Coach’s Corner – Alabama vs. South Carolina – VIDEO
After starting 2-0 and ranked in the top 10 nationally, the wheels have come off on the South Carolina Gamecock’s season.
Carolina had high expectations for this year. The Gamecocks hope of making the College Football Playoffs is long gone and they must win three out of final four games just to be bowl eligible. Saturday after losing a heartbreaking game 29-22 to No. 4 ranked Alabama in the last 34 seconds, Carolina is 1-5 in their last six games.
The Gamecocks led Alabama 22-14 with 2:16 remaining in the game; but the Tide scored 15 unanswered points in the closing seconds to come away with their seventh win of the season. They remained undefeated in SEC play. South Carolina statically led Alabama in every category, but where it matters most is on the final scoreboard.
With only 2:16 to go, the Gamecocks had a drive with a chance to try to get into position for a for a possible game-winning field goal, but Carolina quarterback, LaNorris Sellars fumbled and Bama recovered on the Gamecock 38 yard-line with 1:39 to play. The Tide scored the winning touchdown on a 25-yard yard TD run to complete their stunning comeback. Carolina fans were ready to storm the field, but they went home in disbelief about what happened.
After the game, South Carolina head coach Shane Beamer said, “It was a gut-wrenching loss to say the least. I told the team in the locker room after the game that we have got to finish. We had an 8-point lead in the fourth quarter at home and the crowd was going wild. We did not finish and they (Alabama) did.”
With all the disappointment and things that have gone wrong this season Beamer has had the weight of the world on his shoulders. He has said that he feels like he has let everyone down this year, and he has taken the blame for how things have gone.
“It’s been a tough year, and that weighs heavily on me as the leader of the program,” Beamer answered my question regarding he has coped with all of the things that have happened. “I don’t get to see my family very much during the week unless they are up late when I get home. Outside of seeing my family, the best part of my day is the four hours I get to spend with the players. They’re an awesome group of kids and I really hurt for them.
“As the leader of the program, I’ve got to be strong. I learned a great lesson about how leaders show leadership. I’m just trying to be consistent and stay positive, and show great leadership to our people in our program. Being the leader of the program I must be strong.”
Beamer shared that he and a group of friends outside of the program made a two-year commitment to read the Bible start to finish. In this week’s Bible study he said that throughout the Bible there are great stories of men showing great leadership and that’s what he is trying to do.
“I’m just trying to be the same person, be consistent, and stay positive and show great leadership to the people in our program,” he said.