Their controversy behind them, Mark Stoops and Shane Beamer have much in common

There was that little Shane Beamer/Mark Stoops dust-up a couple of years ago. You remember. At the 2022 SEC Media Days, South Carolina released a hype video showing Beamer wearing sunglasses and dancing to a hip-hop song. Shortly after, Kentucky’s Stoops told an interviewer building culture was more than “stupid sunglasses.”

Stoops insisted he wasn’t talking about Beamer. And when the teams met that season, the two were seen amicably chatting each other up at midfield during pregame. That didn’t stop Beamer from putting on a pair of sunglasses in Carolina’s postgame celebration after a 24-14 win, however.

“I had a great conversation with Mark before the game about that incident from media days and whatnot and my respect level for him couldn’t be higher,” Beamer said afterward. “As head coach, though, I think you’re always looking for ways to find extra motivation for your guys each week.”

After all, though employed by different schools and leaders of different programs, Stoops and Beamer are linked by the fact they have similar jobs.

Yes, they are both college football coaches. It goes beyond that. They are college football coaches of programs without a ton of football tradition who are desperately trying to fight their way up the ladder in the sport’s toughest football conference — last weekend’s results notwithstanding.

As such, each can block the path of the other. The prevailing opinion is that to have a chance at a breakthrough season at Kentucky, Stoops has to beat Beamer. To have a chance at a breakthrough season at South Carolina, Beamer has to beat Stoops.

Consider that in their first meeting, Kentucky prevailed 16-10 in Columbia and continued on to a 10-3 campaign that included a 5-3 SEC mark. The Cats have lost the last two meetings and finished 7-6 overall with a 3-5 conference mark both seasons.

There are personal links, too. Both are coaches’ sons. Former Murray State coach Frank Beamer built a Hall of Fame career at Virginia Tech. Ron Stoops Sr. was a legendary high school defensive coordinator at Cardinal Mooney in Youngstown, Ohio, who fathered three Division I coaches in Mark, Mike (Arizona) and Bob (Oklahoma).

In fact, Bob’s successor at Oklahoma, Lincoln Riley, hired Shane Beamer as his assistant head coach in 2018. Three years later, South Carolina hired Shane Beamer as its head coach, replacing Will Muschamp. After a 7-6 debut, Beamer was named co-winner of the FWAA First-Year Coach of the Year award.

The Gamecocks’ 2022 season was even more promising. South Carolina’s 8-5 finish included a 63-38 trouncing of Tennessee and a 31-30 win at archrival Clemson. Even Carolina’s 45-38 loss to Notre Dame in the TaxSlayer Gator Bowl was encouraging.

The Gamecocks regressed in 2023, however. They finished 5-7 overall and 3-5 in the SEC. After star quarterback Spencer Rattler graduated on to the NFL’s New Orleans Saints, this year’s preseason media poll picked South Carolina 13th in the 16-team league, two spots behind Kentucky.

Carolina did little to quell its fans’ fears in the Gamecocks’ 23-19 opening win over Old Dominion. South Carolina forced a late fumble by the ODU quarterback, then cashed in the turnover for the victory. New starting quarterback LaNorris Sellers completed only 10 of 23 passes for 114 yards. South Carolina was outgained 305-288.

Still, as mentioned, Beamer owns a two-game win streak in the rivalry. Last season, Kentucky had its chances in Columbia. After a Wilson Berry punt pinned the Gamecocks back to their own 1-yard line, the Kentucky defense forced a three-and-out. Tayvion Robinson’s fair catch on a punt gave UK the ball at midfield. One play later, quarterback Devin Leary fumbled the ball back to the home team with 1:59 left. Ballgame.

“We left so many plays on the field, it makes me sick,” Stoops said afterward.

As a coach, do you use last season’s frustration as a talking point in preparation for this year’s game?

“Every year is a new year,” Stoops said. “With that being said, you always try to learn from teams you play.”

Notes: It was a rough first weekend for SEC football in marquee games

Know Your Foe: In a pivotal game, UK seeks to turn the tables on South Carolina

Kentucky football shines in a strange opener, but next Saturday is the real deal

Stock watch: Kentucky football opener helps quiet preseason doubts about one position

UK football season opener called in third quarter after multiple weather delays