Entering his fourth season as head coach, Shane Beamer is looking to rebound as he and the Gamecocks missed a bowl game last year for the first time under his leadership. His first two seasons saw great success which created high hopes and expectations in year three which South Carolina failed to live up to.

Year four is quickly approaching and it brings with it a crucial question for the program: will this season make or break Beamer as head coach of the Gamecocks?

Shane Beamer has the opportunity to prove all of the doubters wrong and show that last season was a one off. The only way to do this is to get back into bowl season like he did in each of his first two seasons. But what happens if the Gamecocks underform again? Would South Carolina consider parting ways with Shane Beamer after four years?

First off, I think it would take something catastrophic for South Carolina to let Beamer go. 

If he misses out on bowl season two years in a row and in doing so suffers a brutal loss such as to Vandy or Old Dominion, Akron, or Wofford, Beamer wouldn’t just be on the hot seat, he would be lucky to return for a fifth season. 

I think the goal for South Carolina is making a bowl game given how difficult their schedule is and the fact that they’re breaking in a QB who has yet to attempt a pass in the SEC. Going 6-6, I think, is achievable and would be considered a success for Gamecock nation. 

Missing out on a bowl, just like last season, would be incredibly disappointing. Coaches, players, and fans would not be satisfied with that result.

However, in the event that South Carolina goes, say 5-7, wins the games they should, and are competitive in all of the rest, I think Beamer survives. Again, no one, including Beamer, would be happy with this result, and he’d be the first to say that the team underachieved and missed out on their goals for the season. 

That said, I think in this scenario, it’d be really easy to just brush it off as the result of a brutal schedule with a young QB. Ole Miss, Bama and Oklahoma in consecutive weeks is as tough as it gets and each game will be exceedingly difficult for the Gamecocks to win. Not to mention they play at Clemson and also have to travel to the real death valley to face the LSU Tigers. Games like Texas A&M and Missouri may be considered a “coin flip” but these are programs that the Gamecocks have struggled mightily against over the last several seasons. Beamer would no doubt be on the hot seat if he missed out on a bowl game, but I think he’d return for a fifth season as long as his team is competitive and avoids head scratching losses. 

However, this notion that Beamer is untouchable isn’t true, and I believe that a scenario exists for South Carolina parting ways with Beamer after year four. Going 5-7 or worse while also losing to teams like Vandy, Akron, ODU, or Wofford or missing a bowl game and lacking competitive fire in their losses regardless of opponent would spell the end of the Beamer Era in Columbia. 

For the record, I think South Carolina qualifies for a bowl this coming season. I like what they’ve done to strengthen their roster and believe that there is enough to get to 6 wins. So, I don’t foresee this even being a question after the season. In the event, however, that South Carolina does underachieve and fails to accomplish their goals, Beamer could be on his way out.