Students and players alike voiced their support of new head football coach Shane Beamer and the culture he is bringing to the program.
The Gamecock athletic department decided to move on from head coach Will Muschamp, buying out his contract for about $13 million with three games remaining in the 2020 regular season.
“I give him a lot of credit," university President Bob Caslen said.
He called Muschamp’s overall career excellent but said “in the business that we're in, you have to win.”
Caslen said the program reached a point where he felt "we just needed to make a change and bring some new leadership in place.”
The Daily Gamecock interviewed 40 students to hear their thoughts about it all.
Third-year broadcast journalism student Patrick Demarre said Muschamp’s recent years were unacceptable.
“College football is a business,” Demarre said. “It was time to make a change.”
That change came in the form of former Oklahoma assistant head coach and tight ends coach Shane Beamer.
While Beamer does not have prior head coaching experience, he is the son of longtime Virginia Tech head coach Frank Beamer.
This is a “great resource for him," first-year undeclared student Harrison Stone said.
While Beamer had success as an assistant head coach, it is a “world difference coming into the SEC,” Andrew Gray, fourth-year computer science student said.
Stone said Beamer has “more than proven himself” in his coaching opportunities so far.
Demarre said he feels like USC is cautiously optimistic about Beamer, and that it's “tough to say right now” whether the move was the right one.
Other students are more confident in Beamer's offensive mind.
"I believe that Shane Beamer has brought a lot of offensive firepower," fourth-year broadcast journalism student Jay Weaver said. "I think it's going to make our offense so much better."
His offensive prowess is one thing that has fans excited, but both fans and players have noticed something special during his short time on campus up to this point.
The head coach “seems like he has an actual connection to the program and to the city," which is something Muschamp never did, Sergei Alexeev, third-year biochemistry and molecular engineering student, said.
"I think the culture is great with [Beamer]," second-year real estate student Michael Paragano said. "It's kind of throwing it back to the Spurrier days."
Caslen said Beamer has “already established a unique culture on the team.”
The players have bought in to their new head coach, who has earned their trust, according to multiple players.
“When he tells you something, you can really take it to the bank,” senior defensive back R.J. Roderick said at a press conference March 22.
Sophomore linebacker Mohammed Kaba said he was impressed by Beamer's actions on campus.
“He’s going to do what you do two times more," Kaba said at a press conference March 22.
According to Kaba, Beamer is always working out before the players get there and putting in more effort than he asks out of the team.
Sophomore edge rusher Jordan Burch expressed a similar sentiment.
“We trust him as a coach so far," Burch said at a press conference March 22. “Having him around is like, it pumps everybody up."