Shane Beamer, who guided South Carolina to an eight-win season that included wins over top-10 foes Tennessee and Clemson, had his contract extended through 2027 and given a raise of nearly $4 million per year after it was approved by the board of trustees in a meeting Friday afternoon.
Beamer’s deal will average in the $6.5 million area annually. He’s slated to earn $6.125 million in 2023, and his salary will increase each year from there.
“Coach Beamer has done a tremendous job as the leader of our football program,” South Carolina athletic director Ray Tanner said. “His passion and desire to excel on and off the field have inspired our student athletes and our great fanbase. I am very excited about the synergy and trajectory of our football program. He knows what a high-quality football program should encompass. I am delighted that he is our football coach.”
Beamer’s buyout remains unchanged from his old deal, which paid him $2.75 million annually. If he were fired without cause, the university would owe him 65% of the guaranteed compensation remaining on his contract. If Beamer were to leave for another job, he would owe the university $5 million the first year, and his buyout would decrease by $1 million each year after that.
In addition, South Carolina announced that Lonnie Teasley would be permanent offensive line coach after serving as interim coach last season and filling in for Greg Adkins, who had health issues. Teasley received a two-year deal worth $410,000 per year. Several other assistants also received raises, four of whom got increases of at least $100,000.
The hefty raise signifies a major commitment to the 45-year-old Beamer and a strong show of support by the university in the direction the program is headed under him. He was previously the lowest-paid head coach in the SEC at $2.75 million and one of the lowest-paid in the Power 5 ranks.
Beamer just completed his second straight winning season at South Carolina, which had suffered through two consecutive losing seasons and four in the previous six years when he arrived. Beamer won seven games in 2021 with four different starting quarterbacks and followed that up by leading the Gamecocks to victories in seven of their final nine regular-season games this past season.
South Carolina routed No. 5 Tennessee 63-38 at home and then beat in-state rival and No. 8 Clemson 31-30 on the road in the regular-season finale, snapping a seven-game losing streak against the Tigers. It was the first time since 2013, Steve Spurrier’s next-to-last full season, that the Gamecocks beat two top-10 teams in the same season. South Carolina ended the 2022 season with a 45-38 loss to No. 21 Notre Dame in the TaxSlayer Gator Bowl to finish 8-5.
Beamer’s increase in pay of nearly $4 million per year will take him to tied for eighth in the SEC in salary. Eleven of the 14 SEC coaches now earn $6 million or more annually, and Tennessee’s Josh Heupel ($5 million) will soon join that club when his raise is finalized. Beamer will also receive a larger salary pool for his staff, which was a priority during the negotiations.
The Gamecocks won eight regular-season games for only the second time in the past nine years and beat three nationally ranked teams. They peaked at No. 19 in the final College Football Playoff rankings, the highest ranking in program history.
The momentum that Beamer has created was especially evident in the Gamecocks’ attendance. They sold out all six of their Saturday home games and ranked 16th nationally in home attendance (75,785). The home finale against Tennessee drew 79,041 fans to Williams-Brice Stadium, which has a 77,591 seating capacity. The Gator Bowl drew 67,383 fans, the largest Gator Bowl crowd in 11 years, and officials estimated that 40,000 were South Carolina fans. The Gator Bowl crowd was also the largest of the 36 bowl games played through Dec. 31, which included the Orange Bowl and Sugar Bowl.
On the recruiting front, South Carolina has put together some highly ranked classes under Beamer. The Gamecocks’ 2023 class during the early signing period was No. 16 nationally. The 2022 class in the late period was No. 17. South Carolina had several key contributors from the 2022 team either enter the transfer portal or declare for the NFL draft, but there’s optimism around the program that quarterback Spencer Rattler and receiver Antwane “Juice” Wells will return for the 2023 season.
Beamer will also have a new offensive coordinator in 2023. Marcus Satterfield left for Nebraska to join Matt Rhule, and Beamer hired Dowell Loggains to replace him. Loggains was previously at Arkansas as tight ends coach, but spent the first part of his career in the NFL, including offensive coordinator stints with the New York Jets, Miami Dolphins, Chicago Bears and Tennessee Titans.
Beamer had never been a head coach before getting the South Carolina job prior to the 2021 season, but worked as an assistant under some of the bigger names in the sport, including Steve Spurrier, Kirby Smart, Lincoln Riley, Phillip Fulmer, Sylvester Croom, and his father, Hall of Famer Frank Beamer.