COLUMBIA — After South Carolina’s rough loss to LSU, head coach Shane Beamer barely had time to rest before diving back into work. He arrived home in the early hours of the morning but couldn’t head straight to bed — there was business to handle. That business turned into a 4 a.m. phone call to athletic director Jeremiah Donati, which ultimately led to the dismissal of offensive line coach Lonnie Teasley.
Beamer said he finally managed to sleep — but only for about an hour. By 6 a.m., he was back in the office and had been working nonstop by the time he spoke to reporters at 5 p.m.
How does he keep going on so little sleep?
No, it’s not an Ed Orgeron-style Red Bull diet, nor a triple-shot Starbucks order like NFL coach Dan Campbell. According to those around him, it’s simply the relentless rhythm of coaching.
“It’s a long season, and you’ve got to take care of your body,” Beamer said. “I could sleep in an extra hour, but instead, I choose to come in and work out every morning at 6 a.m. during the season. Hopefully that keeps me going physically, and when I get home at night, I’ll see my family if they’re still awake, then get to sleep.”
Still — just one hour of sleep?
“Beamer, he’s always energetic,” offensive lineman Tree Babalade said. “He’s the first one in the building, so he’s always ahead of us.”
That tireless energy has become part of Beamer’s legend in Columbia. Even with the Gamecocks sitting at 3-4 and preparing to face No. 4 Alabama, the head coach’s drive hasn’t slowed.
Defensive coordinator Clayton White said Beamer’s early-morning workouts with senior associate strength coach Chip Morton have a ripple effect across the team.
“He’s in the building a lot, working out with Chip. That motivates a bunch of us to take care of our bodies and our mental health,” White said. “It helps when your head coach works out too — you don’t feel guilty taking 30 minutes to go walk or get a lift in. I haven’t seen him tired.”
Beamer laughed off the idea of catching up on sleep. Even after late-night flights and tough losses, he still finds time to unwind — just not with rest.
“After Oklahoma, I watched football, then sat outside on my back porch, built a fire, and watched games all night,” Beamer said. “It’s not like you can just take a day and say, ‘I’m going to sleep till nine and catch up.’ You really can’t. You’re back at it today.”
His players notice his constant energy, even if they don’t quite understand how he does it.
“Honestly, I don’t notice it. I think that’s a good thing,” said center Boaz Stanley. “He doesn’t look tired. He always has energy.”
Sleep or no sleep, Beamer’s not slowing down anytime soon — not with Alabama coming to town and the Gamecocks desperate to turn their season around.
“It won’t stop, can’t stop, now,” as one player put it — and that might just define Shane Beamer’s season.
