When Shane Beamer’s dad carved out a Hall of Fame coaching career at Virginia Tech and Murray State, the signs were clear—coaching greatness runs in the family. Indeed, the majority of fathers have prejudices against their sons. However, Shane’s father felt certain that his son would become a head coach in the future. “As a little boy, he never missed anything, never just assumed everything was going to work out,” the proud dad said praising his son. And look at him now! Shane is the 36th head coach of South Carolina Gamecocks leading the team to a solid 9-3 season.

A well-known personality in CFB, Shane’s father, Frank Beamer, is most remembered for his lengthy and fruitful time as Virginia Tech HC. Frank was raised on a farm in Fancy Gap, after being born in Mount Airy, North Carolina, on October 18, 1946. From 1966 to 1968, he was a CB for VT in collegiate football, graduating in 1969. After starting as a coach in 1972, Beamer advanced through the ranks fast. Before taking over at VT in 1987, he was the head coach of Murray State University from 1981 to 1986. Under his direction, the Hokies had remarkable success and emerged as a formidable force in collegiate football.

After the 2015 season, Beamer retired from coaching the Hokies, a position he held for almost thirty years. From 1993 to 2015, he guided the team to 23 straight bowl games, one of the longest streaks in NCAA history at the precise moment of his retirement. Beamer won two ACC Coach of the Year awards and 3 Big East Coach of the Year honors. In 2018, he was admitted to the CFB Hall of Fame.

Now, Frank Beamer left coaching to serve as the athletic director’s special assistant at Virginia Tech, where he still has an impact on the team. However, we haven’t figured out how much his dad influenced him yet.

How Shane Beamer’s dad impacted him

Shane has frequently acknowledged that his father influenced his teaching and football philosophy. Shane gained a unique perspective on coaching from growing up around Frank’s coaching career, which he now uses in his position as head coach. “He practiced hard, planned hard, and worked hard to make the outcome be what he wanted it to be,” said Frank, referring to the dedication of Shane. Moreover, he stated, “He’s so detailed and so organized. He takes after his mom in that regard. Thank goodness. I’ve always said to take care of the little things and the big things will come. And that’s Shane.”

Both Shane and Frank Beamer believe in the importance of good coaching. Early in his career, Frank taught math, which gave his coaching philosophy a solid educational basis. And Shane chose this strategy because he thought that good coaching was similar to teaching, where participation and flexibility are essential.

Shane’s program’s key beliefs are echoed by the values his father espoused. Love, thankfulness, optimism, trust, toughness, responsibility, and competition are a few of these. These principles are essential to the group’s culture since he actively integrates them into his mentoring and relationship with players. Shane’s leadership has led to SC’s current 9-3 overall record this season. We’ll have to wait and see where this ride takes them.