Connections galore as Beamer, Gamecocks head to Athens

Last time South Carolina played on the road in Athens, they walked out with a double overtime victory over the then No. 3 Bulldogs.

Shane Beamer will try to be the first Gamecock head coach to beat Georgia since Sparky Woods went to Athens and led the Gamecocks to a 24-20 win in 1989 with connections galore at Sanford Stadium.

Georgia was Shane Beamer's sixth stop of his coaching career, spending time in Athens as the tight ends coach and special teams coordinator during Kirby Smart's inaugural season as the Bulldogs head coach.

"He was a part of our original staff," Georgia head coach Kirby Smart told reporters Monday. "He's always had leadership qualities that would make a good head coach, I think he took the job at Oklahoma so he could get a job like this and that's what he's done."

Also see: Analyzing the Gamecocks' win over ECU

At the same time Beamer began in Athens, Will Muschamp was beginning his five year reign as the head coach at South Carolina.

Since his dismissal, Muschamp has taken a role as a senior defensive analyst with the Georgia football team and is now the team's special teams coordinator.

Despite some likely emotions preparing for this game, neither side thinks Muschamp's involvement in the game will have much bearing behind the scenes.

"I don’t think it’s a big deal," Beamer said. "Certainly, Will knows these kids, but scheme-wise is the biggest thing and there’s not going to be a lot of knowledge about that. He’s a great coach, and certainly unique that last year’s coach is on the staff at Georgia now. At the end of the day, it comes down to the players and that will always be the case.”

Also see: How South Carolina commits fared this week

Smart said that despite Muschamp being on the Georgia staff, there isn't much that he can give in terms of secret insight on the team because of all the turnover on the staff since his departure.

"He's not in their meetings, he doesn't know their game plan, he does know who their players are," Kirby said of Muschamp. "The tape speaks for itself, he just might know more about them in terms of what their strengths and weaknesses are."

With the last Gamecock victory against the Bulldogs being in Athens and Muschamp now a part of the staff, it's a safe assumption that the game should mean a lot to both teams.

Smart didn't necessarily agree saying that the victory in 2019 was brought up more as a motivation factor last season and it isn't as relevant this year with the turnover seen on the South Carolina roster and staff.

"I think it was a lot more relevant last year, a lot more similarities in their team last year and their staff with the exception of Will being gone," Smart said. "What happened the last time they were here was really about us not about them, it's always going to be about what we do and how we execute."

Also see: More stats on Josh Vann, South Carolina's defense, more

Regardless of who played a bigger role in that game, circumstances for this years game are similar. Georgia is still a power house and South Carolina is bringing in a young team full of potential trying to prove itself.

"Shane has got the program rejuvenated," Smart said. "I know there's a lot of excited fans and rightfully so."

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