Rejuvenated Aggies can't afford to overlook Shane Beamer's Gamecocks

Sons often want to be like their fathers. Surely, Shane Beamer does.

If he’s as successful as his father he will — quite literally — become a college football coaching legend.

Shane is the son of Hall of Fame coach Frank Beamer, who was renowned for spectacular special teams. He retired in 2015 as the winningest coach in Virginia Tech history with 238 victories. He had 280 career victories, which ranks 16th among all-time college football coaches.

He’s also a great source of knowledge for his son.

“I had that living, breathing example for 44 years of watching him as a football coach, and learning from him and seeing how he did things," Shane said last summer. "My problem is I've got three kids. My sister lives in Charlotte. She has three kids. He's more interested in being granddad right now than he is a football coach. I'm like, man, I need your help. You can be granddad in the summertime, I need you to help me.”

He could use that help on Saturday when the Gamecocks (4-3, 1-3) face No. 17 Texas A&M (5-2, 2-2) in a Southeastern Conference clash at 6:30 p.m. at Kyle Field.

Jamie Maury, TexAgs

Texas A&M has dominated the rivalry with South Carolina as the Gamecocks have never won and also haven't scored a touchdown against the Aggies since 2018.

Frank actually has a victory over Texas A&M coach Jimbo Fisher. Virginia Tech defeated Fisher’s Florida State Seminoles in the 2010 Atlantic Coast Conference championship game.

Two years later, Fisher’s team turned the tables and rallied for a last-minute touchdown to defeat the Hokies 28-22.

Fisher said Shane Beamer’s Gamecocks are already showing some similarities to his dad’s Hokies.

“Very sound coaching on both phases,” Fisher said. “Very good defensive football teams. They had great defensive football teams. Explosive offensive guys. Good skill guys and really good special teams. They’re doing the same things. Frank was a special teams guy himself. He kind of coached those positions himself.”

"Very hard, tough, physical football teams. They’re very similar to his dad. (He’s) One of the best of all time.”

Sons of prominent coaches aren’t always successful. For a Sonny Dykes or Skip Holtz there is a Derek Dooley or Tommy Bowden.

Obviously, Shane Beamer has a long way to go to even approach his dad’s accomplishments. But keep in mind Frank averaged just four wins in his first six seasons in Blacksburg.

Shane already has four wins in his first season after the Gamecocks rallied for a 21-20 victory over Vanderbilt last week. It was Shane’s first SEC victory.

Of course, a come-from-behind victory over Vandy doesn’t inspire a lot of respect. Unless, that is, you’re Jimbo Fisher.

“This team has won. They’re 4-3. They’re on a winning streak,” Fisher said. “They came back and won a big game. They’re growing their program. They can come in here loose and ready to play and compete against us.”

Recent trends would suggest the Aggies will be loose and ready, too.

A&M followed up its stunning 41-38 upset of then-No. 1 Alabama with a lopsided 35-14 road victory over Missouri.

The Aggies running game has produced 538 yards and five touchdowns over the last three games behind running backs Isaiah Spiller and Devon Achane.

Quarterback Zach Calzada has shown progress. The offensive line has solidified and the defense is second only to Georgia in points allowed among SEC teams.

That defense will be taking aim at South Carolina quarterback Zeb Noland. Noland is a former graduate assistant coach who’s been thrust into the starting lineup because of a  season-ending injury to Luke Doty.

“We’re playing this game just like we played Bama and just like we played every other team,” A&M star defensive lineman DeMarvin Leal said. ”Just head down, not paying attention to the scoreboard and get after it.

“Making sure the pocket is constricted and doing what we always do. Attacking the QB and applying the most pressure.”

A&M is under a measure of pressure, too. The Aggies are still in the race to win the SEC West Division. They must win the rest of their games to have a chance.

Big games loom against Auburn, Ole Miss and LSU. But Fisher warns not to overlook South Carolina.

“All games are trap games,” Fisher said. “You’ve got to understand the importance of your opponent (being) faceless no matter when you play them. I think that’s when you start to become a program that your practices don’t reflect who you play, they reflect how you play.”

Frank Beamer would agree.