Dabo Swinney says Gamecocks season says a lot about Shane Beamer

The Tigers and Gamecocks play Saturday night at 7:30 pm.

by David Hood - Senior Writer - Tue Nov 23 12:48:02 GMT-04:00 2021

CLEMSON – Dabo Swinney is a big fan of what South Carolina’s Shane Beamer has done in a short amount of time.

Clemson and South Carolina renew the rivalry after not playing last season due to COVID (SEC ruling to play only conference regular-season games). The Tigers (8-3, 6-2) are currently and 11-point favorite over the Gamecocks (6-5, 3-5). The kickoff is at 7:30 p.m. and the game will be televised by the SEC Network.

Swinney previewed the game during his last Tuesday weekly press conference of the regular season.

"We finished our home schedule undefeated. We're excited about the state championship being back in play. It's a longstanding tradition in college football. It will be a great game and a great environment,” Swinney said. “This is a good team. They are playing physical, with a ton of effort and it's a reflection of what Shane Beamer has done in a short amount of time. They are 5-1 at home. They have battled every week. What's impressive is what they have done in the fourth quarter. They have competed. That says a lot about what coach Beamer has been able to do. They have found a little bit of an identity.

"Their quarterback, No. 15 (Jason Brown) has settled in and has settled them down. He has good confidence and poise. He throws the ball well. They have found the best formula for them to be successful. Man, they're running that ball. They have four running backs and they have all had their moments. They're incredibly physical players. No. 11 (ZaQuandre White) signed with Florida State and played linebacker. He plays running back like a linebacker. He's very physical and is averaging 6.2 yards a carry. They have another back who led their conference in rushing last year. Their receivers are emerging. No. 6 (Josh Vann) has become a playmaker and they get him the ball in a lot of different ways.”

The Gamecocks boast an opportunistic defense.

"Defensively, early in the season, they were doing some things structurally where there was some confusion. Since the Tennessee game, they have settled in on what their identity is. That is a reflection of a great coaching job,” Swinney said. “It's a very good group upfront. No. 1 is a projected first-round draft pick (Kingsley Enagbare), No. 6 (Zacch Pickens), No. 99 (Jabari Ellis), they're good players. No. 15 (Aaron Sterling) is another one. They have settled in at linebacker and in the secondary. Look at what they have done the past few weeks and they've improved. They've been opportunistic and they've come together as a team.

"It is critical that we take care of the ball in this game. We're excited about the challenge. It's also Thanksgiving and we all have a lot to be thankful for. I have a great appreciation for rivalry games anyway, growing up in Alabama and spending 33 years there. I lived the Alabama - Auburn experience. That's just a way of life. This is a great rivalry and a historic rivalry. It means a lot to the people in this state. It impacts everyone. They're going to talk about it at church, dinner, Thanksgiving and it's just a part of the DNA of this state. It's fun to be a part of something like that. It's better when you win, that's for sure."

The Tigers still have an outside shot at the ACC Atlantic title, but that’s not something they are concerned about.

"You can't worry about it. You can't control it. We've done all we can. We can't waste any energy focusing on that,” Swinney said. “We just need to focus on trying to win the state championship. We have given ourselves a chance to win the division."

Swinney said the Tigers and Gamecocks go after different recruits and don’t cross paths all that often on the recruiting trail.

"Not very often. Earlier when I got here, we had more competition but not now. We're very different. If you love Columbia, you're probably not going to like Clemson and vice versa,” Swinney said. “They offer different things. We both have the same issues, too. This is a small population when it comes to football players. Atlanta has more prospects than the entire state of South Carolina. Throw in position need, academics, fit, all that stuff. The pool gets even smaller. When you're in a state like this with no pro sports and you have a big rivalry, a lot of kids grow up one way or the other. If a kid grew up and he's Clemson and we offer him, it's an uphill battle for them. And vice versa. Every now and then you have a situation that can go either way."