COLUMBIA, S.C. — Shane Beamer's weekly news conferences usually are the final question on the previous game with an emphasis on the next challenge on the docket. But in Tuesday's news conference to preview the Tennessee game, Beamer went back to two games ago when the Gamecocks won in Nashville.
In his post-game news conference, Beamer lamented that some fans displayed some negative vibes once they learned starting running back MarShawn Lloyd would miss the game with a bruised thigh. He advised fans who were on social media to "find some joy" in the aftermath of learning Lloyd would not play.
"For those of you that were in the room that night, listen to the soundbite and I said there was a small portion of the fan base that when they found out that MarShawn Lloyd was not playing in the Vanderbilt game, probably thought that it was over. That we didn't have a chance to beat Vanderbilt.," Beamer recalled.
"I said it is the same group or same mentality that when Luke Doty got hurt in August of last year, that so many people thought our season was going to go in the toilet after that. I said that we have to get past that as a fan base and find some joy."
Beamer went on to say that when it comes to injuries, the "next man up" mentality is utilized as opposed to throwing in the towel which is a mindset he does not want to see from any fans because that is not the mindset of those inside the program.