentored Jay Cutler to a career season as the 10-year veteran posted then single-season bests in passer rating and yards per attempt, all while reducing his interception total by seven from the previous season.

Loggains was promoted to the Bears’ offensive coordinator in 2016 and helped running back Jordan Howard finish sixth in the league with 1,313 yards rushing as a rookie. In 2017, he helped Mitchell Trubisky, the second overall selection in the draft, transition to NFL starter as the quarterback finished second among rookie passers in yards and passer rating in 12 starts.

He also groomed another rookie, fourth-round pick Tarik Cohen, that season. The running back became the first rookie since 1965 and first player since 1975 to record a rushing, passing, receiving and punt return touchdown in the same season. Both running back Jordan Howard and guard Josh Sitton earned Pro Bowl selections under Loggains’ watch during the year as Howard again produced 1,000+ yards rushing.

•Gamecock Central Bowl Pick ‘em Contest with cool prizes

Loggains worked as the Cleveland Browns quarterbacks coach in 2014 under offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan. He helped quarterback Brian Hoyer to a career season as the six-year veteran won seven games (in 13 starts) and threw for over 3,000 yards while the offense produced 31 passes of 25+ yards, the 10th most of any team in the league.

Loggains began his coaching career with Tennessee in 2006, and spent eight seasons with the Titans in a variety of roles, ultimately serving as the offensive coordinator for the final five games of 2012 and all of 2013. After head coach Mike Munchak elevated him to full-time offensive coordinator, he helped wide receiver Kendall Wright and running back Chris Johnson become just the organization’s fifth 1,000-yard receiving/rushing combo as Wright brought in 94 catches for 1,079 yards and Johnson gained 1,077 yards on the ground.

Loggains began his career with the Titans as a coaching administrative assistant (2006-07) and quality control coach (2008-09) before spending the next three seasons as the quarterbacks/passing game coordinator, helping quarterback Vince Young achieve a career-high passer rating in 2010, garnering a Pro Bowl appearance.

Loggains first professional experience came with the Dallas Cowboys as a scouting assistant in 2005. In that role, he helped the Cowboys with opponent film breakdown and statistical analysis to be used for game-plan preparation.

Loggains attended the University of Arkansas, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in kinesiology in 2003 and a master’s degree in education in 2005. He walked-on to the Razorback football program in 2000 as a quarterback and holder before earning a scholarship and becoming a four-year letterman, appearing in 50 games.

Discuss South Carolina football on The Insiders Forum!