Football: Shane Beamer News Conference 08/20/24

all right appreciate everybody coming out great to see Jeff crane here as well excited to have him back in Colombia uh with us as well and and fired up for how he's going to continue to uh make this entire athletic department better without a doubt uh first day of class here at Carolina so best of luck to all the students as they get started with the fall semester myself and Coach Staley and Coach Paris were over on the Horseshoe last night and got a chance to visit with a lot of them and there's a lot of excitement and energy as you can imagine right now in Colombia the start of the school year start of football and it's one of the many many things that uh is so great about being a part of a college campus is just that feel that you have in the air that so many people do right now and I hope the first day class was awesome for for all of them having said that really excited about our players and what they've done from an academic standpoint we have 28 graduates on our football team right now uh which is pretty awesome and to have 28 current football players that'll be playing next Saturday against Old Dominion that have already graduated and then we'll have 13 more that will graduate uh in December so we'll have 41 players at the end of the season that will already have their degrees walking out of the University of South Carolina so kudos to them and kudos to uh everyone in the Dodie our academic center uh as well for the work they're putting in also uh Steve mentioned it's our mock game week as you guys know we don't get a preseason game so we want we got a lot of new players I was counting it up this morning I mean we've got a bunch of guys that'll be playing next Saturday that it'll be their first time ever playing in Williams Bry Stadium whether it be freshman transfer a lot of guys so we use this week to really allow them to get a feel for what game game week is like around here so we did everything or are doing everything today and yesterday and Sunday identical to what we will do in a normal game week so they can figure it out get their routines how we practice Tuesday how we meet Tuesday how we practice and meet Wednesday how we practice and meet Thursday what we do on Fridays home game away game all that as well so hopefully next week we are uh even uh more suited for it as well we'll have our normal week Friday morning we'll kind of go through our normal game day or game day before the game routine on Friday and then Friday late afternoon evening we'll have our situational uh practice over in the stadium where we basically do like a mock game and go through every situation you can think of that could come up on offense defense and special teams in a game and then we'll give our guys a Saturday off it'll be their last you know weekend off until uh the end of September when we have our first open week uh as well then we'll all be back in here on Sunday ready to roll and kick things off for good next week uh injury update coming out of the scrimmage pretty good shape uh the only two issues from the scrimmage were uh emry Floyd uh has a little bit of a lower body issue he should be fine for Old Dominion next week uh Aaron Parks got his ankle rolled up a little bit we'll see about him I'd say he's probably doubtful for next week but other than that we came out of the out of the scrimmage on Saturday in pretty good shape and guys have had U Sunday off we didn't practice we just met and lift lifted yesterday was their uh a mandatory day off as well for the week so we came back in here this morning fresh and energized and and had one of our better practices that uh we've had here uh in a while particularly on a Tuesday we were efficient got a lot of plays run uh physical spirited our guys are certainly uh eager to play they showed that today and and now we got to just make sure we continue to stay on a good Pace leading into next Saturday and be at our best next next Saturday against Old Dominion which we will need to be so questions Shane sorry to ask you the same one two times in a row but any decision on qb1 I'm met with those guys this morning informed Lenoris that he would start next Saturday night or next Saturday afternoon against Old Dominion um met with them uh this morning like I said both of them were great uh I meant what I said to you guys on Saturday David after the scrimmage that I really feel like we have multiple quarterbacks that we can win with and uh Robbie had a really did some good things on Saturday and he's going to help us win football games uh this season Davis Beville did some good things Dante Reno came in there and did some nice things on Saturday as well so we have a lot more depth in that room than what we had last year but as I told L Norris and Robbie both when I talked to him this morning uh we're continuing to like every position the guy that gives us the best chance to be successful is uh going to be the guy that's out there week in week out and that's not to say that we're going to be rotating quarterbacks every two plays or anything like that we're not doing that but you know they've got to continue lenorris has got to continue to progress like he has been and and Robbie's got to continue to progress like he has been and that's only going to make us better and uh Dre Jacobs and Gilbert Edmund reached part of undefeated teams at Florida State have they uh been asked to talk about that by the teammates by yourself just about you know being part of that mentality Gil a little bit more so than Dre uh just because Gil was here in January and our players knew him and he um you know Luke day kids at Gils like the portal time traveler he's like gone through the portal and he's gone to the other side and he's come back uh so Gil having been here before going to Florida State then coming back he can really talk about some things uh not that Dre can't but you know Dre just got here a little bit more recently and he maybe has with some of his teammates uh in private but as far as team meeting settings we've had Gil you know talk to him and and we've told Gil that you know you've seen it and you went through an undef undefeated season and and that was a team that uh I guess what 23 they went undefeated 20 one and 20 I don't even think they were in a bowl game Florida State and then 22 they had a good year 23 they advance and they go undefeated so you know Gil to be able to talk about some things that he saw down in Tallahassee and how it can help us has been good what was it about lenorris and how he's taken strides since the action he got last year that has really shown out to you that he's he's ready for this step I think just the consistency and both those guys have have uh been good you know when I was over in Florence earlier this spring and and said that Lind Orris was our starting quarterback coming out of the spring uh I said that and did that because he had had a good spring and he was a little bit farther along because of familiarity with the offense and then Robbie had a heck of a summer lenorris had a heck of a summer and they've both been really really good it was just you know lenorris has been consistent and and just speaking to about Lenoris specifically I think he continues to get better each week his poise his consistency his understanding of what we're trying to do um you know it was uh uh he's he's done what we've asked him to do coming out of spring practice uh this wide receiver kind of competition to you said Saturday you were starting to go through some travel rosters some mock game rosters how many scholarship receivers do you want on a road trip and how close are you to kind of narrowing down who those guys are uh good question really I think it depends on what those guys can do um you know special teams is going to be a big part of it Allan and ideally you know if we're playing three receivers typically most snaps you'd love to have three guys and three guys that can back them up which is six and then you know two or three swing guys so ideally uh eight or nine could it be less than that sure uh especially depending on how the tight ends come along could it be more than that absolutely but it's going to be because they're really good special teams players you know so we did it again yesterday we met with Joe the staff met with Joe D Joe D Camis and went through kind of every position and and I've got a in my mind a preliminary 74 that will go to the first SEC away game and that 74 right now has nine receivers on it but if we're going to take nine then we're counting on a couple of those guys being really really good special teams players and that's the same case that a lot of positions running back defensive end defense back uh as well but I've been part of different aspects of it but again to me every week it's what gives you the best chance to be successful two things uh one you kind of alluded to it a little bit but with how much you liked Robbie throughout the preseason is there a chance you guys will have packages for him or he'll get in games and and be able to do things uh there's a chance I would say that every week is different you certainly um want to give your quarterback back that goes out there to start the game every opportunity to get in a rhythm and be successful and that doesn't mean rotating regularly uh but Robbie's uh Robby can do good things happen when the ball's in Robbie's hands too so I think and it's not coach speak it's the truth I mean every every week is different but uh we've got full confidence and and Robbie being out there if we asked him to go out there and do something uh Davis Beville just told us he was recently put on scholarship uh what went behind that decision and does that put you guys at 85 now uh Davis was a guy that came in here his first year or first semester you know when he came from Oklahoma um he came in as a walk on coming from Oklahoma and we kind of talked about let's just see how things go and and um uh he's done a good job and and that was he left a scholar he left a scholarship in Norman to come here as a walk on and we said let's see how spring practice in the summer goes and he's done what he's supposed to do and then as far as the 85 you know keep that between us as far as where our scholarship numbers are on the team you mentioned the wide receivers a little earlier um how is Mao Bennett coming along and what do you kind of what what kind of stands out about him from what you've seen in Fall Camp so far Mao is a gamer and he's just one of those guys he loves to compete and when the lights come on it just seems like he's always making a play um he I go back to one of my earliest memories of Mao was we were recruiting him obviously when he was at Greenville High and their team came down here for a seven on seven camp and when he was right out here on our practice fields his team competing in a 7 on S Camp just the competitive spirit that he played with and it was kind of like a a flip a switch flipped uh and a light came on and he just hit another gear when he's out there competing I saw that that day at seven on seven and then I've seen that since he's come down here as well he's very smart he uh he knows what to do uh he's accountable and he just he makes plays you know so he's going to play next Saturday and he's going to play a lot next Saturday Coach in that linebacker room you have a good mix of returning players and starters and some impact transfers over the course of these last 14 practices how has that or I guess roles been kind of assimilated so far in the linebacker room um that's another one that's a lot of competition and and uh depending on who's playing on Saturdays special teams is going to go very much into that but I believe that all those guys bring a skill set you know they've um I was talking with Debo about it yesterday I feel like our linebackers I've said it to you guys before and it's the truth we're deeper and we're absolutely more athletic than what we were last year and that allows you the multiplicity to do a lot of things and whether you know we're bringing them on pressures which we've done in the past I'm going to be wrong but they've improved as pass pass rushers when they're getting matched up against a running back or a linebacker and some are a little bit better than that than others but they can all rush the passer they can all run they can cover it's a good um they all complement each other very well if that makes sense and um I love the athleticism uh Debo and Bam and and uh golly um and Demetrius Knight obviously love what they bring to the table Mo kaba's back and healthy and has done really well uh Fred Johnson's a freshman that we're really really excited about just his athleticism and ability to run his size he's just going to continue to get better so that's a room with a lot of competition that all are continuing to push and and make each other better as well you know and I haven't even gotten I didn't even name Ronnie Porter and Andrew kisero and jiren Willis and those are all guys that have played Jamie and richer guys that have played either defense or special teams players uh defense or special teams that rooms very deep and and more athletic coach we're just 11 days to kick off as you start to submit your depth chart I'm curious what are the biggest things you want this team to improve on to be ready for kickoff next week against Old Dominion uh I mean there's a lot first games stink because there's just the unknown I mean you've been practicing you can prepare for everything but you're I'm always nervous before every game but first games are just different because it's your first time doing it for real and you can prepare for everything but you can't and there's always something that comes up and we can put them through a simulated scrimmage it's like a simulated game but until there's 880,000 people over there and the lights are on it's just different so there's a lot that's that you that you have um to get done but as far as just specifically um football wise really uh I would say just the quarterbacks continuing to develop a rapport with the receivers and tight end and guys that they're going to be throwing to as well you know I've said it all along the key for us offensively is going to be how we got a lot of new faces and how quickly those guys can come together and connect so that's still a work in progress and the quicker you know we've got to continue to do that and develop that even more um you know defensively feel pretty good we're still trying to figure out exactly what our depth is going to be in the secondary as well you know that the safety position that's a a battle behind Nick and DQ let's see who um how that thing shakes out the corner opposite odonnell right now as well and then really just trying to get our the whole team as ready to play as possible um next Saturday or Saturday afternoon I have two if that's okay absolutely okay cool um sorry going back to Debo um at the like South Carolina media day someone referred to him as sort of like the glue of this defense and he was very visibly like like kind of taken back by that clearly very honored I'm curious could you just talk a little bit about how he carries himself in his leadership um going into the season yeah um he was voted a captain by his teammates last season that shows you the respect level that they had for him last year the respect level they have for him now I think it's just the way that he goes about his business every single day no one can question how important football is to him no one can question how physical he is to him you know we had a play today in practice where um it was one of the very first plays in practice and he and Rocket were kind of one-on-one in a hole and Rocket lowered his shoulder and Debo is going to say that the defensive back kind of knocked him off knocked him off track a little bit I saw the running back kind of lowered his shoulder and jolted Debo a little bit so I certainly let him know about it and he clearly did not appreciate that because in the next three plays he's like a mad man and TJ Sanders comes up to me he's like you did that you know you did that by calling him out on the first play but that's just him like he loves to play and you can just see the I'll I you see the violence that he plays with on the football field um teammates can't help but respect that as well and he's not afraid to be vocal and hold his teammates accountable when things aren't getting done the right way too and sorry to go back to Lenoris and the quarterback stuff but obviously people say that he's sort of quiet I'm curious did he have really any reaction when you told him was he kind kind of like okay cool like what how I think his exact words were okay um I think it's exactly what he said to be honest well I take that back I I met with Robbie in my office and I did meet with lenorris but he I texted him this morning to come by the office and he didn't see the text before the team meeting so I talked to him out on the practice field and it was the same conversation I would have had with him in the office but it was okay and then um back to what he was doing that's just that's just him speaking of linebackers and stuff like Debo bam Martin Scott seems like he's really come along well in fall camp and obviously he's coming off what he did at the end of last year what have you seen from your vantage point of the progression he's made and what what are your expectations for a guy like that yeah think pois for a huge year I think um he has certainly put himself on the radar uh to have a good year and he's put himself on the radar of NFL teams there's a lot of NFL teams that are really excited about bam Scott and his size and athleticism and his ability to play special teams whatever it might be you know you saw that uh you've seen that or I have for the last few years just some of the stuff he's done on special teams he's always been a big body that can run and has athleticism you saw his ability to do some things the last play of the Texas A&M game two years ago when they're throwing like the hill Mary towards the end zone and he beats a block inside and hits the quarterback as he's throwing it as well and then last year I I think he just gained in confidence defensively with what we were asking him to do so he's a guy that very athletic compl side line to Seline has size good on special teams and I think um you know he's he's put the work in and has high expectations as he rightfully should and does and and um I think he's going to I think he's poised to have a really big year talking to the guys today they've talked about the competition that was occurring in the quarterback room but also the support that they've seen in that room and helping each other get better through that how much more confidence does that give you knowing they'll continue to help each other get better as this moves forward yeah I think it's huge it's a it's a great room Dal and and Mike schula are in there and they've done a great job with all those quarterbacks uh the Rapport in there I sit in a lot of those meetings obviously and I see it in there the way they handle their business the comaraderie that room has but you know I told Robbie the other day I went in the quarterback room and I told him one of the cooler moments that I've seen this season is uh we did a uh we did a Red Zone competition period last week where it's offense versus defense and the defense gets points for stops holding them to a field goal the offense gets points for field goals or touchdowns and and it came down to where it was super competitive the the next team to score whether it be the offense scoring or the defense holding them to a field goal was going to win it and lenorris threw a touchdown pass to win it and the first offensive player you see come off the sideline to celebrate in the end zone is Robbie Ashford now we didn't get a celebration penalty the game was over and all that as well but you saw Robbie and I told him that was a pretty cool moment that here the other quarterback throws the touchdown pass to win the period and he is the first guy out there celebrating with the teammates so he's got to continue to do that and and um continue to compete and get better and he's come so far Robbie has since he got here and um has a big future ahead of him as well and and I'm excited he makes our program better and and I'm excited for him going back to the crowded wide receiver room how's Gage larvan kind of separated himself or what's kind of your evaluation of him over these 14 or so practices yeah he's been good he's been a little limited um just with some you know nagging injuries nothing long term nothing that has kept him necessarily out but maybe some things that's kept him from being 100% every single day so we've got a get him where he's 100% healthy and he can be at his best but he showed a lot in the springtime about what he can B he's a really good athlete he's a really good competitor he's or he's a competitor he's a really good basketball player as well and um just an athletic guy that isn't the biggest guy but has a lot of twitch can make you miss and and can run and can help us in a lot of different ways special teams wise and offense nice to meet you coach I knowah where you from no I'm from the Philadelphia area all right nice grow up there yep yes sir where'd you go to High School uh William tenet okay not familiar with that one okay it's a in in the suburbs all right uh you had Josiah Thompson and Dylan Stewart named to the preseason true freshman All-American list by on three at this point in the season you know what does this recognition mean you know to you and to your young guys you know at this point you said Josiah and Dylan I would say that they were highly recruited so not to criticize on three but that's pretty simple they look at the two highest rated recruits that we had and I think those two guys were and they said okay they're poised to play a lot this year so let's make them an All-American um is what it probably went into considering we haven't played any games but I think it's a testament to one the way that we've recruited I mentioned it a couple weeks I mentioned it the other day or I spoke to a group over the weekend and told them you know our highest rated recruiting classes the last two years excuse me our last two recruiting classes are the highest rated um recruiting classes that we've had here in the last 10 years or over 10 years and it's it's those guys five of them started last year on our football team and then you've got two Mo and Josiah and Dylan along with a lot of other guys in that freshman class that are uh poised to play a lot this upcoming season so it's a testament to their abilities coming out of high school it's a testament to the way that we've recruited and then it's a testament to them and how they've handled themselves since they got here in January they don't look like freshmen and I know they've been here since January but the way that they've attacked the weight room and changed their bodies and and done well academically and and all that stuff they've put to work in and their pois to have big seasons and and I'm not disagreeing with on three at all because I think both those kids young men have the capability uh to have those kind of seasons for us uh as well along with some other freshman in that class also Shane you've been around a lot of football over your career on both sides the the sack have you seen it more difficult to get one with the proliferation of spread offenses and that kind of thing yeah um teams are getting the ball out quick you know they spread you out they offenses I think do an even better job of you know putting tight ends and or excuse me putting defensive ends in in tough situations whether it be you know RPO stuff and and or they're moving the pocket getting the ball out quick uh and then when you have really good pass rushers the ability to chip them with tight ends and running backs and things like that so I think it's uh it's not any easier that's why being able to recruit guys like Dylan Stewart um helps that without a doubt so I think there's certainly been some changes to the gamees over the years that have have made it tougher you know a lot of the teams they obviously do uptempo offenses to try and tire out a defense and and try and minimize their ability to rush the passer for sure you've been around some of the best college quarterbacks uh in the game heck you had a really good win last year what can make Lenor special um he's obviously his physical God blessed him with a lot of abilities when you're talking about a guy that's you know close to 240 pounds and and runs really well um he's a winner you look at what he did in high school U leading his leading South Florence to a state championship as a as a senior um he is a competitor you see that coming back off an injury that he had in high school and some of the things that I've seen him do out there on the field and he's just a unbelievable young man comes from a great family and I think you take all those qualities and then you add just his Poise and consistency you know day in day out um I think there's there's a lot of lot of things to like about him when you are evaluating a a quarterback competition how much of it is um going off stats of of practices how much of it is your gut and the coach's gut of hey we feel like this guy gives us the best chance to win um and then is there something else that you know we don't know that goes into it no it's a little bit of everything I mean it's stuff on the field we obviously uh put our guys in as many different competitive situations as possible we mixed up you know who got work with the first group second group all that as well it's the summer time you know the teams together all summer themselves and we're able to do some things with them it's it's the time they spend in the meeting room with you know Dow which is a lot because if you're a quarterback when the whole teams and special teams meetings each day the quarterbacks are in the quarterback meeting so they get more meeting time than than anybody so there it's da valuating everything in the in the meeting room it's evaluating everything on the field certainly um it's how they manage the offense the mechanics of stuff you name it I mean I there's a lot that goes into it but then certainly there's an also a gut aspect of it um as well all right good mock press conference I think we'll be ready to go next Tuesday thank you'all