Shane Beamer’s days of double duty are quickly coming to an end.
Beamer has spent the majority of his time since being hired in Oklahoma finishing his duties with the Sooners, but that should be ending this week after the Big 12 championship.
“We play in that game Saturday in Dallas and I get on that plan first thing Sunday morning and my family’s coming with me on Sunday,” Beamer said. “In my mind, I’m full speed ahead and there for good.”
Beamer and the Sooners play in the Big 12 title game against Iowa State Saturday (noon, ABC) and it should be the end of Beamer’s obligations to Oklahoma.
Win or lose Beamer will be heading back to Columbia to begin his full-time work at South Carolina.
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He’s already devoting the majority of his afternoons and evenings to the job now but once in Columbia will have 100 percent of his resources to putting together his staff and filling out the rest of the 2021 class.
What he might also get to do is be there for bowl practices and can use those as an evaluation tool heading into the offseason.
“From a selfish standpoint for me I’m excited to be able to get over there and watch practice and get around these guys and get to know them and see them on the field and watch them practice and help me learn more and more about them as individuals, position groups and teams.”
The Gamecocks haven’t gotten a bowl bid yet—those will be handed out Sunday—and could get one despite being 2-8 this year.
Beamer, who said he would not coach in the bowl game when announced, doesn’t have an opinion one way or another on going to a bowl, but said the feedback he’s gotten from the team is players are excited for a chance to compete.
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“I’ll defer to Mike Bobo, Ray Tanner and the administration that one. From a selfish standpoint I love it. It gives them another chance to compete,” he said. “I get it. I understand there are mixed feelings. A lot of guys I talked to on the team are excited about the opportunity to get out there and compete one more time.”
Regardless of if the Gamecocks play in a bowl game, though, the Beamer era at South Carolina is expected to start full time this weekend.
He’ll still have to bounce back and forth with moving and family obligations, but those trips shouldn’t be an issue for much longer.
“I want to get (my family) there soon as possible and they want to be there soon as possible. My seven-year-old son is playing basketball with his youth team and he wants to finish a championship before they finish up,” he said. “My 10-year-old daughter is in dance and wants to finish a couple of things with them going into the New Year. They’re eager to get to Columbia. I want to get them to Columbia.”
