"Beamer has lost the locker room": Football fans react as Shane Beamer's South Carolina loses the commitment of 4-star LB

By Aman Sharma

Modified Jan 23, 2025 10:20 GMT

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South Carolina’s 2026 recruiting class has taken a hit with the decommitment of Newnan (Georgia) four-star linebacker Rodney Colton Jr. On3’s Hayes Fawcett reported the news on Tuesday.

Colton, who pledged to Shane Beamer's Gamecocks on April 24, reopened his recruitment after South Carolina’s challenging 2024 season. This included a narrow 21-17 Citrus Bowl loss to Illinois and failure to secure a 10-win season for the first time since 2013.

Football fans had mixed reactions to Colton’s decision.

One fan remarked:

"Beamer has lost the locker room."

Another commended Colton, writing:

"Incredibly wise decision, young man!"

"Not everyone is Gamecock quality. Must have thought he would be deep in the depth chart," a fan remarked.

"He has been and will be a Vol," another remarked.

"We pulled the offer get the news right loser," a fan quipped.

Ranked No. 127 overall and No. 9 among linebackers in the 2026 cycle by On3, Colton is the No. 18 prospect in Georgia. The 6-foot-1, 205-pounder delivered an impressive junior season at Newnan High, logging 51 tackles, six sacks and an interception, contributing to the Cougars' 9-3 record and a No. 89 state ranking, per On3.

Colton’s departure reduces South Carolina’s 2026 recruiting class to five commits, including three blue-chip prospects. Four-star safety J’Zavien Currence from South Pointe High School in Rock Hill, South Carolina, is the class headliner, ranked No. 73 overall.

South Carolina's Shane Beamer addresses tensions with Illinois' Bret Bielema following Cheez-It Bowl incident

The fallout from the Cheez-It Bowl confrontation between South Carolina coach Shane Beamer and Illinois coach Bret Bielema remains a hot topic. Beamer, speaking on "Inside the Gamecocks: The Morning Show," expressed ongoing frustration over the incident that occurred during the game.

The dispute began when Illinois objected to a T-bar gesture made by a South Carolina return man, which Bielema believed was intended to mislead his players into thinking a fair catch was signaled.

Bielema voiced his displeasure by mimicking the gesture near the Gamecocks' sideline while tending to an injured player. Beamer did not hold back in his response.

“I saw some of his comments after the game about it’s a safety issue and ethical, and I thought that was complete, total bullcrap," he said. “As a special teams coach, we’ve never, one, told our players on a kickoff team to watch the returner, and if he puts his arms out, to quit running. That’s the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard. Like you play through the whistle.”

Although Beamer acknowledged he could have managed his emotions better, he received widespread support.

“I didn’t like the way it looked. I didn’t,” Beamer said. “But I do appreciate the amount of people that have come up to me in public or texted me after the game or called me after the game saying, ‘What you did was right. Man, I wasn’t a Gamecock before, but I am now.'"

South Carolina ended the 2024 season 9-4, ranking No. 19 in the final USA Today coaches poll following a 21-17 Citrus Bowl loss to No. 16 Illinois. With Shane Beamer entering his fifth season, the Gamecocks now aim to secure a College Football Playoff spot in 2025.