A few days ago, the Gamecocks suffered a tough 49-18 loss to the Alabama Crimson Tide, with the game slipping away after the first quarter.
The mounting frustration was hard to ignore on the South Carolina sideline, particularly with Dylan Stewart, who had a heated first-half exchange with Shane Beamer before later receiving an unsportsmanlike-conduct penalty for punching an Alabama player in the fourth quarter.
The loss ultimately dropped the Gamecocks to 2-2 on the season. And with Florida, Georgia, and Tennessee still waiting on the schedule, the road ahead isn’t getting any easier. That naturally raises a bigger question around South Carolina: could Shane Beamer’s time with the Gamecocks be nearing its end?
At least that’s what podcaster Chris Phillips believes.
‘SEC Unfiltered’ Founder Delivers Blunt Take on Shane Beamer
During his latest podcast, Chris Phillips offered quite a blunt assessment of Shane Beamer’s future.
“It’s not a matter of if; it’s a matter of when…it’s over,” he said. “The Shane Beamer era at South Carolina is over. There’s no coming back from this; it’s not going to get better.”
“It’s not a matter of if, it’s a matter of when…it’s over. The Shane Beamer era at South Carolina is over. There’s no coming back from this, it’s not going to get better.”
@CPhilly19 says we’re in the last days of BEAMER BALL.
Presented by @Kalshi
https://t.co/d4DXQUjnqu— SEC Unfiltered (@SECUnfiltered) September 29, 2026
This season, things haven’t gone quite the way South Carolina hoped. The team came into 2026 with plenty of optimism, hoping LaNorris Sellers and Dylan Stewart could lead them into the Top 25. Instead, the program seems to be headed for another disappointing season under Shane Beamer.
PREDICT THE CFB SEASON: PFN’s Free CFB Playoff Predictor
Beamer is currently in his sixth season as the Gamecocks’ head coach. South Carolina hired him in December 2020 to replace Will Muschamp, who was fired after a 2-5 start, and Beamer began coaching the team in 2021.
The job marked Beamer’s first opportunity as a head coach after he spent time at Oklahoma as the assistant head coach and tight ends coach.
If South Carolina does decide to make a coaching change this year, Matt Johnson of Sportsnaut has already put together a list of potential candidates:
• Buster Faulkner, Florida Gators Offensive Coordinator
• Lance Taylor, Western Michigan Broncos Head Coach
• Chris Hampton, Oregon Ducks Defensive Coordinator
• Jake Dickert, Wake Forest Demon Deacons Head Coach
Amid all the discussion around Shane Beamer’s era, there’s also the question of what lies ahead for Dylan Stewart at South Carolina.
Shane Beamer Delivers Blunt Verdict on Dylan Stewart’s Future
After Dylan Stewart threw a punch at an Alabama player and appeared to have a heated exchange with Shane Beamer during Saturday’s game, he will not be returning to the field until South Carolina decides to clear him to play.
Beamer was asked during Tuesday’s media availability what the deciding factor would be in determining when, or if at all, Stewart will return.
To that, he gave a pretty blunt answer.
“Me,” he said, per 247 Sports’ Brad Crawford.
South Carolina football already has a lot to deal with right now, and losing star defensive end Dylan Stewart to an in-house suspension only makes things harder.
With no clear timeline for his return, the Gamecocks will have to move forward without one of their biggest defensive pieces.
For the record, the team will be hosting Kentucky on Saturday.
