South Carolina head coach Shane Beamer is doing his best to keep the spotlight off himself ahead of the Gamecocks’ Week 1 showdown with Virginia Tech — but there’s no denying the personal ties make this matchup uniquely special.
Beamer, the son of legendary Hokies head coach Frank Beamer, grew up in Blacksburg, spent his college playing days at Virginia Tech, and later served as an assistant coach there. On Sunday, he’ll lead South Carolina into a neutral-site clash at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta against the very program that shaped so much of his football life.
“You know obviously it’s neat to be going up against a team that I grew up around,” Beamer said during an appearance on SiriusXM College Sports Radio. “So many people that are still a part of that football program that were either teammates of mine in college or been around Virginia Tech for a while. So it’s neat from that standpoint. It’s a lot of fun for my parents, and I know it’s really neat for them to be a part of.”
The Beamer family legacy looms large in Blacksburg. Frank Beamer’s tenure at Virginia Tech spanned nearly three decades and included a national championship appearance in 1999. Now, Shane is carving his own path in the SEC, building South Carolina into a program with momentum after a strong finish to last season.
Still, the younger Beamer insists the focus can’t be on nostalgia or family ties when kickoff arrives.
“But my focus is our team and getting South Carolina prepared to go play really well on that Sunday against Virginia Tech,” Beamer explained. “Got a lot of respect for them. It’ll be a big challenge for us. Certainly exciting, but once the game kicks off it’s about the 22 guys on the field, 11 on each side.”
South Carolina enters the matchup as a ranked team with expectations to contend in the SEC East, while Virginia Tech is seeking to prove itself under head coach Brent Pry. For Shane Beamer, the game is a unique collision of past and present — but once the whistle blows, all that matters is whether the Gamecocks can start their season strong.
The game between South Carolina and Virginia Tech is scheduled for Sunday, August 31, at 3 p.m. ET, with national coverage on ESPN.
