South Carolina’s 2020 season came to an unceremonious end Saturday night with a 41- 18 loss to the Kentucky Wildcats. The final record of 2-8 is the worst record since 1999 and is a fitting end to a season that saw head coach Will Muschamp fired with 3 games remaining in the season.

Shortly after the game ended, sources began to put out word that former Gamecock assistant and current Oklahoma assistant head coach Shane Beamer would be named the 36th head coach of South Carolina football.

Beamer flew into Columbia Sunday morning and was introduced to the media and fans during a virtual press conference Monday afternoon.

The announcement of Beamer as the next head coach brought angst, as he has never been a head coach at any level prior. However, the passion and love for the university he has shown over the past few days has turned the angst and worry into something Gamecock fans maybe haven’t felt in a while...belief.

On Monday, Beamer said he was honored to be the Gamococks’ head football coach. He called Columbia home, saying he was proud to be a South Carolina native as he was born in Charleston when his father, legendary coach Frank Beamer, was at The Citadel.

This was more than winning a press conference. This is a man who wants to be in Columbia. Not because it’s in the SEC or a launching pad to another job.

Beamer wants to coach at the University of South Carolina because it’s the University of South Carolina. He has kept up with the program since his departure in 2010, supposedly taping every Sunday coaches show that he and his wife would watch. Beamer knows the challenges facing this program and how the staff he was on from 2007-2010 overcame those challenges.

The Beamer era at South Carolina will be as successful as the staff assembled. With the rumored $2.75 million per year salary, it appears Beamer and Ray Tanner are committed to building a highly paid staff.

The road is not going to be easy, but South Carolina has the opportunity to strike gold with this hire. A proven assistant who wants to win at USC because he loves the university and exactly what a divided and hurting fan base needed at this time.

Monday’s press conference was the high point of the 2020 season. And it came because 2020 is ending. Fitting for this year, don’t you think?