Shane Beamer is set to face off against Eli Drinkwitz’s offense next weekend. But South Carolina entered murky waters when linebacker Dylan Stewart was flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct on Saturday night, ultimately leading to his ejection. The defensive back is an absolute beast on the turf, a key weapon in Shane Beamer’s playbook, but the ejection has caused Stewart’s suspension for the first half against Missouri, sending South Carolina on high alert. However, a recent update has improved the spirits at Columbia.

“Shane Beamer said he was told by SEC that Dylan Stewart is good to go and doesn’t have to miss time against Missouri,” Greenville News’ Lulu Kesin gave the update on X. The SEC has informed Beamer that Stewart will be eligible to play from the opening snap, a decision that immediately alters the Gamecocks’ outlook as they prepare for Eli Drinkwitz’s Tigers.

Beamer’s response to the penalty? “The one on Dylan I thought if we’re going to call that a late hit, or whatever it was, I can send plenty of worse things being done to our guys,” he said. Over 60 minutes, South Carolina registered eight penalties for 85 yards, which is a lot, given the offense tallied 328 total yards.

On Sunday, Beamer was asked about the piling penalties, raising concerns. He was asked how he is planning to go about that. “My question exactly,” he answered. The Gamecocks were flagged twice for a roughing-the-passer penalty against Vanderbilt. Along with Stewart, Bryan Thomas, in an attempt to pursue Pavia, crashed hard on the ground with Pavia pinned underneath him, and the officials threw the flag. “We understand. We talk to our players endlessly about showing players where the quarterback is getting hit, going back to last year,” Beamer said.

Both these flags emerged on third downs. He continued. “This last year was legal. This year they may call this on you, some of the hits we had on quarterbacks last year. So we’ve really tried to emphasize it, but there were some tough ones (Saturday) night.” But aside from the piling penalties, Beamer has a major pressing concern plaguing his roster.

What’s next for Shane Beamer and LaNorris Sellers

Stewart wasn’t the only player ejected for targeting. Vandebilt’s Langston Patterson headed to the sidelines after he made a big hit on Gamecock’s quarterback LaNorris Sellers by the end of the first half. The head coach appeared optimistic about his recovery, but the shadows of doubt lingered.

“Confident that we’ll continue to improve offensively when he gets back healthy,” Beamer said post-game on Sunday. “But again, this is a heck of a team we’re getting ready to play out in Missouri. … We’ve got to get a whole lot better. But there were a lot of good signs too last night when LaNorris is in there.” Sellers’ absence on the turf sealed the fate of the Gamecocks. After LaNorris was helped off the field and taken to the medical camp with a concussion, veteran Luke Doty-led South Carolina struggled to pick up the pace. His final three possessions ended in giveaways in the remaining 45 minutes.

Diego Pavia-led offense raked in 17 points and clinched the victory, 31-7. According to FanDuel Sportsbook, the Gamecocks are a 12.5-point underdog, bleeding into the week 4 clash against Missouri. But LaNorris’ injury is a pressing concern tugging at Beamer’s mind. Dylan Stewart is in, but Sellers and South Carolina’s future are still in jeopardy.