South Carolina wanted to hire Kirby Smart as its head coach in 2015 but Georgia snagged him before the Gamecocks could.
Now South Carolina, with an opening again, is reportedly doing the next-best thing, hiring a former Smart and Bulldogs assistant.
The Associated Press reported late Saturday night that Shane Beamer will be hired by the Gamecocks as their head coach. He will take over the program run the past five seasons by Will Muschamp, who was fired last month with three games remaining in the season.
Smart hired Beamer to be on his first coaching staff in Athens. Beamer coached tight ends and special teams for two seasons.
Beamer is the son of former Virginia Tech coach Frank Beamer and served on the South Carolina staff from 2007-2010 under former coach Steve Spurrier.
The younger Beamer has spent the past three seasons as assistant head coach and tight ends coach at Oklahoma.
The Gamecocks finished a dismal 2-8 season with a 41-18 loss at Kentucky Saturday, South Carolina’s sixth straight defeat.
Athletic director Ray Tanner wanted to have a new coach in place before Dec. 16, the start of college football's early signing period.
Beamer was expected to be on campus as soon as Sunday as he’s charged with turning around a team that’s gone 6-16 overall and 5-15 in the SEC.
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