Shane Beamer is backing up his bold talk from SEC Media Days with action — and South Carolina football is reaping the benefits.
Over the weekend, the Gamecocks scored a major recruiting win with a commitment from 2026 quarterback Landon Duckworth, one of the most high-profile additions to their upcoming class. His decision to join South Carolina aligns perfectly with Beamer’s confident claims at Media Days that the program is built for sustained success.
“We’re built for years to come and are going to continue to be good at South Carolina,” Beamer said during the event. “We are not going anywhere. There is a lot of young talent and more coming. It’s a great place to recruit to when you talk about the academics, Columbia, the beautiful campus, a capital city, a fantastic place to live, the best fan base in all of America.”
Coming off a 9-4 season — their best yet under Beamer — the Gamecocks are looking to show the college football world that 2024 was just the beginning. Duckworth’s commitment sends a strong message about the future, especially with current starter LaNorris Sellers expected to head to the NFL after this season.
The QB room is stacking up nicely. Alongside Sellers, South Carolina also brought in former Ohio State quarterback Air Noland this offseason, and now Duckworth is next in line. The Gamecocks are also stockpiling young talent at the wide receiver position. Entering the season, six receivers are sophomores or younger — including five true freshmen. Add in that 18 players on their two-deep depth chart are redshirt sophomores or younger, and it’s clear that youth is at the center of South Carolina’s growth strategy.
Now, it’s up to Beamer and his staff to prove they can turn this promising talent into long-term results. But if the recent moves are any indication, the Gamecocks are doing exactly what Beamer said they would — building for the future and refusing to back down.
