The atmosphere in South Carolina has shifted from one of hopefulness to one of tension. Fans dread every weekend, and the team’s 30-14 loss to Ole Miss adds fuel to the fire. South Carolina sits at 3-6, and Mike Shula’s successor hunt continues to take time. To sum up, Shane Beamer gets himself in a muddle, a slippery one that could define the rest of his coaching career.

Despite all the exit rumours, Shane has strongly denied any intention of leaving South Carolina, calling it his “dream job” and promising to fix the team’s struggles. But that’s when former All-American turned analyst David Pollack makes a major plea to the Gamecocks HC, as CBS Sports’ Brad Crawford seems to support that.

“I think he’d go to Virginia Tech,” Pollack said to Chris Phillips on his See Ball Get Ball podcast. “I think that’d be smart of Shane Beamer, because again, when you take another job, the new clock ticks now. Now you get another five-year deal, which is fantastic.” 

The problem started when things started to unravel at Columbia. The Gamecocks now sit at 3-6 overall and 1-6 in the brutal SEC, dangerously close to missing bowl eligibility. South Carolina’s offense ranks dead last in the SEC and was held to only 50 rushing yards against Ole Miss, and was grinding out 1.6 yards per carry. Not just that, Beamer’s recruiting and game management have also come under fire.

Although he led the Gamecocks to three bowl appearances in five seasons, he won only one bowl game. At this point, critics argue Beamer hasn’t evolved enough as a leader and coach to get South Carolina over the hump. But why the Hokies? No surprise since the place is literally in his blood. Shane’s ties run deep after serving as Virginia Tech’s associate head coach and running backs coach alongside his dad, Frank Beamer, from 2011 to 2015. Now, with Virginia Tech fresh off firing Brent Pry, the Hokies are hunting for a new leader.

Nonetheless, his current run with the Gamecocks isn’t really the entire story behind his knack for turning around a program. When he took over South Carolina, the Gamecocks were a disaster at 2-8, and he boosted them to a respectable 7-6. He’s a proven program builder and recruiter, which Virginia Tech desperately needs. Then comes the financial safety net.

Beamer’s deal with South Carolina got extended in January 2025, keeping him around through the 2030 season. He’s set to earn $8.15 million in 2025, with his salary increasing by $100,000 each year. The total value sits at $50.4 million.

Still, the way things are going right now, his performance as the Gamecocks’ play-caller isn’t really backing up that significant extension. On the other hand, Virginia Tech just kicked its athletics budget by approving a jaw-dropping $229 million boost over the next four years. That budget is expected to reach $190 million this year and increase to $212 million by 2030. The school’s president, Tim Sands, calls it a “door to future success.”

So with this new money flowing into the Hokies’ program, they could offer Beamer a lucrative package hard to ignore.

The test of the new offensive playcaller

South Carolina’s offense hit a wall in 2025. Additionally, the fallout is taking a toll on Shane Beamer’s coaching staff. After Mike Shula’s promotion to offensive coordinator, expectations were high. He was supposed to boost an already talented Gamecocks offense. But things quickly turned south. The offense sputtered, averaging just 294.1 yards per game this season. It’s a far cry from last year’s 400-yard average.

Defenders have constantly pressured LaNorris Sellers, sacking him 33 times. The breaking point came when Ole Miss beat them 30–14, frustration boiled over, and the team fired Shula. So now, Shane Beamer is leaning heavily on wide receivers coach Mike Furrey to fill the void. Furrey is a former NFL wide receiver who played for teams like the Rams and Lions.

Before landing in Columbia, Furrey turned heads as the head coach at Limestone University, guiding them to back-to-back 8-4 records and playoff cards. The next three games will be Furrey’s audition. Analyst Brad Crawford called South Carolina’s offense “the worst in college football,” and Beamer’s sideline yelling during the Ole Miss game showed just how tense things have become.