Shane Beamer's message to wide receivers during changes to coaching staff

For the third time in the past two months, South Carolina has a different voice leading the wide receiver room. While changes to a coaching staff are part of college football, no one could have foreseen that wide receivers coach James Coley would leave Columbia just over a month after being hired.

“Didn’t think we’d be here again introducing a wide receivers coach but it is what it is,” Shane Beamer said on Friday during a media availability. “Certainly it’s not ideal but like I told the team yesterday, if somebody decides that this isn’t the place they want to be then great — wish them well and let them move on. That’s what we did with James (Coley).”

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Earlier this offseason, Beamer moved wide receivers coach Justin Stepp over to coach tight ends in order to bring in from Texas A&M wide receiver coach James Coley on staff. Six weeks later, Coley chose to jump ship at South Carolina to coach wide outs at Georgia. Naturally, that caused some Gamecock wide receivers to take to social media to express their frustration. “Mannnnn,” freshman wide Mazeo Bennett posted to Twitter/X, shortly after hearing that Coley would be leaving the Gamecocks.

“Like I told our players, it’s my job to now go try and find someone that is even better than the one that just left,” added Beamer. “No different than if someone at a college leaves to transfer somewhere else. You get the opportunity to hopefully replace them with a better player and fit in the locker room. That’s my job, not to sit around and worry about somebody that doesn’t want to be here. Let’s figure out who does want to be here. That was my message to the receivers that I met with because we had almost a week that we didn’t have a receivers coach. Just reaching out to those guys through FaceTime, text, phone calls, (and to) their parents last week just to assure them that nothing (has) changed and everything is good. Their (scholarship) offer is still good and I’m gonna hire a fantastic wide receivers coach for them. That’s what I told recruits and that’s what I told our current players.”

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Less than a week later, South Carolina announced the hiring of former Limestone (DII) head coach and NFL wide receivers coach Mike Furrey. A former NFL wide receiver, Furrey played a combined eight years in the NFL with the St. Louis Rams, the Detroit Lions, the Cleveland Browns, and the then known Washington Redskins. His best season in the NFL came during the 2006 season with the Lions when he led the NFC with 98 receptions to go with 1,086 yards and seven touchdowns.

“It’s my job as a head coach to get people here that can make you better. That want to pour into you as human beings and make you a better player. That’s what I’m gonna do right now and I think those guys are excited about it.”

Since January 3, South Carolina has made ten changes to their coaching staff. Between firings, hirings, moving coaches to coach different positions and coaches leaving, this offseason has looked more like a game of musical chairs for the Gamecocks. Make no mistake, Beamer understands the business side of the profession but he’s also focused on fulfilling a goal as head coach of USC.

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“If guys get opportunities to advance their career by going to be a head coach like Pete (Lembo) and Jody (Wright) did, great. If a guy gets an opportunity that he thinks is better for his family — in this instance I don’t have to like it, I don’t have to agree with it, it was disappointing but it immediately becomes who can I go hire now that wants to help bring a championship to Columbia, South Carolina? Because when I was hired in December of 2020 that was my goal, to bring a championship to Columbia, South Carolina. Absolutely nothing has changed. I want to do that for our players, I want to do that for our coaches, I want to do that for our amazing fans, the greatest fans in America because there’s no reason why we can’t. And if a guy doesn’t want to be here and do that with us then get the heck out of here and let me go bring somebody in in here who wants to fight his butt off and compete his butt off to bring a championship to Columbia, South Carolina because we can and we are.”

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