After signing a small class during the early signing period, Shane Beamer talked about the flexibility the Gamecock staff had.

It showed with seven additions from the transfer portal over the course of a month, and now as the final signing period ended last week, Beamer and the staff have a little more flexibility with one scholarship still remaining in the 2021 class.

“With our scholarship situation we still have the flexibility to add some pieces and people to the equation going forward,” Beamer said. “Spring practice is going to be big for us to see where we are as a program with our personnel in the building now and what we may need and have to go attack here in recruiting and immediately potential guys to add this season.”

Also see: Insider notes on the 2021 recruiting class and offensive line recruiting

The Gamecocks went into February’s national signing day with five available scholarships and signed four players, leaving one additional spot to bring in another player to this class.

And that spot might not get filled for a few months.

The Gamecocks start spring practice in late March and will serve as an evaluation period for the staff in more than one way, giving the coaches a chance to see their priorities are in recruiting moving forward.

Then, after spring and because of the additional scholarship in the class the Gamecocks can bring in someone that summer.

“I think the main thing for us right now is to develop this team we have and after spring practice if we say, ‘We got to add some depth at that position or more competition at that position,’ we’ll attack that,” Beamer said. “If a fantastic football player regardless of position has an interest in coming to South Carolina then we have the flexibility to pursue that as well.”

Also see: Notes on Montario Hardesty's impact so far on the recruiting trail

South Carolina can also bring in another transfer or player in August that would count toward the 2022 class.

Another reason the Gamecocks would wait to fill that scholarship would be any kind of potential transfers out of the program after spring practice, giving the Gamecocks an idea of positions of need heading into the summer.

“You’re always trying to improve your roster. A lot of that will depend on spring practice,” Beamer said. “You hope as a program you don’t have any more attrition and keep everybody in place. Fact of the matter, with college football now, that may not be the case. We’ll take situations as they arise.”

Regardless of how the class turns out, though, Beamer made sure to mention how excited he is the coaching staff is about the players already on the roster and the players they’ve brought in this offseason.

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“I could not be more excited about the players in the program right now and the way they’re working. We have a really good group of young men who are hungry. Their work ethic is fantastic. I absolutely love coming in this building every day and spending time with them and cannot wait. There is a lot of work that needs to get done before now and spring practice but I’m so excited for the start of spring practice,” Beamer said.

“If this is the 2021 South Carolina football team and it does not change at all and we don’t add anybody to it, fantastic. Let’s roll. I can’t wait to play ball with them.”