

That's because the younger Beamer made it a point long ago to create his own shadow.Īfter finishing up his playing career at Virginia Tech, the easy path into coaching for Beamer would have been to join his dad's staff as a graduate assistant. 3 opener against Georgia State, Beamer has never been more comfortable walking in the shadow of his dad, a Hall of Famer with 238 wins in 29 years at Virginia Tech and 280 victories overall. So as anticipation builds to the Gamecocks' Sept. On the recruiting trail, the Gamecocks are reeling in 4-star recruits from the state of Florida. The Gamecocks have their quarterback in place - a motivated Spencer Rattler with plenty to prove after it all fell apart for him at Oklahoma - more offensive firepower surrounding him thanks to the transfer portal and a deeper team across the board. Jeffrey Vest/Icon Sportswireīeamer, 45, is entering his second season as South Carolina's coach, and expectations are soaring. "He was a spitting image of his dad." Shane Beamer, entering his second season as South Carolina's head coach, has helped ramp up expectations for the Gamecocks.


"I wanted to hear what he had to say because I felt I could hear something or learn something that might help me, on or off the field. "When I got to Virginia Tech, I just kind of gravitated to Shane whenever he was in the room, the way he thought the game and the way he always prepared," said Vick, a four-time NFL Pro Bowler. But it was a former walk-on, who just happened to be coach Frank Beamer's son, that made a lasting impression on one of the most dynamic football players of his generation. Sure, Vick was the budding star, a multitalented quarterback who went on to lead Virginia Tech to the Sugar Bowl BCS national championship game during a dazzling redshirt freshman season in 1999. It's the same feeling Vick had when he first met the Hokies' long snapper with the famous last name, textbook football temperament and an insatiable drive matched only by his honest-to-goodness humility. Just watching him with his players, the way he directed them, the way he related to them, I was like, 'This is right where he was meant to be.'" "And he still had that young freshness about him, just like he did 20 years ago. "I'm sitting there thinking, 'Yep, I always knew he was going to be doing this one day,'" Vick recounted. Shane Beamer, the Gamecocks' first-year head coach, was addressing his team, and his message, his mannerisms, his conviction - really, everything - took Vick back in time, all the way back to their days as teammates at Virginia Tech more than two decades ago. As a guest last August at one of South Carolina's football practices, Michael Vick found himself nodding along with nearly every word.
