Shane Beamer discusses Welcome Home tour, recruiting, end of spring practice

South Carolina kicked off its annual summer head coaches’ tour, starting Tuesday night in Lancaster.

It was the first event of the Welcome Home Tour and before it Shane Beamer spoke with GamecockCentral about the tour, the impact of recruiting and the latest coming out of spring.

On starting the Welcome Home Tour

“There’s a lot of excitement last year when we did these. And I imagine there’d be even more since I was here last what we’ve done as a program. It’s awesome…I love being able to get out and about in the state and the region and visit with people.”

On getting out to meet South Carolina fans

“I think it’s great to get around and meet fans face to face and hear from them. I love hearing from so many great Gamecocks and the job we’re doing. You’re right, since the end of the season, we haven’t had much time to. It’s been recruiting and spring practice and a few events here and there. This is the first time we’ve been out and about since the season and I’m fired up.”

On the recruiting impacts from South Carolina’s spring game

“A lot. I got done talking with you guys in the press conference. I got home and stayed up late texting and talking with recruits. That’s every single one that was there and others that weren’t there. They were all like, ‘Oh my gosh.’ To be able to get out on social media all the scenes from that night to recruits—the pregame walk and atmosphere in the stadium—it was a great amount of buzz, rightfully so.

“It’s something riding up here talking to recruits and riding back tonight I’ll be on the phone with them. It’s something I still bring up and I know a lot of people are excited.”

On what’s next in potential portal additions for the Gamecocks

“I don’t think you ever feel satisfied from any position from a depth standpoint. It’s nothing we’re actively after anyone currently in the portal. We’re not. There are a few days until guys have to go in with that deadline. I know quite a few went in today. To me, in every position, you’re never satisfied. I’m not. You’re always looking at players. But we’re in a much better place at this time compared to last year at this time.

“Last year we were sitting there at 78 or 79 guys on scholarship out of a possible 85. We went into the season with that. Now we’re at least going to be at a full 85 as we stand here today going into the season. We’re in a better position from a depth standpoint. You’re never satisfied and always looking, but I do like where we are.”

On the latest with South Carolina’s Jaheim Bell and David Spaulding

“We expect them to be when they come back in June for summer workouts. They’re starting exams right now. Then they’ll get a little bit of time off if they choose to. A lot of our guys will stay around Columbia in the month of May. When everybody comes back in June they should be full speed and able to do pretty much everything.

“Spaulding may be a little farther behind because he’s coming off surgery but both those guys we expect to be full speed when we start practice. From a workout standpoint, they’ll be a lot further along than they were in spring practice.”

On what he wants to see the Gamecocks improve on before training camp

“I think we constantly have to continually improve our pass rush. You can generate pressure by bringing five or six guys. But you want to be able to generate pressure on the quarterback as much as you can with four people. Continuing to work over the summer with our defensive ends and defensive tackles to improve our pass rush. They did a good job in the spring but that’s an area we need to continue to improve.

“Offensively, we want to continue to make explosive plays in the passing game and win those quote-unquote 50-50 balls. When the ball is in the air and it’s the receiver versus the defensive back we need to win more of those battles for sure than what we did last year. You want to do it more and more.”

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