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South Carolina

Shane Beamer: Gamecocks have 'increased the competition' at every position

wesby: Wes Mitchell02/20/22WesMitchellGC
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Shane Beamer is excited about the increased competition on the South Carolina football team this season. (Chris Gillespie/Gamecock Central)

With the start of spring practice now a month away and South Carolina football beginning its “competitive toughness” challenges at night, the Gamecocks are likely to hear a lot of one word over the next couple of months: competition.

When those players looked around their position groups at the beginning of winter workouts last month, they likely saw some new faces eager to take away snaps this season. As has been well documented, seven incoming transfers are joining the roster, with six already on campus.

“We talk about competition in this program all the time and we literally just talked about that as a team a couple of days ago,” South Carolina football coach Shane Beamer said Thursday on the JB and Goldwater Show. “We’ve increased the competition on our team at every position since last season.”

On top of the transfers, South Carolina enrolled seven high school prospects this semester from its No. 28-ranked class of 2022. They’ll go through spring practice as well.

“We lost Jaylan Foster in the secondary (but) we’re excited about some of the recruits we brought in and Devonni Reed, the transfer we brought in from Central Michigan,” Beamer continued. “Every single offensive lineman returns, plus we’ve got three freshmen that we signed. We lost two running backs in ZaQuandre (White) and Kevin Harris but we brought in Lovasea Carroll and Christian Beal-Smith.”

Former five-star quarterback Spencer Rattler, former four-star tight end Austin Stogner, both from Oklahoma, and N.C. State defensive end transfer Terrell Dawkins round out the Gamecocks’ transfer class, though they could add more players after the spring.

ALSO SEE: How South Carolina football is mastering the transfer portal

‘Everywhere you look there’s more competition’

“Everywhere you look there’s more competition,” Beamer said. “To me, if you’re a competitor, that competition around you just elevates your game and makes you better. If you’re not about competition, you’re going to have a hard time. Just being real.”

Beamer added that he hopes to create an environment where each and every position has to be earned this season.

“Yes, to me, every position, what you did last year, it’s great, and that’s a starting point for 2022, but you’re not entitled to anything,” Beamer said. “You’re going to earn everything. You’re going to earn every position.”

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