What Shane Beamer, Mike Furrey had to say at Friday's news conference
South Carolina football coach Shane Beamer met with the media on Friday to introduce the Gamecocks newest wide receiver coach, Mike Furrey.
Below is a quick summary of what Beamer as well as Furrey had to say.
[Get your first month of GamecockCentral for $1!]
Shane Beamer
– Shane Beamer begins the press conference by wishing all South Carolina teams luck this weekend. Says he plans on being at the baseball game tomorrow if the weather clears up
– Spring break for South Carolina is next week. They finished winter workouts last night and he’s proud of the way guys have got better, faster, and stronger this offseason. Credits Luke Day and the way the players attached the offseason
– Didn’t think we’d be here today but with previous WR coach leaving, they were able to collect the $450,000 penalty for breaching his contract “and then some.” Beamer adds this isn’t a knock on anyone but feels like they’ve brought in an even better coach to help develop the position.
– Mike Furrey isn’t just someone that’s had success coaching wherever he’s been but he brings NFL experience as a player. Furrey met with Limestone yesterday, arrived in Columbia, and then jumped right into a special teams meeting. Shortly after, he was working with the WRs in street clothes.
[On3 App: Get South Carolina push notifications from GamecockCentral]
– Feb. is a dead period and he was out of town. But when Coley decided to leave, he quickly heard from coaches and agents about the position. You might have a “list” for certain positions but as a head coach you need to find the best fit.
– Furrey tried to recruit Mazeo Bennett to Limestone. WRs are quickly likely Furrey.
– Beamer shares that he wants coaches who want to be here. If you don’t then “get the heck out,” and he’ll bring a guy in who wants to be here. Told the WRs that last week and that his job as a head coach is to find guys that want to be here and the best fit for them.
– Beamer spoke with Kirby Smart prior to Georgia hiring James Coley. Beamer also spoke with Coley prior to the move. Coley expressed that he felt this was the best move for his family. Wishes him well but reiterates he wants guys that want to be here.
– Beamer points to the NFL calendar having a trickle down effect on college hirings. Need to be prepared for changes to happen.
Mike Furrey
– Thanks Ray Tanner and USC’s administration for making this move as smooth as possible. Thanks with wife, who he’s been married to for 21 years, for being the rock of their family through all the moves as the wife of a coach and going back to his playing days in the NFL
– Dowell Loggains and Mike Furrey have known of each other through mutual connections. He doesn’t see why South Carolina doesn’t have the best WR core in the country. Says they have the resources to do that and it’s up to them as coaches to develop them but players need to want to be developed.
– Believes that you’re not just put on this earth to be average and believes the same for having a highly competitive and a talented WR room.
– Believes there are two types of athletes. One, the athlete that goes to a place who want to use that as leverage later in life. The second, are guys who want to play at the next level. Development is the key if you want to be able to reach that next level and he knows that from his days of playing in the NFL.
– If you want to be able to be developed, you have to be taught that stuff and he feels comfortable being able to do that.
[Newsletters: Get breaking news and analysis from GamecockCentral]
– Furrey says players and fans can expect effort in all that they do. “Max effort means what you’re doing is important to you.” That and guys being goal oriented. When you’re goal oriented, it turns into discipline and you shouldn’t live life any differently.
– Being a head makes you a better assistant coach because you pay more attention to detail. Add in the fact that he was a DII head coach and he was wearing a lot of different hats but yet still had to pay attention to detail.
– When you dig into a young man and he sees that you care about them, then the resources go away. Is it nice to have nice facilities and resources? Yes. But sometimes having the best in items can only get you so far. It’s about what’s inside and players knowing that you truly care.
– Mike Furrey is known for working out with his players. Shared that he spoke with Shawn Elliott and what he said was it’s hard to have guys do something when you’re not doing it. Just because I’m the coach and you’re the player doesn’t mean I’m bigger than you. We have to be on the same page. So doing stuff with them is something that he plans on still doing, as long as it doesn’t break any NCAA rules and Beamer is good with it. Won’t do anything to draw attention to him… it’s about building relationships with players the way he’s been doing it his entire coaching career.
