South Carolina football kicked off its first preseason camp scrimmage on Saturday, and head coach Shane Beamer came away encouraged by what he saw.
“I was pleased overall,” Beamer told reporters after the session, noting that the offense’s ball security stood out as a highlight.
“Offense didn’t turn the ball over,” he said. “That was good.”
Beamer pointed out that last year’s first scrimmage also ended with no defensive takeaways. This time, the Gamecocks ran 117 plays — up from 108 in the same preseason event last year — and still avoided turnovers.
“We got more plays and there were no turnovers,” Beamer emphasized. “Now, there were some throws where receivers got their hands on it and probably should have been an interception, but they didn’t finish the catch. That’s good. If you can run 117 plays without turning the ball over, that’s a start, because we know how important turnover margin is in college football.”
While the defense didn’t generate a takeaway, Beamer praised defensive coordinator Clayton White’s unit for rebounding after a slow opening stretch.
“The offense got off to a good start in their first four drives — two of them were really productive,” Beamer explained. “I don’t want to say the defense was on their heels, but they didn’t start as well as they could have. Then it was cool to see them respond. We had a goal-line period where the defense really flipped a switch and played well the rest of the night.”
Special teams also had a busy day, with all kickers and punters seeing action.
“All of them had some really good moments and a kick or two they’d like back,” Beamer said. “We punted well. We’re still figuring out who the guy is, but they’re getting a lot of work.”
The scrimmage was also a valuable opportunity for younger players. Beamer said many of them handled the atmosphere of Williams-Brice Stadium well, even with ongoing competition for roster spots.
“A lot of our returning starters didn’t play as much,” Beamer noted. “We needed to get these young guys reps so we can make decisions.”
The Gamecocks will be back in Williams-Brice Stadium next Saturday for their second and final preseason scrimmage.
