Shane Beamer's South Carolina Debut Actually Won't Be His First Kick At The Can

Despite popular opinion, new South Carolina football coach Shane Beamer won't be acting as a head coach for the first time next season. Not technically, anyway.

Beamer is the son of legendary Virginia Tech coach Frank Beamer, and as relayed by News19 in Columbia, S.C., the younger Beamer once had to fill in for his dad.

It happened in 2014, when Frank Beamer had to undergo throat surgery at the end of the regular season. Shane Beamer filled in as interim coach, getting the Hokies ready for a Military Bowl battle with Cincinnati.

And in that game, a 31-17 Virginia Tech win, it was Shane taking charge on the sideline while Frank directed from the press box.

So hey, the Gamecocks should be happy to know that their new coach is 1-0 in bowl games. Or at least one-half-and-0.

"I've been an associate head coach. In December of 2014, my dad had some health issues that prevented him from coaching an entire month and coaching in a bowl game," Beamer said at his introductory news conference this week.

"So for an entire month, I was the acting head coach of the football program at Virginia Tech. I ran staff meetings. I ran practices. I put together game plans and then we went out and beat a great Cincinnati team in the Military Bowl. So having that experience was beneficial."

Beamer had been serving as assistant coach under Lincoln Riley at Oklahoma since 2018.

South Carolina is scheduled to open next season on Sept. 4 vs. Eastern Illinois, an FBS program.