Gamecocks set to name Shane Beamer next head coach
South Carolina is set to name Shane Beamer its next head football coach.
The Athletic's Bruce Feldman reported late Saturday night that the Gamecocks are expected to hire Beamer, who has been the frontrunner in their search for much of the process according to GamecockCentral.com's reporting.
Beamer accepted the position late Saturday night, according to a source.
Two candidates who interviewed with university officials - Lousiville head coach Scott Satterfield and Louisana coach Billy Napier - said earlier today they were staying at their respective schools; according to sources, neither was expected to be offered the position.
The Gamecocks are wrapping up a three-week-long search after firing Will Muschamp on Nov. 15.
South Carolina is expected to officially announce the hire as soon as Sunday.
South Carolina athletics director Ray Tanner spoke with a variety of coaches about the opening, including Coastal Carolina head coach Jamey Chadwell, Louisville head coach Scott Satterfield, Florida offensive coordinator Brian Johnson, and Louisiana head coach Billy Napier, among others.
The 43-year-old Beamer currently serves as the assistant head coach for offense under Lincoln Riley at Oklahoma.
Beamer, the son of legendary Virginia Tech head coach Frank Beamer, spent four years at South Carolina under Steve Spurrier from 2007-10, when he impressed administrators at the time with his energy and organizational skills.
In addition to his time coaching under Frank Beamer and Spurrier, Beamer's resume also features stints on the staffs of Sylvester Croom, Phil Fulmer and Kirby Smart.
This will be the first head coaching opportunity for Beamer, who has coached on both offense and defense in his career and has served as a special teams coordinator, no surprise considering that his father was the architect of "Beamer Ball," which emphasized big plays in special teams as a way to flip games during his run at VT.
The Gamecocks turn to Beamer to replace Muschamp who was fired seven games into his fifth season in Columbia, finishing 28-30 overall with an SEC record of 17-22 at South Carolina.
A well-known, well-liked networker in the coaching fraternity, Beamer will look to use those connections to build a high-powered staff around him.
Apparently impressed with the success of Riley's offense in Oklahoma for the last two seasons, Beamer is expected to hire an offensive coordinator who will attempt to run an offense in that mold.
The South Carolina administration looked to move quickly in hiring Muschamp's replacement with the early signing period for recruits set to begin on Dec. 16.
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