Shane Beamer, South Carolina assistant coach contract details from board meeting
After two successful years to the start of his South Carolina tenure, Shane Beamer scored a big payday Friday afternoon.
South Carolina’s board of trustees approved a two-year extension and massive raise for Beamer, who just wrapped his second season with the Gamecocks.
Beamer will now make $6.125 million in year one of his new contract, though it will go up each year. He’s now on a five-year deal running through the 2027 season with a $250,000 salary escalator each year of his deal.
The school’s buyout structure stays the same as his original contract. If Beamer chooses to leave, he would owe the school $5 million in year one and it de-escalates by $1 million annually.
“I am very grateful to President Amiridis, Coach Tanner, (Senior Deputy Athletics Director) Chance Miller and our Board of Trustees for their belief in what we are doing as a football program,” Beamer said in a statement. “I am so fortunate to be the football coach at the University of South Carolina. I’m very proud of what we’ve done the last two seasons, but it’s just the beginning. The best days of Gamecock football are about to happen.”
One incentive in his deal that changes is to the College Football Playoff. Beamer would earn a $300,000 bonus if the Gamecocks played in a first-round playoff game, $500,000 for a quarterfinal, $750,000 for a semifinal, $1 million for a title appearance and $1.25 million for winning the national championship.
Those are not cumulative, and Beamer would earn the highest one possible depending on the finish to the season.
“Coach Beamer has done a tremendous job as the leader of our football program,” Athletics Director Ray Tanner said in a statement. “His passion and desire to excel on and off the field have inspired our student-athletes and our great fanbase. I am very excited about the synergy and trajectory of our football program. He knows what a high-quality football program should encompass. I am delighted that he is our football coach.”
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Beamer was currently on the initial contract he signed when he took the Gamecocks’ job in December of 2020.
That deal was five years and gave Beamer $2.75 million annually.
Before the extension, Beamer was the lowest-compensated coach in the SEC among the 13 publicly funded schools. After the extension, Beamer is ninth just behind Auburn’s Hugh Freeze who makes $6.5 annually.
Vanderbilt is a private school and Clark Lea’s contract details aren’t publicly known.
“I am excited we were able to cap off our very successful football season by presenting to Coach Beamer an attractive contract extension. Shane has provided outstanding leadership to our student athletes and his coaching team through his tireless work ethics and caring personality. But most importantly, through his infectious energy and enthusiasm, he has mobilized our alumni, friends and supporters who have embraced the new ‘Beamer-ball’ era. We are very proud to have him as our football coach,” University President Michael Amiridis said.
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Beamer has largely overachieved relative to outside prognostications in two seasons at South Carolina.
The Gamecocks went to a bowl in his first season and walloped North Carolina in the Duke’s Mayo Bowl. The following season South Carolina beat Kentucky in Lexington for the first time since 2012 and toppled Texas A&M for the first time in program history.
The cherry on top of the season came at the end of the year with two emphatic victories over Tennessee and Clemson.
South Carolina beat the Vols 63-38 then went to Clemson and snapped a seven-game losing streak to the Tigers and ended that program’s home winning streak that stretched back to 2016.
The Gamecocks went 8-4 and lost 45-38 to Notre Dame in the Gator Bowl.
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South Carolina’s recruiting class currently ranks No. 16 nationally with a host of blue-chip players in it.
“Today’s Board action demonstrates our commitment to Coach Beamer and our student-athletes. Shane is a tremendous ambassador for our football program and for our university. USC is committed to developing a championship program, which is what our alumni and fans expect and deserve,” University Board Chair Thad Westbrook said.
The board also approved a contract for Lonnie Teasley to assume full-time duties as the program’s offensive line coach.
Teasley is on a two-year deal through 2024 and will make $410,000 annually. Greg Adkins, who held the position since January of 2021, was making $550,000 annually. His contract expired, though, Dec. 31. Adkins is expected to stay on as a member of South Carolina’s off-field staff.
“Lonnie did a great job stepping in for and working alongside Greg with the offensive line this past season,” Beamer said in a statement. “He was instrumental in the offensive line’s improvement and is a fantastic recruiter as well.”
Adkins, though, had his fair share of health issues and took a leave of absence during the 2022 season. Teasley filled in as the interim offensive line coach for the majority of this season.
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Teasley spent last season as an offensive analyst. Before coming to South Carolina, Teasley was the offensive line coach at North Carolina Central, Arkansas Pine Bluff and Tennessee Tech.
He also served two seasons with the Baltimore Ravens as an assistant offensive line coach and was an assistant offensive line coach at Temple also. His career started as an assistant and grad assistant at Delaware State.
Five other South Carolina assistant coaches received restructured contracts Friday as well.
Torrian Gray, who was coveted by other programs, received a massive pay bump. He already received a raise to $500,000 at the start of this year but earns a three-year extension now where he’ll be making $650,000 in year one, $675,000 in year two and $700,000 in the final year of his deal.
Justin Stepp and Jody Wright were the only two assistants to not have their contracts addressed Friday. Both deals are set to expire at the end of 2023. Stepp received a raise last offseason, making $475,000 in year one of his deal and $525,000 in year two.
Wright, who came on before the 2022 season, made $350,000 annually as the tight ends coach last season. He’ll make $400,000 this year. Pete Lembo and Dowell Loggains each had contracts or extensions approved in December.
The rest of the assistants extended were on deals set to expire at the end of 2023. Here’s a breakdown of each.
| Coach | Previous expiration | Previous salary | Amended expiration | Amended salary |
| Clayton White | 2024 | $1.1 million | 2025 | $1.2 million |
| Jimmy Lindsey | 2023 | $375,000 | 2024 | $475,000 |
| Sterling Lucas | 2023 | $350,000 | 2024 | $475,000 |
| Torrian Gray | 2023 | $500,000 | 2025 | $650,000 (Yr. 1) |
| Montario Hardesty | 2023 | $350,000 | 2024 | $400,000 |
