Shane Beamer’s turnaround season looks like a total mess right now. They are far from the playoffs, holding a 3-4 record in the league. What’s making their stand even worse is that among 134 FBS teams, only seven are averaging fewer yards per game than they are. With an offense averaging 297.7 yards, they rank last in the SEC, the only team scoring less than 300 yards. Now, Beamer needs to address it immediately. It forced fans and analysts to double down on firing Mike Shula’s rant.

This is the first time since 1999 that the Gamecocks have averaged fewer yards; that year, they went 0-11 with 228.6 yards per game. Shula’s struggles make you scratch your head for a coach regarded as one who can unearth quarterback gems like Cam Newton, for example. But this time, Shula’s lost the plot. Moreover, CBS Sports’ Brad Crawford is right there with his bold remarks on Shula’s inconsistencies.

“Mike Shula has been the worst, last in the SEC right now in midseason, last in scoring offense, second to last in third-down conversions, and has allowed the most tackles for loss. It starts on the offensive line. Players have not been developed there. They’ve got four- and five-star guys, literally at those starting positions,” said Crawford.

Mike Shula came in with a lot of hype, being the son of legendary HC Don Shula, having two decades of NFL experience, and having coached at Bama from 2003 to 2006. But South Carolina’s offense tells a different story, scoring just 20.14 points per game. That’s a 24 points per game difference against Tennessee. Even more concerning is that LaNorris Sellers’s game misses the mark with inconsistencies because of OL struggles. If you look at the sacks department, he’s had 25 sacks this season, which is a noticeable lack of protection for the quarterback.

“They’ve had some injuries, but locking for LaNorris Sellers has not been a strong suit, and they’ve had some whiffs in the transfer portal. They do not have a true SEC RB1 right now, and they really need a guy. And then LaNorris Sellers just does not fit in this pro-style scheme,” Crawford added.

Look, Sellers has only thrown over 200 passing yards twice this season and came up short against Oklahoma last week. Completing just 17 of 25 passes for 124 yards with a touchdown, with -9 rushing yards on 14 carries. And let’s not forget those six sacks. Crazy, right? Imagine a guy entering the season with Heisman and first-round-pick buzz and ending up in this spot.

Even last year, Sellers had to go through 16 sacks till October, among which six were by Ole Miss. But then, under Dowell Loggains, things improved later in the game. “The first six games last year with Dowell Loggains. Sellers had some mistakes, had some turnovers, and settled down and looked like one of the nation’s best quarterbacks second half of the season. Then down Logan goes the Appalachian State. Shane Beamer promotes Mike Shula. There were some questions on whether or not it would work, and you know definitively, it has not worked whatsoever,” Crawford points out.

Now, you know why there’s an urge to get Shula out of the team. The inconsistencies are so glaring that even fans cannot resist pointing them out.

Fans furious take on Shane Beamer’s team inconsistencies

Well, Shane Beamer’s worst season came in 2023 when they went 5-7 and missed a bowl game, and his best was last year with a 9-4 finish. After starting great, ending up in a tough spot is making fans furious, as they organized a protest against OC Mike Shula’s firing. Per a flyer posted on Twitter, students were urged to come and meet at Greene Street on the Gamecocks campus for Tuesday’s “Fire Mike Shula” protest. Now, you know why even Crawford was pointing in the same direction.

The offensive struggles are not just impacting the team’s playoff run but also preventing Sellers from playing his best game. Even Beamer knows it. “I get it; they’re not happy, and neither am I,” Beamer said. “I take that personally because I truly feel like I’m letting a lot of people down right now, and I’m working hard each and every week trying to get it fixed.” 

Now, fans are not looking for answers but for immediate action. And Shane Beamer did try doing it. “I made a change last week,” he replied. “And every week we’re continuing to look at how to be better, and every week I do that. And every week I will continue to do that and continue to evaluate that.”

But even the firing of offensive line coach Lonnie Teasley didn’t do much for them. They need a new play caller; if not, the Gamecocks must pull up their offense a lot.