When Shane Beamer first walked into Virginia Tech’s weight room in 1995, strength and conditioning coach Mike Gentry thought his career might end before it even started.
“He tried to do a hang clean, and instead of dropping under the bar to catch it, the bar took him off the platform onto the ground,” Gentry recalled. “I thought, ‘My God, I’m finished before I get started with this kid.’”
That “kid” wasn’t just any freshman. It was Shane Beamer — son of legendary head coach Frank Beamer — joining the Hokies as his father entered his ninth season in charge. For Gentry, the idea of injuring the head coach’s son was a nightmare scenario.
But Shane Beamer, the player, never expected special treatment. His teammates affectionately called him “Little Beams,” yet everything he earned in Blacksburg came from his own effort.
“He never tried to be special,” Gentry said. “His father had a saying, ‘If you don’t act special, people will treat you special.’ And you could tag him with that.”
From Walk-On to Contributor
Beamer grew up in Blacksburg after his dad took over Virginia Tech’s program in 1987. At Blacksburg High, he starred as an all-state wide receiver, hauling in 55 passes for 600 yards and four touchdowns as a senior. But by then, he was already preparing for a different path.
“My dad kind of had the talk with me in eighth grade,” Beamer said. “He said, ‘Look, Shane, if you want to play at a high level, I’m not sure it’s as a quarterback or wide receiver. … There’s a way for you to get on the field and that’s snapping.’”
He walked on at Virginia Tech in 1995 and redshirted. By 1996, he saw action on kickoff coverage before becoming the team’s long snapper on punts in 1997. He held that role through 1999, helping the Hokies reach the BCS National Championship game. Along the way, he recorded 10 career tackles.
The 1999 Virginia Tech media guide described Beamer as someone who “made himself into a contributor with hard work,” highlighting his 415-pound squat and his effort to “hustle down field on coverage after the snap.” It also praised his “great knowledge of the game” and “team-first attitude.”
“I was athletic enough, decent as a snapper but could get downfield in coverage and force some fair catches,” Beamer explained.
Sharing Duties, Earning Respect
Although Beamer excelled as a long snapper, his father — a renowned special teams coach — preferred a bigger body for field goal snaps. That meant Beamer shared duties with fellow walk-on Cliff Anders, who arrived the same year.
“I think I got a shot at being a long snapper, and all of the sudden you realize that the head coach’s son is playing the same position you’re playing,” Anders said. “My heart kind of sunk.”
But Anders’ build — shorter and stockier than Beamer’s — made him ideal for field goal snaps. Despite competing for time, the two developed mutual respect.
“He had a maturity level that was higher than most,” Anders said. “I think it was literally just absolute sheer destiny that Shane became a coach.”
Beamer, however, was never a coach’s pet. He worked to shake the “Little Beams” label and blended in with what Anders called a “rowdy bunch.”
“I think he was practicing in his mind to become a coach,” Anders added. “And he knew if he ever got in trouble, his dad would probably be more disappointed than anyone ever could be.”
From Player to Coach
After graduating, Beamer launched his coaching career as a graduate assistant at Georgia Tech and Tennessee, then moved on to Mississippi State and South Carolina. In 2011, he returned to Virginia Tech to coach under his father. He later joined staffs at Georgia and Oklahoma before taking over at South Carolina in 2021.
Now entering his fourth season as the Gamecocks’ head coach, Beamer is preparing his No. 13-ranked team to face his alma mater, Virginia Tech, this Sunday in Atlanta.
And if you ask his old teammate Cliff Anders, the outcome looks promising.
“If Shane Beamer is as prepared as I think he is,” Anders said, “I think Shane Beamer and the Gamecocks win“.
