Is it worth firing Beamer?

[18IsTheMan]

Really, when you think about it.

We've been mostly mediocre, or worse, since 1892. In those 134 seasons, we have literally a handful that would qualify as very good seasons. Actually, less than a handful. Four times have we reached double-digit wins. 134 seasons (yes, not all of those had 10 or more games a year).

We've been trying at this thing before electricity was still a novelty. Before the airplane. The horse and buggy was still the primary means of travel. In short, it's been a long time.

Given that, is it worth paying north of $20 million to fire an "underperforming" coach so you can try to get better in a year or two? What's a year or two in light of 134 years? I put underperforming in quotes because Beamer is only underperforming in relation to our hopes and dreams. Not only do you have to pay Beamer's buyout, you have to pay the staff buyout. Then you have to pay a new head coach and staff. And this on top of NIL and revenue sharing.

Just considering the historical perspective, is it worth it?

 

[Harvard Gamecock]

Most assistant coaches operate under 1 year contracts, so the buyout of the staff may not be an issue.
The big factors to Beamers dismissal would probably be the following 1) Boosters begin to waiver 2) Public dissatisfaction becomes to public to ignore 3) National negative perception.

I don't know how this turns out, but barring an unprecedented turnaround, we may indeed be heading to see SB's dismissal

 

[Deathstar]

I have considered just keeping Beamer until his contract expires. $27 million is a lot of money to throw away and roll the dice on a new coach who will be expensive and have a good chance of being a failure also. I have zero confidence in our Administration and our AD to hire anyone who is better than what we have now, because what we have now is worse than the one he replaced in wins and losses. And if you remember he was the next great thing when we hired him.

I wonder if our AD could work with Beamer to restructure his contract to a lower buyout while offering him more earning potential based on performance? Performance based bonuses for recruiting, winning games and the post season.

If Beamer declines the opportunity to make more money based on performance then this will tell you all you need to know about him.

 

[cocksx5]

the wheels have fallen off the Shane train. this yr is not surprising, our recruiting is lower part of sec when combine portal and his kids, that will fall. who wants to come here, I am true blue gcock 3rd gen but if my fball son had real shot at playing at jawja v usc or most anywhere n sec i'm going to advise him to go elsewhere, ;\look at the undisciplined basics, total lack of player development, the worst secondary in sec, not 1 stud receiver and a qb that keeps regressing. game after game the red zone has turned into the dread zone, we have lost 9 out of last 10 n sec, and does anyone even see 2 more victories to equal last yr. don't fire him and we become truly the old vandy only fielding team because we have to, proving we r satisfied with tv $$$$$$ alone, there will be no nil $$$$. does anyone see light at end of tunnel,look at recent hirings at Indiana,fla,msst all quick turnarounds, now tell me msst or Indiana are better places to coach. we r the graveyard of coaches, no doubt, but there have been continual terrible hires, muschump and beamer ,sparky, bell, just all forseeably bad. after ky is break, fire him hand reigns to briles and tell him go with it, if anything else lets see discipline on the fundamentals,ie stupid penalties and beyond bone headed coaches calls, and unify team, we've seen this b4, remember when sparky woods team at 0-5 gave him a no vote of confidence, tanneyhill pulled his *** out of the fire, Brad Scott had open rebellion in his last yr, we r darn close to passing the Rubicon in that regard if already not done. so damn right he ought to b fired!!!!!!!!!!! otherwise we r every teams homecoming game. donati was hired to do a job, time to get to work!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[PrestonyteParrot]

Whether it's worth it or not depends on the goal.

What is the goal?
Can this goal be accomplished with the firing?
Is it worth the cost whether the goal is accomplished or not?

 

[Gr8spur]

The ringing truth of this thread is so depressing. Just sad.

 

[gamecox4982]

I’m not and have never been a huge fan of Beamer but this isn’t all on him. Yes, he did make some terrible hires at first but the coaching staff he has in place now have shown they can be successful. The problem with this team is talent and the inability to execute what they have been coached to do. Missed assignment, penalties, dropped balls and balls thrown in the dirt are all on players. The fact of the matter is these young men are not that talented compared to teams they play.

 

[PrestonyteParrot]

Do the position coaches evaluate their own talent in the recruiting process and could the staff benefit from a dedicated talent evaluator?

 

[Lurker123]

How much booster money will dry up if he is kept? That may be the biggest key, and one that will never be publicly known.

 

[18IsTheMan]

How much booster money will dry up if he is kept? That may be the biggest key, and one that will never be publicly known.

I just wonder if others look at the 130+ year run of futility and ask "Why would we spend nearly $30 million extra on this thing?"

Reality is, if we hang onto Beamer a few more years, we can save a ton of money and the program will likely be in the same it has always been.

I know we're supposed to be pursuing greatness and all that, and now there's the example of Indiana, but we've trying for a long time and IU just got lucky. They haven't tried to succeed at football 30% as much as we have. We have been 100% all-in on football success for quite a while. We just aren't good at it.

Chucking Beamer would make sense if we had some storied past that he had run into the ground.

 

[Lurker123]

I just wonder if others look at the 130+ year run of futility and ask "Why would we spend nearly $30 million extra on this thing?"

Reality is, if we hang onto Beamer a few more years, we can save a ton of money and the program will likely be in the same it has always been.

I know we're supposed to be pursuing greatness and all that, and now there's the example of Indiana, but we've trying for a long time and IU just got lucky. They haven't tried to succeed at football 30% as much as we have. We have been 100% all-in on football success for quite a while. We just aren't good at it.

Chucking Beamer would make sense if we had some storied past that he had run into the ground.

Well, we dont have Mark Cuban, like Indiana does.

Bit I see your point. I disagree on part though. Beamer's buyout is something like 60% of remaining due pay. Or 65%.

Either way, we would have to renegotiate that, or stop giving him extensions, and certainly stop giving him raises in order to bring the buyout down.

But the minute we do that, we signal that he is a lame duck coach. Then, imo, how much do donors really want to give? How many players want to come play for that?

It wont be all donors and players, vut probably enough to make our situation even worse.

 

[Irmo Cock]

Really, when you think about it.

We've been mostly mediocre, or worse, since 1892. In those 134 seasons, we have literally a handful that would qualify as very good seasons. Actually, less than a handful. Four times have we reached double-digit wins. 134 seasons (yes, not all of those had 10 or more games a year).

We've been trying at this thing before electricity was still a novelty. Before the airplane. The horse and buggy was still the primary means of travel. In short, it's been a long time.

Given that, is it worth paying north of $20 million to fire an "underperforming" coach so you can try to get better in a year or two? What's a year or two in light of 134 years? I put underperforming in quotes because Beamer is only underperforming in relation to our hopes and dreams. Not only do you have to pay Beamer's buyout, you have to pay the staff buyout. Then you have to pay a new head coach and staff. And this on top of NIL and revenue sharing.

Just considering the historical perspective, is it worth it?

Two things.....I think it is a problem of players....many not being football smart, especially in the secondary. Secondly, we have to give the coaches some blame for their evaluation because football smart should be a part of it.

 

[sclawman77]

Sumrall at UF proves new coaches can turn things around quickly when you make the correct hire.

Purge the program of Tanner hires and let Donati start fresh and find a new coach.

 

[18IsTheMan]

Sumrall at UF proves new coaches can turn things around quickly when you make the correct hire.

I'd pump the brakes a little bit. At one point, people thought Norvell had taken FSU back the mountaintop. Things can change quickly.

 

[sclawman77]

I'd pump the brakes a little bit. At one point, people thought Norvell had taken FSU back the mountaintop. Things can change quickly.

I didn't say they would be playing for a title this year but they look much improved compared to last year.

As I stated, purge the program of Ray hires. Let Donati find someone.

Keep Shane and keep going 4-8 and you will lose serious fan support. Season ticket sales will drop and attendance will drop. Not the look we want.

 

[Deathstar]

Everyone cannot be winners. Life and the SEC need winners and losers. We have traditionally been in the loser role here, we are well compensated by the conference to do this. We might as well keep Beamer, keep losing and make a lot of money doing it.

 

[18IsTheMan]

I didn't say they would be playing for a title this year but they look much improved compared to last year.

As I stated, purge the program of Ray hires. Let Donati find someone.

Who are we gonna get?

We've tried every approach.

Sparky Woods: established smaller division head coach
Brad Scott: hot shot coordinator from the top program in college football
Lou Holtz/Steve Spurrier: veteran, national title winning coaches

We've tried all the approaches you're supposed to take.

Short of Urban Meyer, there's no coaching candidate out there who isn't a roll of the dice that is most likely to fail.

 

[Johnnysurf]

And who else are you going to get?
we’ve been pump faked before and had to settle for 3rd or 4th choice.

 

[sclawman77]

Who are we gonna get?

We've tried every approach.

Sparky Woods: established smaller division head coach
Brad Scott: hot shot coordinator from the top program in college football
Lou Holtz/Steve Spurrier: veteran, national title winning coaches

We've tried all the approaches you're supposed to take.

Short of Urban Meyer, there's no coaching candidate out there who isn't a roll of the dice that is most likely to fail.

That's what Donati is paid big bucks for. I don't need a history lesson on our coaches. I was there for it all and remember each of them vividly.

 

[18IsTheMan]

Everyone cannot be winners. Life and the SEC need winners and losers. We have traditionally been in the loser role here, we are well compensated by the conference to do this. We might as well keep Beamer, keep losing and make a lot of money doing it.

If it was just a matter of firing Beamer, then yeah, fire him. But it's matter of firing him AND paying north of $20 million to do so.

From that perspective, I just don't see how it's worth it. We're paying a TON of money to a bad coach to leave what has historically been a bad or mediocre program. Just doesn't make sense.

 

[sclawman77]

Fire Shane and make Briles interim HC. See what he can do at the helm. There are other options.

 

[South Mountain GCock]

Leave Beamer alone; we can't afford football. He is good enough for 5-7 wins/year, maybe the occasional 9-10 wins. Use the money we have wisely—we can pay 5 basketball players market rate, but not 80+ football players with an A+ coaching staff.

 

[Piscis]

Fire Shane and make Briles interim HC. See what he can do at the helm. There are other options.

I keep seeing this "fire Beamer and make Briles HC" thing. Why? What has Briles done that makes anyone think he is the answer? Piling points on body bag cupcakes doesn't show me anything that makes me think he is some sort of coaching genius. The offense looks better than last year, but it isn't really very good against talented defenses. Sellers is no better than last season either.

If Briles is so good, keep Beamer, who is supposedly good at recruiting and establishing "culture" and, most importantly "really wants to be here" and let Briles be the brilliant OC everyone seems to have convinced themselves that he is. Why spend $20M to fire Beamer, start over with Briles as HC and likely end up with similar results?

18 has a pretty good point. We have 134 years of data that tells us we aren't going to be contending for any championships any time soon. Why not stick with the likeable guy who really wants to be here and enjoy football as a social event?

 

[18IsTheMan]

I keep seeing this "fire Beamer and make Briles HC" thing. Why? What has Briles done that makes anyone think he is the answer? Piling points on body bag cupcakes doesn't show me anything that makes me think he is some sort of coaching genius. The offense looks better than last year, but it isn't really very good against talented defenses. Sellers is no better than last season either.

If Briles is so good, keep Beamer, who is supposedly good at recruiting and establishing "culture" and, most importantly "really wants to be here" and let Briles be the brilliant OC everyone seems to have convinced themselves that he is. Why spend $20M to fire Beamer, start over with Briles as HC and likely end up with similar results?

18 has a pretty good point. We have 134 years of data that tells us we aren't going to be contending for any championships any time soon. Why not stick with the likeable guy who really wants to be here and enjoy football as a social event?

Yeah, I mean, it's 130+ years, lol. There's futility and then there's 130+ years of futility.

How many hundreds of millions of dollars have we thrown down the toilet trying to be good at football? I'd really to love to see a number.

 

[Piscis]

Yeah, I mean, it's 130+ years, lol. There's futility and then there's 130+ years of futility.

How many hundreds of millions of dollars have we thrown down the toilet trying to be good at football? I'd really to love to see a number.

Take half of the football money and spend it on MBB and baseball and SC could be a national power in those sports. UK and UNC couldn't care less if their football team is average, they want to dominate in MBB.

 

[PrestonyteParrot]

Let it play out and see what happens.
No raises and no extensions, no matter what miracle happens!

 

[FootballLVR]

I just wonder if others look at the 130+ year run of futility and ask "Why would we spend nearly $30 million extra on this thing?"

Reality is, if we hang onto Beamer a few more years, we can save a ton of money and the program will likely be in the same it has always been.

I know we're supposed to be pursuing greatness and all that, and now there's the example of Indiana, but we've trying for a long time and IU just got lucky. They haven't tried to succeed at football 30% as much as we have. We have been 100% all-in on football success for quite a while. We just aren't good at it.

Chucking Beamer would make sense if we had some storied past that he had run into the ground.

Like Indiana? That's where this argument goes awry. Even Florida has struggled after Spurrier and until Meyer. Since Meyer left they have been pretty bad. Now a new coach is in town and instantly they are looking really good. It takes someone with a plan and the courage to make the hard decisions. I'm not sure we have that in the leadership of The University of South Carolina.

 

[18IsTheMan]

Like Indiana? That's where this argument goes awry. Even Florida has struggled after Spurrier and until Meyer. Since Meyer left they have been pretty bad. Now a new coach is in town and instantly they are looking really good. It takes someone with a plan and the courage to make the hard decisions. I'm not sure we have that in the leadership of The University of South Carolina.

Yes, I already mentioned the Indiana anomaly in my post.

 

[Evilchicken]

Beamer’s saving grace is the portal. It’s the great equalizer now, and you can “rebuild” in one year w the right combo of transfer players. He’ll ride out his contract unless we go absolutely winless from here on out.

 

[Deathstar]

I am not opposed to spending more money getting rid of Paris and buying a good MBB team. It is much easier to make a championship MBB than a football team. Keep Beamer, buy cheaper football players, we will probably be no worse than we are now. Football games are to tailgate and party with friends. Leave at half time and keep the party going. Who cares what the football team does because we are never going to win anything but a cheap bowl game anyway. It kind of makes sense to me. Become a MBB school again, at least we have an ancient tradition there.

 

[GamecockAlum90]

Been a fan since 1979. If I had a dollar for every time I heard "fire the football coach". Agree with OP....we will always be a run of the mill SEC team, with a surprise year every once and a while. This is more true now with NIL. Embrace it and don't let the program ruin your day. Fire Beamer and we will right back here in 4-5 years. Wash, rinse, repeat...Go Cocks.

 

[muscleknight]

It appears RT hires give us one good season. Muschamp had a 9 win season then fell into a Brad Scott fat roll. Beamer had a 9 win season and now we hear his frantic calls for help from the bottom of a smothering fat roll. Based on this its time to move on from Beamer.

 

[Uscg1984]

How much booster money will dry up if he is kept? That may be the biggest key, and one that will never be publicly known.

And how much do 15,000 - 20,000 empty seats cost the University? We're certainly not at that point yet, but if Beamer goes 4-8 again and comes back to coach another year, I think we'll see that.

 

[Piscis]

And how much do 15,000 - 20,000 empty seats cost the University? We're certainly not at that point yet, but if Beamer goes 4-8 again and comes back to coach another year, I think we'll see that.

I don't think so, especially if he manages to beat Clemson. SC fans are stupidly loyal, there was no drop off after last year's 4-8 season or 2023's 5-7 season.

I still see 6-6 and Beamer's cheerleading will keep the fans buying tickets.

 

[gamecockengineer2011]

And how much do 15,000 - 20,000 empty seats cost the University? We're certainly not at that point yet, but if Beamer goes 4-8 again and comes back to coach another year, I think we'll see that.

I think you are about to see that this coming weekend

 

[Skuddy]

Leave Beamer alone; we can't afford football. He is good enough for 5-7 wins/year, maybe the occasional 9-10 wins. Use the money we have wisely—we can pay 5 basketball players market rate, but not 80+ football players with an A+ coaching staff.

This ^^^^

We could have a great basketball and baseball program for what we waste on football.

 

[segrrr]

Most assistant coaches operate under 1 year contracts, so the buyout of the staff may not be an issue.
The big factors to Beamers dismissal would probably be the following 1) Boosters begin to waiver 2) Public dissatisfaction becomes to public to ignore 3) National negative perception.

I don't know how this turns out, but barring an unprecedented turnaround, we may indeed be heading to see SB's dismissal

 

[RL09]

I think the question with the decision around Shane Beamer, who can South Carolina hire as the next coach. If there is a caliber coach that has a proven track record of success and we can hire that person, it may make sense to make a change. We finally have some high caliber offensive coaches who have made a positive change, so I hope they can be retained either way.

 

[Cockofdawn]

Unless Nick Saban decides to return, I dont see a great coach wanting to come to USC, so I am torn on this, Beamer IMO does not know how to develop talent, Good recruiter YES, but it doesnt matter how good kids are coming out of High School, they HAVE TO get better at the college level, And i dont think Beamer is doing this. I can give three good examples, Harbor, Stewart and Sellers. Coming out of High school they were Phenoms, I dont see them improving over the last two years!!

 

[Piscis]

I think the question with the decision around Shane Beamer, who can South Carolina hire as the next coach. If there is a caliber coach that has a proven track record of success and we can hire that person, it may make sense to make a change. We finally have some high caliber offensive coaches who have made a positive change, so I hope they can be retained either way.

If we finish the season with 4, 5 or even 6 wins, how can the case be made that we "high caliber offensive coaches"? Why would a new head coach come in and retain coaches from a staff that led to the previous coach's firing?