Following a resurgent 2024 year in which the Gamecocks posted nine victories, including a marquee win at archrival Clemson, Beamer’s kept the momentum going into 2025. Off the field, Beamer’s stayed active as well, speaking up about the need for SEC programs to receive automatic College Football Playoff bids recently and even taking the stage on Capitol Hill to discuss college athletics’ current state. As Beamer continues to lead South Carolina into the national spotlight, it’s drawn attention from some of the program’s most iconic alumni.

One name that immediately resonates with any Gamecocks loyalist is Marcus Lattimore, the legendary college star running back whose career was truncated by injury, but his influence on the program and its culture remains legendary. In 2010, as a freshman, Lattimore became a national spectacle. He had a record of rushing for 1,197 yards and 17 touchdowns, and was unanimously voted All-American and Freshman of the Year. The San Francisco 49ers drafted him in the fourth round in the 2013 NFL Draft, but after he suffered two significant knee injuries while in college, he never suited up for an NFL regular-season game and retired in 2014.

To date, Lattimore’s presence is deeply felt within the South Carolina community. Recently, he reminded everyone how deep his roots with the program and Shane Beamer are. In a moment that immediately went viral, Lattimore took to X to post a heartfelt poem dedicated to Beamer, South Carolina’s head coach, and close friend and mentor.

Lattimore’s message touched his fans, former teammates, and even the head guy himself. “WOW- Thank YOU @MarcusLattimore. You made 10x the impact on ME that I made on you ….I hope you know that you’re a @GamecockFB legend & a State of South Carolina legend -You make this world better. Can’t wait to see you again soon ….I love you, my man ❤🤙🏻.” In the video, Lattimore’s voice is emotionally charged as he recites lines that address Beamer’s character. The video struck a powerful chord and resonated far beyond football.

A verse from his poem reads, “And in August of 2010, right before my freshman season at South Carolina would begin, I heard these words and I quote, ‘I want y’all to watch this freshman right here. Somebody that’s going to be great for us on Saturdays in the backfield. Watch his effort in this drill. He starts with his hips square. He dips his shoulder and runs the rim with perfect technique. That’ hell of a job, Marcus. Keep it up’.” In his poem, Lattimore recounted the nights when the pressure had become overwhelming, when uncertainty had crept in, and sleep had eluded him. He remembers the one moment when Beamer’s words offered him solace and clarity.

That’s the sort of connection that lingers long after you’re out of the locker room. For fans who enjoy college football tales about coaches who transform lives and players who motivate, this poem is everything. It’s a reminder that the greatest coaches are not merely strategists. They’re coaches who guide their players through the dark hours. Lattimore, who recalls being called out in a team meeting for how he stood on special teams. Beamer was the coach who made every player feel seen.

Beamer’s passion and faith in his players never faltered. When Lattimore states, “A coach is more than a play caller. A coach understands the magic of language and how the right words at the right time can transform an insecure, hardworking average athlete into a Southeastern legend. Appreciate you, Coach.” He’s talking about the deep influence that a supportive, loving coach can have, not only on performance, but on shaping a young person’s life.

Shane Beamer’s core behind the headset

Just as Lattimore’s assessment was so effective in conveying the strength of a coach who is more than a drill sergeant, Beamer himself has been doing just that out there, particularly on the road to recruiting. The actual headline of the week? South Carolina secured a jackpot commitment—actually, two—from twin brothers Aiden and Andrew Harris. The Harris twins are not ordinary recruits. Aiden, 6’4″ and 245 pounds, is a wrecking ball on the defensive line—rated No. 2 nationally at defensive end and a top-55 player in the nation. His numbers are impressive as well: As a junior, 82 tackles, 31 tackles for loss, 13.5 sacks, and 46 QB hurries.

His twin brother, Andrew, the 6’2″, 220-pound linebacker, isn’t slouching either—81 tackles, 25 tackles for loss, and seven sacks. But what made the Harris twins commit to South Carolina? It wasn’t all the facilities or the SEC spotlight. “The culture. Being surrounded by good coaches. The environment and creating a bond… They have one of the greatest coaches to put us in good spots to make it to the league.” Aiden said. That’s Beamer’s secret sauce—fostering real connections and making the players feel at home. With the Harris twins, Beamer’s 2026 class is coming together quickly, already having seven commits, including other defensive gems like J’Zavien Currence and Keenan Britt. And if they get elite QB Landon Duckworth, the Gamecocks may not be merely daydreaming about the playoffs, they may be acing it.