It’s been a week to forget for University of South Carolina fans and head coach Shane Beamer alike.
The Gamecocks were on the wrong end of a 41-39 final score in Saturday’s loss against the University of Florida. Following the game, Beamer had a lot to say about where his team came up short.
South Carolina appeared to be in control of the momentum in Saturday’s game, trailing 27-24 at the start of the fourth quarter. Two early touchdowns gave the Gamecocks a 10-point lead, but Florida refused to give up. The Gators scored two touchdowns of their own to retake the lead, and the winning score came on a 21-yard touchdown reception by Ricky Pearsall with less than a minute remaining.
In the postgame press conference, Beamer dished out plenty of blame but stopped short of holding himself accountable. However, he’s now holding himself accountable for his actions following Saturday’s loss.
The South Carolina head coach told reporters on Tuesday that he broke his foot, kicking something he shouldn’t have during the loss.
“I broke my foot on Saturday, so I’d rather just get it out there and say it. And not have y’all speculating and then after the game on Saturday at Missouri you ask,” Beamer said, via On3’s Matt Connolly. “I called coach [Ray] Tanner, told him, made sure he was OK with it and he died laughing when I told him. So I guess there’s not a lot of empathy from him. It was after the game, and certainly, that was a gut-wrenching, emotional loss, and I was frustrated and kicked something that I shouldn’t have kicked.”
Those in the college football world were quick to react to the news that Beamer broke his foot.
I can’t throw stones at Beamer here. I punched a door after West Virginia scored their 100th touchdown against Clemson in that 2012 Orange Bowl……
I also was 14 years old and not the Head Coach of a Power 5 program but that’s neither here nor there. https://t.co/8nFioiUT0p
— Right Field Renegades (Klubnik’s Army) (@RfRenegades) October 17, 2023
Of course he did. People are seeing what I warned about when he was hired. Way too emotional, not mature enough to be a leader of an organization, and no experience turns into a problem in the SEC. He won everyone over because he made a lot of friends as an assistant in AC https://t.co/O1YOEBsTyy
— Matt Barber (@MattBarber60) October 17, 2023
After seeing the way he has handled himself after losses I’m not too surprised. Dial it back just a bit Shane! You don’t need to hurt yourself. https://t.co/4HmFbfbi6R
— Dan Wolken (@DanWolken) October 17, 2023
Today I woke up with knee pain, for no particular reason at all.
Silver lining: It’s better to be old and washed than to be a middle-aged man throwing temper tantrums like an unhinged college kid. https://t.co/ft6gw4empz
— Nick Roush (@RoushKSR) October 17, 2023
Coach Beamer was quick to blame the chair he kicked for lack of preparation and commitment to his plan.
“I can only kick, I can’t make the chair not want to be kicked” https://t.co/T88KfNnC6h
— Transfer Portal (@NCAAPortal) October 17, 2023
Guys be careful he might find a way to blame this on somebody else https://t.co/5Ht4jYqaCj
— Barstool Rocky Top (@BarstoolTenn) October 17, 2023
It remains to be seen if Beamer will be coaching from crutches—or with a boot—during this Saturday’s matchup against Mizzou.
[On3]
About Sam Neumann
Since the beginning of 2023, Sam has been a staff writer for Awful Announcing and The Comeback. A 2021 graduate of Temple University, Sam is a Charlotte native, who currently calls Greenville, South Carolina his home. He also has a love/hate relationship with the New York Mets and Jets.