Video: Shane Beamer postgame press conference after the South Carolina vs. Vanderbilt football game

South Carolina football coach Shane Beamer answered questions from the media following the Gamecocks’ 28-7 win over the Vanderbilt Commodores. Here’s what he had to say.

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Highlights of what Beamer had to say

By Jack Veltri

— Hopes Diego Pavia is OK. He’s a heck of a player. He makes it really, really hard to stop him.

— Really proud of the football team to come into this stadium and win. It’s not easy coming in here and winning. To have a three-score win over a ranked team and beat a ranked team is a huge accomplishment. Really happy for the guys.

— Everyone thought there would be a letdown after last week. It’s really satisfying to get this win. Liked the way they responded to adversity in this game. Did a really good job of responding on offense. That’s the mark of a really good team.

— Don’t rank South Carolina this week. Let them lay low. That’s how they like it. Let people keep crapping on this team.

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— Thinks it’s ridiculous that live mascots aren’t allowed here while a Tiger can be on the field at LSU. Sir Big Spur gave the team a sendoff yesterday. Says Vandy needs to do better.

— Got a special group. That’s what is so exciting about this team. Told them they get at least another month together since they became bowl eligible tonight. Awesome night tonight. It felt like Williams-Brice Stadium in here.

— Kudos to the guys on defense to come in and step up tonight with the injuries. Able to rotate a lot of guys. Kudos to Peyton Williams for coming in and playing. Trainer told him DQ Smith was going to be out since he tweaked something.

— It was really cool to become bowl eligible tonight just like they did two years ago when they became bowls eligible here. Says it’s extra special after how last season went. Having six wins with three games to go, so happy for the guys.

— Good to see Tree Babalade come in and do what he did in a tough situation. Josiah Thompson has a little bit of a lower body issue. Doesn’t think it’s anything serious. Tree has played a lot of football around here and did a good job.

— Knew they needed to get better at their screen game on offense. Worked hard on that during the bye week and it was good to see Rocket pop one in the fourth quarter.

— Tried to be disruptive on first and second down to slow down Vandy’s offense. They present more personnel groupings and formations than anyone in this league. It’s a challenge. Thought Clayton White and the defense did a great job.

— Knew they had to be good on third down tonight. They went 9-of-12. Need to stay on the field. This is going to be critical. Thought it was a lot of great individual plays to get the job done.

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— Thinks back to last year. Takes out some steam on The State for how atrocious some of their stories have been. Calls one specific story from last year one of the most embarrassing pieces of journalism he’s seen. He did this in making the point that they haven’t fallen as a program. This is a team that continues to get better. Demetrius Knight told him they’re just getting started as they were coming off the field.

— LaNorris Sellers did a really good job of managing everything. He was really good from a stat and turnover standpoint. He’s just a player who continues to get better each week.

— Knight is a relentless competitor. The guys have a great level of respect for him. He’s just a really good football player. He’s impressing teams at the next level. Happy for him. He’s right at the top of good guys in this program.

— Rocket Sanders is healthier now. Been able to knock some of the rust off. For the most part, the perimeter blocking has been better. He just continues to gain confidence. He is having fun.

— When Tonka Hemingway went down, he was initially told it was his shoulder. Doesn’t know right now. Seemed fine in the locker room afterwards. That was a physical game. Knew it was going to be.

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