South Carolina head football coach Shane Beamer and newly hired outside linebackers coach Sterling Lucas addressed the media on National Signing Day to discuss the recruiting trail, transfer portal activity and upcoming spring practice.
Beamer and his staff traveled throughout January recruiting at high schools as well as making individual home visits, but they were also very active with their efforts in the transfer portal. South Carolina has picked up seven commitments by way of the transfer portal, and its 2022 transfer class is ranked No. 7 nationally by 247Sports’ composite rankings.
“Certainly, a lot has changed with our program since the December signing period with the young men that we’ve added to our program via the transfer portal, so excited about those guys, as well, and the way that we’ve improved our roster,” Beamer said.
Beamer reflected on the impact the transfer portal has had on the college football recruiting schedule.
“Normally the bowl game ends, and you get a little bit of a chance to breath and relax before you go back out on the road recruiting and before your players come back,” Beamer said. “Well, this year you can’t because immediately the transfer portals, they don't slow down, that only pick ups right after the bowl game, so that part’s been an adjustment.”
Beamer said that former Oklahoma tight end Austin Stogner is the only transfer who has yet to join the program as he finishes his final classes to earn his degree from Oklahoma.
Beamer said his highest ranked commit, quarterback Spencer Rattler, arrived in Columbia on Jan. 30 and began “getting up to speed" on the offense and watching video.
Lucas, was officially introduced by Beamer who referenced the new hire’s past with defensive coordinator Clayton White as a strong starting point.
“Coach White is very fired up about what he’ll bring to the table, what Sterling will bring to the table from a football standpoint with his knowledge and the systems that he’s been around in the NFL,” Beamer said.
Coach Lucas began his address by crediting his own coaches and colleagues from high school, North Carolina State University, the Baltimore Ravens and the Jacksonville Jaguars for his foundation as a coach.
Lucas agreed with Beamer that his connection with White helped draw him to South Carolina.
“To me it was a no-brainer, obviously my relationship with Coach White and just seeing in the first year what these guys were able to do,” Lucas said.
Both coaches are looking ahead to the upcoming spring season which will give the team 15 practices leading up to the spring game on April 16.
“Once we get back in here at the beginning of next week, we’re really diving into, like I said, review from last season and then what are we going to be about offensively, defensively and special teams going into spring practice,” Beamer said.
Lucas outlined his priorities for the linebackers heading into spring practice and detailed what he expects from the unit in the fall.
“If you’re doing it full speed, right, you can clean everything else up, so number one thing is we’re going to come in and lead the SEC in effort and I know Coach White is all about that,” Lucas said.
Beamer said intends on continuing to strengthen his team internally and externally throughout the spring.
“We have we have to get done here in the next month as we continue to recruit as well and take advantage of this awesome momentum and awesome energy that we have in this program,” Beamer said.