Beamer can still reverse course, but is UK the last exit before destruction?

18IsTheMan · Wednesday at 10:32 AM

Beamer's tenure is obviously teetering on the brink. Everyone knows it, including him. He's wound tight lately and it shows.

A win at UK slows the bleeding, but assuming losses to UF, UT and UGA, we're still looking at a 3-5 conference record, at best. Maybe that's good enough if you steal a win over Clemson.

It feels like the UK game is THE game. If we lose, we'll be staring at an 0-5 start in conference play and 10 straight conference losses dating back to last year. We already haven't won a conference game in over a year.

It seems any hopes of staving off destruction hinge on winning this game. Our season and Beamer's career are circling the drain. I don't know that the UK ultimately changes much, but if there is going to be change, it has to start with this game.

18IsTheMan · Wednesday at 10:38 AM

I wonder if Donati even wants Beamer to win this game. A loss makes his decision pretty straightforward. If, somehow, we miraculously scratch our way to a 6-6 record his decision becomes more challenging.

TheRoo · Wednesday at 10:46 AM

$27 Million.

18IsTheMan · Wednesday at 10:49 AM

TheRoo said:
$27 Million.

If we lose to UK and set up an 0-5 start in conference play, even the $27 million won't save him. For one, it'll almost certainly be negotiated down. I don't know why, but they usually are.

Gr8spur · Wednesday at 10:52 AM

This is absolutely a MUST WIN! I believe a loss to UK will most likely be followed by a 4-8 season. I think back-to-back losing seasons will result in his termination after 12/31 (saves a few million). We shall see. Wins over UK, Arky, Ok, and Clemson might save his job.

TheRoo · Wednesday at 10:57 AM

18IsTheMan said:
If we lose to UK and set up an 0-5 start in conference play, even the $27 million won't save him. For one, it'll almost certainly be negotiated down. I don't know why, but they usually are.

It's possible. All up to Beamer though and he's full of pride. He'd have to take quite the haircut. If the University agreed to let him immediately coach again and/or paid him in one lump sum, that might be move the needle.

18IsTheMan · Wednesday at 10:59 AM

TheRoo said:
It's possible. All up to Beamer though and he's full of pride. He'd have to take quite the haircut. If the University agreed to let him immediately coach again and/or paid him in one lump sum, that might be move the needle.

I'd be fine retaining him as a position coach or as the exclusive recruiting coordinator. The latter is what he's good at.

He said he loves it here. Does he love it enough to accept a reduced role for the good of the program?

PrestonyteParrot · Wednesday at 11:01 AM

Beamer says he's not involved in which QB is taking 1st team reps in practice.
That statement should send him packing because he's watching the same QB play that we are watching.

TheRoo · Wednesday at 11:11 AM

18IsTheMan said:
I'd be fine retaining him as a position coach or as the exclusive recruiting coordinator. The latter is what he's good at.

He said he loves it here. Does he love it enough to accept a reduced role for the good of the program?

Seriously doubt they'll hang onto him unless he really takes alot less than owed.

IMO, he needs at least 3 wins in the next 8 games to extend to 2027.

Lurker123 · Wednesday at 11:15 AM

I cant see Beamer taking an assistant job for us, that would be very weird.

I agree UK is the next in a line of pivot games. We win, and with arky, Clemson and maybe OU, we could be talking bowl.

Lose, and the wheels continue coming off.

18IsTheMan · Wednesday at 11:19 AM

Lurker123 said:
I cant see Beamer taking an assistant job for us, that would be very weird.

I agree UK is the next in a line of pivot games. We win, and with arky, Clemson and maybe OU, we could be talking bowl.

Lose, and the wheels continue coming off.

It would be highly unusual. But Zach Arnett did return to MSU as DC after being fired from the HC position. There was a couple year buffer there though.

TheRoo · Wednesday at 11:21 AM

Lurker123 said:
I cant see Beamer taking an assistant job for us, that would be very weird.

I agree UK is the next in a line of pivot games. We win, and with arky, Clemson and maybe OU, we could be talking bowl.

Lose, and the wheels continue coming off.

Given their history, one would think Mark Stoops would enjoy placing a nail Beamer's coffin at WB.

Piscis · Wednesday at 11:24 AM

TheRoo said:
Given their history, one would think Mark Stoops would enjoy placing a nail Beamer's coffin at WB.

If Stoops were still the UK coach, I'm sure he would.

18IsTheMan · Wednesday at 11:24 AM

Piscis said:
If Stoops were still the UK coach, I'm sure he would.

Yeah, I'm glad that sideshow is over.

TheRoo · Wednesday at 11:25 AM

Piscis said:
If Stoops were still the UK coach, I'm sure he would.

Ah.

Lurker123 · Wednesday at 11:45 AM

18IsTheMan said:
It would be highly unusual. But Zach Arnett did return to MSU as DC after being fired from the HC position. There was a couple year buffer there though.

Okay, serious question.

What would you hire Shane for? Certainly not HC, OC or DC. TE coach?

About the only thing I can see him be hired for is STC.

18IsTheMan · Wednesday at 11:48 AM

Lurker123 said:
Okay, serious question.

What would you hire Shane for? Certainly not HC, OC or DC. TE coach?

About the only thing I can see him be hired for is STC.

Recruiting coordinator. He is undeniably good at recruiting.

Lurker123 · Wednesday at 11:53 AM

18IsTheMan said:
Recruiting coordinator. He is undeniably good at recruiting.

I think he ends up as an analyst for some other SEC team. Waits a year or two, and gets a STC job. Just a guess...

18IsTheMan · Wednesday at 12:14 PM

Piscis · Wednesday at 12:53 PM

18IsTheMan said:
Recruiting coordinator. He is undeniably good at recruiting.

You have to wonder if we have another bad season if some of his recruiting acumen wears itself out. At some point, he starts looking like a snake oil salesman. The "you can help build something here" pitch loses some appeal when nothing ever seems to get built.

Piscis · Wednesday at 12:55 PM

Lurker123 said:
I think he ends up as an analyst for some other SEC team. Waits a year or two, and gets a STC job. Just a guess...

Muschamp took an analyst job at UGA for something like $45,000 a year while we were still paying him millions. His contract had an offset clause where any money he made coaching would reduce what we had to pay him. He took the low paying job, worked with the D in practice every day and kept cashing our checks.

I could see Beamer doing something similar.

18IsTheMan · Wednesday at 12:59 PM

Piscis said:
Muschamp took an analyst job at UGA for something like $45,000 a year while we were still paying him millions. His contract had an offset clause where any money he made coaching would reduce what we had to pay him. He took the low paying job, worked with the D in practice every day and kept cashing our checks.

I could see Beamer doing something similar.

You know, for not being a terribly great head coach, through the end of this season, Beamer will have earned $34.3 million from us.

Piscis · Wednesday at 1:04 PM

18IsTheMan said:
You know, for not being a terribly great head coach, through the end of this season, Beamer will have earned $34.3 million from us.

The thing that was lost on me with Muschamp, and even more so with Beamer, is that they were given big raises and extensions after having one good season, even though there was no indication whatsoever that any other program had any interest in hiring them away.

If my boss came to me after I had a good year and said "I'm going to double your pay and give you a guaranteed 6 year contract with built in raises", I'm not sure how concerned I would be with how hard I worked after that.

18IsTheMan · Wednesday at 1:09 PM

Piscis said:
The thing that was lost on me with Muschamp, and even more so with Beamer, is that they were given big raises and extensions after having one good season, even though there was no indication whatsoever that any other program had any interest in hiring them away.

If my boss came to me after I had a good year and said "I'm going to double your pay and give you a guaranteed 6 year contract with built in raises", I'm not sure how concerned I would be with how hard I worked after that.

We were so dadgum reactionary. We got 8 wins in 2022 and so we jacked Beamer's salary from $2.75 million all the way to $6.125 million. Then we had a bad 2023. We had a good 2024 and jacked his salary up again to $8.15 million. In each case, he got a massive pay increase on the basis of a single season of success. There has been no trajectory.

If you felt good about things after 2022 and wanted to give him a pay increase, ok. I guess go from $2.75 million to $4 million. But we went all the way to $6.125 million.

Piscis · Wednesday at 1:13 PM

18IsTheMan said:
We were so dadgum reactionary. We got 8 wins in 2022 and so we jacked Beamer's salary from $2.75 million all the way to $6.125 million. Then we had a bad 2023. We had a good 2024 and jacked his salary up again to $8.15 million. In each case, he got a massive pay increase on the basis of a single season of success. There has been no trajectory.

If you felt good about things after 2022 and wanted to give him a pay increase, ok. I guess go from $2.75 million to $4 million. But we went all the way to $6.125 million.

I'd think more along the lines of increase to $3.25, hell, that is a $500K annual raise. If he had another good season you can always give him another raise.

I guess it's easy to spend money when it isn't your own.

I4CtheFuture · Wednesday at 2:10 PM

I would say there is no in between.

If we win, things will cool off for a week. If we lose, that hot seat will turn volcanic immediately. Might not make it to the Florida game. Although there is about $28 million reasons why he stays to the end of the season no matter what. Ray Tanner sucks.

RL09 · Wednesday at 5:49 PM

18IsTheMan said:
I wonder if Donati even wants Beamer to win this game. A loss makes his decision pretty straightforward. If, somehow, we miraculously scratch our way to a 6-6 record his decision becomes more challenging.

with the buyout and the contracts for the new coaches, this is not so straight forward as one my think, firing Beamer is going to be very expensive. Speaking only for myself, after watching a miserable OL for the last several seasons, I really hope we can retain our current OL coach and the running backs coach. I think they are two of the few bright spots in an otherwise deflating season so far.

RL09 · Wednesday at 6:05 PM

Speaking for myself, when I listen to Coach Briles speak, I have much greater confidence in him than Beamer by far. Listening to Briles speak today, he was asked some fairly tough questions and to his credit, he answered most of them and did so without making faces. Furthermore, he demonstrated a terrific memory of this season so far, I could be entirely mistaken, but to me, he really comes across as a person who has it together. If a change is made, I really hope Briles gets the interim and demonstrates improved team performance.

SouthernBelly · Wednesday at 8:18 PM

18IsTheMan said:
We were so dadgum reactionary. We got 8 wins in 2022 and so we jacked Beamer's salary from $2.75 million all the way to $6.125 million. Then we had a bad 2023. We had a good 2024 and jacked his salary up again to $8.15 million. In each case, he got a massive pay increase on the basis of a single season of success. There has been no trajectory.

If you felt good about things after 2022 and wanted to give him a pay increase, ok. I guess go from $2.75 million to $4 million. But we went all the way to $6.125 million.

When you think about it a little more, 2022 was really based on two wins. The first of which no one, including Beamer, can explain how it happened. They had six wins and where 3-4 in the conference going into that UT game and those included at least 3 ugly losses. Point being - a lot gets remembered and rewarded from those UT and Clemson wins but there was no shortage of egregious play that season too. It was immediately followed by a rather predictable losing season (I said they would go 5-7 for 2023).

Now 2024 was undeniably an outstanding season but one season was not worth that contract. As already noted on here nothing was learned from the Muschamp contract gaggles and they repeated them with Beamer. I think some fair comparisons when you consider time on the job to Beamer, in the conference, you look at Heupel, Drinkwitz, and Venables. The former two are paid more than Beamer while Venables is paid less. The former two are doing better than Beamer. Oklahoma may be over paying but Venables is still a better coach than Beamer. SC is certainly overpaying.

KingWard · Wednesday at 8:53 PM

If he finishes sub-.500 in the SEC, he will not have "reversed" anything. He's already underwater. If he wins on Saturday, he's still underwater.

Swifty · Wednesday at 9:09 PM

PrestonyteParrot said:
Beamer says he's not involved in which QB is taking 1st team reps in practice.
That statement should send him packing because he's watching the same QB play that we are watching.

He said he doesn't get into which QB is taking 1st team reps in practice, as in "I'm not discussing it publicly", not that he's not involved in who's taking how many reps with which unit.

Gamecock Jacque · Wednesday at 9:09 PM

I'd put Tom Selleck on the case and look like heII for cause.

ukalum1988 · Wednesday at 9:19 PM

18IsTheMan said:
If we lose to UK and set up an 0-5 start in conference play, even the $27 million won't save him. For one, it'll almost certainly be negotiated down. I don't know why, but they usually are.

Losing in and of itself doesn’t necessarily get a coach fired, but empty seats along with losing virtually guarantees it. I don’t remember the exact number, but IIRC UK paid Stoops $40M to go away. Stoops was gracious enough to accept being paid in installments over multiple years, even though his contract mandated paying the buyout within 90 days.

Agree that it doesn’t look good for Beamer.

Piscis · Thursday at 2:23 PM

ukalum1988 said:
Losing in and of itself doesn’t necessarily get a coach fired, but empty seats along with losing virtually guarantees it. I don’t remember the exact number, but IIRC UK paid Stoops $40M to go away. Stoops was gracious enough to accept being paid in installments over multiple years, even though his contract mandated paying the buyout within 90 days.

Agree that it doesn’t look good for Beamer.

Stoops and UK had become like a really bad marriage. Both parties hated the other and wanted to part ways, but the one who had to pay up couldn't afford the divorce. Stoops wanted to be gone as much as UK wanted him gone, so he was agreeable to changing the structure of his contract so he could get out.

If SC can pull off a win this Saturday, they are 3-2 with an SEC win. I think that will take some heat off of Beamer. With OU and Arkansas coming up, 5 wins will pretty well be in the bag. If SC can find a win against the other 5 teams they play, and I think they will, Beamer ends up with 6 wins and a bowl game and is back in everyone's good graces.

Lurker123 · Thursday at 4:12 PM

RL09 said:
with the buyout and the contracts for the new coaches, this is not so straight forward as one my think, firing Beamer is going to be very expensive. Speaking only for myself, after watching a miserable OL for the last several seasons, I really hope we can retain our current OL coach and the running backs coach. I think they are two of the few bright spots in an otherwise deflating season so far.

Agreed. Which makes 6-6 such a weird territory for the AD. Good enough to keep? Bad enough to fire? With that buyout?

5-7 or worse gives you 3 losing seasons out of 4. A much cleanger story.

Lurker123 · Thursday at 4:14 PM

ukalum1988 said:
Losing in and of itself doesn’t necessarily get a coach fired, but empty seats along with losing virtually guarantees it. I don’t remember the exact number, but IIRC UK paid Stoops $40M to go away. Stoops was gracious enough to accept being paid in installments over multiple years, even though his contract mandated paying the buyout within 90 days.

Agree that it doesn’t look good for Beamer.

I dont think this fanbase will have too many empty seats. We show up regardless, even if we leave early.

But does the fact that our own fans are chanting "fire beamer" after a game equate in any way to empty seats? Probably not because they still bought tickets.

SouthernBelly · Thursday at 4:40 PM

Lurker123 said:
I dont think this fanbase will have too many empty seats. We show up regardless, even if we leave early.

But does the fact that our own fans are chanting "fire beamer" after a game equate in any way to empty seats? Probably not because they still bought tickets.

As long as the ticket is paid for they don't even have to care if anyone actually shows up.

Cain · Thursday at 6:30 PM

I heard from a friend who talked to a BoT member. He claims Beamer will have to lose every single game to get fired this season. I hope that is not correct. I've run out of patience.

atl-cock · Thursday at 8:08 PM

18IsTheMan said:
We were so dadgum reactionary. We got 8 wins in 2022 and so we jacked Beamer's salary from $2.75 million all the way to $6.125 million. Then we had a bad 2023. We had a good 2024 and jacked his salary up again to $8.15 million. In each case, he got a massive pay increase on the basis of a single season of success. There has been no trajectory.

If you felt good about things after 2022 and wanted to give him a pay increase, ok. I guess go from $2.75 million to $4 million. But we went all the way to $6.125 million.

A coach has a good season in any sport, we extend the contract with a raise. How many other schools do this?

Lurker123 · Thursday at 8:44 PM

Cain said:
I heard from a friend who talked to a BoT member. He claims Beamer will have to lose every single game to get fired this season. I hope that is not correct. I've run out of patience.

Just assume this is true for one second. That would mean we could lose every single game except Arkansas, finish 3-9, and have 3 losing seasons in the last 4 years.l, and still retain him?

Talk about proving how little we care about our football program.

Again, IF true.

Beamer can still reverse course, but is UK the last exit before destruction?

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