Shane Beamer reflects on making his mark in Washington D.C. recruiting against his father

The DMV is one of the most important regions in the country for recruiting. That’s something that South Carolina head coach Shane Beamer learned while watching his father, Frank Beamer, build a powerhouse at Virginia Tech.

While talking to On3’s Andy Staples, Beamer explained the value of recruiting the region while also noting how tough it was to recruit there when his father was still at Virginia Tech.

“No, it was part of it,” Shane Beamer said. “That was a big recruiting area for him. Virginia Beach, Richmond, D.C. and I’m a competitor so you always want to win your share of battles but it certainly was tough, not so much you’re going against your dad but because they had a stranglehold in a lot of ways on that area. It was just gonna be tough to get guys out of Virginia and D.C. if Virginia Tech wanted them.”

Ever since Frank Beamer retired from Virginia Tech, the Hokies have struggled to maintain as much dominance as they once had recruiting the area. However, Shane Beamer does know that the region is still vital for his recruiting, now at South Carolina.

“Now, there’s an opportunity and we’ve done a great job of not just going into the D.C. area, but being able to go into Virginia Beach. We got a great player out of Virginia Beach this year, the tidewater area, in [Fred] Johnson, who is a fantastic player. We’ve had players on our team from Richmond, Virginia, and will continue to as well,” Beamer said.

“So, that’s an area that’s easy for those young men and their families to get down here. It’s an easy drive and an area that we want to continue to recruit for sure.”

The most notable recruit that South Carolina landed from the Washington D.C. area this cycle was Dylan Stewart. A five-star recruit, according to the On3 Industry Ranking, was the 14th-ranked player nationally.

Spencer Rattler reflects on decision to play for Shane Beamer at South Carolina

Following the end of the regular season, quarterback Spencer Rattler reflected on his decision to play for Shane Beamer.

“I knew the type of person he was,” Rattler said.

“His players loved him. Him coming here, I saw what he was doing. When I got in the portal, I knew that was a guy I wanted to play for. Never in a million years I thought I’d be at South Carolina. It’s just funny how God works. Beamer was here, wanted me to come here and I believed what he was doing and I still do.”