One question is doing the rounds among South Carolina Gamecocks fans: Is head coach Shane Beamer under immense pressure heading into the 2025 college football season? The 2024 season has been a decent one. Beamer’s boys finished 9-3 in the regular season and nearly made the playoffs. On top of that, their quarterback, LaNorris Sellers, had a breakout season. 

However, many expect the quarterback to head to the NFL in 2026. That being said, Beamer has buckled up to make his 2026 roster a tough nut to crack. On July 2, the Gamecocks landed their 4-star defensive lineman target Noah Clark. Given On3’s list, South Carolina now holds the No.19 spot with 10 recruits locked in. While they have yet to catch up in the recruiting trail, that did not stop Beamer from lending a helping hand.

On the receiving end of his help was South Carolina women’s basketball head coach Dawn Staley. Just like it marks a crucial time for Beamer’s program, Staley, too, is running the race to woo recruits. Last season, Paige Bueckers and the UConn Huskies beat her girls in the title game. So, this time they can’t afford any mess-ups. The basketball head coach was on a mission to woo 5-star Archbishop Mitty power forward McKenna Woliczko. As Staley went on to woo the recruit, someone special tagged along. That’s none other than Beamer. And this move touched McKenna’s dad, Aaron Woliczko, the former Head Men’s Basketball Coach of the Montana Tech Orediggers. The proud dad was definitely not expecting Beamer. He tweeted, “👀 The entire trip with @GamecockWBB & @dawnstaley was special for @McKennaDub!”

He continued, “BUT to have an @SEC head football coach share his time (before heading to family vacation) & breakdown video of Patrick…well, that’s just EXTRA! Thanks @CoachSBeamer & @GamecockFB 🤙.” A 20-point, 10-rebounds, 60% shooter throughout her career, Woliczko made the transition from middle school to high school, playing at the highest level in one of the nation’s top programs. The picture showed Beamer and Staley standing on one side, and on the other side, McKenna stood with his proud parents. It clearly showed how Beamer feels that South Carolina is one single program, breaking the boundaries between football and basketball. 

Turns out that Gamecocks football can draw inspiration from Staley’s women’s basketball team, as they are one of the sport’s top programs with three national titles since 2017. On that note, Beamer opened up about Staley inspiring him and his boys. “Our situation is different because of coach Staley. Not every football coach shares a campus with a women’s basketball coach that has a statue of her, and she’s still coaching. It’s not like she’s dead and been retired for 30 years. You realize the impact she has on our university and our community, and we’re extremely close,” said Beamer while speaking at an event last May. Moving into the 2025 season, can Beamer make use of the motivation to gift the Gamecocks football fans some good memories?  

Shane Beamer is blessed with a fired-up weapon

“It’s something that for me personally – I’ve been very cognizant of all the way back to January when we came back to start the spring semester of being on high alert, making sure our guys don’t think that just because it happened last season that it’s going to happen this year,” said the head coach while speaking to ESPN in May. He is walking into the 2025 season with a roster ranked No.52 with zero 5-star recruits. On top of that, the expectations are touching the ceiling.

South Carolina is slated to open the 2025 season at Virginia Tech on August 31. That’s where Beamer’s father, Frank Beamer, became a coaching legend. Talking about delivering a power-packed 2025 season? Beamer has a big hope looming. That’s none other than his quarterback, Sellers. The player has already taken the head coach into confidence. “He’s competing after a season like he had in 2024. I see him being more vocal, being willing to hold his teammates and himself accountable.”

Was it blind love? Not at all. Shan Beamer’s quarterback became just the third freshman in FBS history to throw for 2,500 yards and rush for 500 yards. Pulling off this feat, LaNorris Sellers joined Johnny Manziel and Jalen Hurts. The quarterback’s progress was then doubled down by South Carolina wide receiver Luke Doty. The HC admired his new QB’s progress every single week so far and could feel that he was getting game-ready. With a quarterback on a mission and Staley’s fire as a guiding force, 2025 could be the year Beamer turns the tide for the Gamecocks.