"We know it’ll be loud and electric" Beamer previews LSU vs. South Carolina

Last year, LSU pulled out a thriller on the road, beating South Carolina 36-33 in an early-season contest that changed the entire season. Now, the two sides meet once again in the first half of the season, but with at least a couple SEC games under their belts.

The Gamecocks come in at 3-2 and 1-1 in SEC play, while the Tigers are 4-1 and 1-1 in conference. Brian Kelly looks to get his offense right and get a key home win, while Shane Beamer hopes his South Carolina squad is up for the test, led by quarterback LaNorris Sellers and an opportunistic defense.

Beamer spoke with the media on Tuesday afternoon to preview the game and his thoughts on this LSU squad as his team enters as significant underdogs.

“We’ve got a big challenge this week, excited to go down to Baton Rouge,” Beamer said. “I have a ton of respect for Coach Kelly, one of the great coaches in college football, whether it be Cincinnati, Notre Dame, or now LSU. They’ve got a really talented team in all three phases. Weapons on offense, defense, and special teams. It’s a complete team that’s played great football. They were really good last year and only added to it with freshmen and portal additions.

That’s life in the SEC. But our guys are excited for the challenge, excited to play in one of the great venues in college football on Saturday night. We know it’ll be loud and electric and rocking in there. We’ve got to prepare well this week so we can perform well Saturday.”

Q: LSU’s Harold Perkins moves around a lot. What challenge does he present?
“He’s unique. Most teams have to sub linebackers depending on personnel. They don’t, because Perkins can do everything. He can cover tight ends, receivers, play nickel, rush the passer. He’s got instincts, speed, and versatility. Combine him with their tackles, ends, linebackers, and secondary, and it’s one of the best defenses in the league.”

Q: What stands out about LSU QB Garrett Nussmeier?
“He’s a competitor, a coach’s son, tough, athletic, can make “wow” throws. LSU’s offensive line has had injuries and turnover, which has affected continuity. He’s taken some hits but keeps competing. I respect him a lot.”

Q: How do you prepare for the noise at LSU?
“We simulate crowd noise in practice, just like we did at Missouri. We’ll do it all week. But you can’t fully simulate 100,000-plus LSU fans, many of them probably heavily intoxicated. That’s what makes college football great. At the same time, you control the crowd by how you play. That’s what we need to focus on: Playing winning football to minimize their impact.”

Q: How important is it to start fast at LSU?
Very. You don’t want to dig yourself into a hole in that environment. It’ll be a 60-minute game, momentum shifts, adversity. But starting well helps keep the crowd from getting even more into it.