The University of South Carolina officially announced Sunday’s assistant at Oklahoma, Shane Beamer, as the program’s 36th head coach.
He will sign up for University President Bob Caslen and athletics director Ray Tanner at an introductory video press convention Monday at the same time.
Reports emerged Saturday night, after South Carolina’s defeat at the end of the normal season in Kentucky, that Beamer would return to Colombia to lead the Gamecocks after serving as an assistant in 2007-10.
“I think Shane Beamer is the best user to be the lead football coach at the University of South Carolina,” Tanner said in a statement. “He worked with some of the best coaches in school football and took those classes to one of the brilliant young minds in football.
“The energy, enthusiasm, commitment and inclination of I Shane for our school and our program will be welcomed through our students-athletes, staff and fans. “
Welcome home, @CoachSBeamer!Pic. twitter. com/L0B7caQ2oh
Beamer has never held a position of head coach or coordinator, however, he has been an assistant at seven FBS schools for more than 21 seasons. The 43-year-old is from Charleston and two of his three children were born in Colombia. more than 3 seasons as Oklahoma’s assistant head coach on the offensive, training closed wings and overseeing special teams.
He replaces Will Muschamp, who fired seven games in his fifth season with the Gamecocks on November 15. Offensive coordinator Mike Bobo has been interim head coach for the last three games of the normal season. After starting the season 2-2, USC has lost six consecutive games.
Now in his third season with the Sooners, Beamer is Oklahoma’s assistant head coach on offense, the close-end coach and oversees special teams.
“I’ve been preparing for this moment all my life,” Beamer said in a statement. “I’m in a position and excited to be head football coach at the University of South Carolina. I thank all the head coaches I’ve worked for, the training assistants and the student-athletes I’ve worked with.
“My circle of relatives and I are excited to be back in Colombia and the state of South Carolina. “
He was an assistant to the Gamecocks from 2007 to 2010, and was the recruiting coordinator for his last two seasons. Recruits he helped get included Marcus Lattimore, Stephon Gilmore, Alshon Jeffery, Connor Shaw and D. J. Swear.
He left South Carolina to spend four seasons with his father, Frank Beamer, coach of the Virginia Tech Hall of Fame. Shane Beamer also played for the Hokies as an open catcher who later became a long pargo and participated in the 1999 national championship game.
Beamer left Virginia Tech and spent two seasons in Georgia before taking up his current position with the Sooners. He also held SEC assistant positions in the state of Mississippi and his current job as a graduate assistant from 2001 to 2003, former Tennessee coach Phillip Fulmer.
“I think Shane’s going to be a very smart head coach,” Oklahoma coach Lincoln Riley recently told reporters. “He is very delighted to be in paintings with several other boys and various other systems in other parts of the country. And obviously, you know, very internal wisdom of one of the most productive in doing it in his father’s house.
“Shane has a smart way with him. He did a wonderful job with the kids and fantastic. I’ll be excited for him. “