"To be frank, it sucks": Shane Beamer gets 100% real about new roster limits of NCAA settlement
The landmark House vs NCAA settlement will bring a lot of changes to the college football landscape. South Carolina coach Shane Beamer is already feeling the pressure to manage the new roster limitations, which restrict the program to maintaining only 105 players. Once the player leaves, they won't be able to return until next season.
This new set of challenges has coaches like Beamer worried. In a recent sit-down interview with Josh Pate, the South Carolina coach mentioned that things will change a lot post-April.
He believes it will be a tough conversation with players who fail to make the roster in 2025. There is no clarity on how programs can deal with such problems since compensation also plays a huge part in such decisions. (Timestamp - 14:25)
“The new roster limits, just to be frank, it sucks, and those are going to be hard conversations," Beamer said to Pate on Thursday. "And it's kind of going back to what I said about the other conversations, it is trying to be honest and transparent with our players.
“I purposely didn't add just a bunch of walk-ons to our team in spring practice or coming off of last season, just for the heck of it. If we brought somebody into our program as a walk-on, whatever scholarship got, because we truly believe that he can help us on the field."
He added:
"Because I think we finished last season with 118 players of what was on our active roster when we played Clemson last year, and we're going to have to be down to 105 before our first game against Virginia Tech this upcoming season, and those are going to be tough conversations."
Shane Beamer will have QB position well sorted in 2025
Unlike other coaches prominently in the SEC who have been struggling to find replacements for their previous year starters, Beamer will have the QB room sorted with LaNorris Sellers.
He had a terrific season in 2024, where the sophomore racked up 2,534 yards and 18 touchdowns while throwing only seven interceptions.
He is not eligible for the NFL Draft this year but will look to improve his draft stock next season in case he plans to go pro.
Beamer will be able to hunt for offensive players via the spring transfer portal that officially opens on April 16 and goes up until April 25. Similarly, more players are expected to join as Coach Beamer has been on his recruiting trail for a while now.