Shirtless Tim Beck poses with CCU students in bikinis on Hawaii beach. Why was it deleted?

A photo posted to Coastal Carolina University’s football Instagram account was deleted. The team and university have not provided a reason for the deletion.

CCU football Head Coach Tim Beck, 57, posed shirtless on the beach with the team mascot and the Coastal dance team, who were wearing matching teal bikinis. Coastal Carolina’s football team is currently in Hawaii for the EasyPost Hawai’i Bowl Dec. 23, 2023.

Beck did not go into much detail about the photo when asked at CCU’s midweek press conference Dec. 20, 2023, stating the entire trip is being documented.

“It was a very spontaneous event,” he added. “There was no intent to try to generate any particular kind of response one way or the other of how that was. So, I mean, that’s that’s kind of my statement really on it.”

Aside from having the mascot— who appeared to be wearing Crocs and socks while standing in the surf — being present along with the dance team in matching teal bikinis, Beck also wore a necklace with the words “Ball At The Beach” emblazoned on the front.

The photo was posted to Coastal’s official football accounts on X, formerly known as Twitter, and Instagram late Tuesday, Dec. 19, 2023 before being deleted a few hours later. Beck also shared the photo on his personal Instagram story. It’s unclear at this time why the photo was deleted, and whose idea it was.

Reactions to the photo were mixed. The post drew support from Beck’s players as offensive lineman Will McDonald replied approvingly and backup quarterback Jarrett Guest, who announced in November he was entering the transfer portal, added that Beck was , “(A) ladies man.”

The Chanticleer dance team’s Instagram account also replied to the post, writing, “Glad we ran into you at the beach today. Thanks for the picture!”

The post also received negative responses with some comments calling the photo inappropriate and unprofessional. Since Beck became CCU head coach in Dec. 2022 he’s generally avoided publicity like this. Coastal Carolina has gone viral this season, but Beck, who’s in the first year of a year deal with a million-dollar salary, generally was not the focus of such moments.

Beck’s previously serious, to-the-point approach is also a marked departure from his predecessor Jamey Chadwell, who is known for generating viral moments.

“Coach Beck has stated that the photo was taken spontaneously while members of the University’s travel group were on the beach together. There was no intent to generate a particular response,” CCU Director of Communication Jerry Rashid wrote in an email. “The photo was taken as part of the football team’s documentation of its trip to Honolulu to participate in the Hawaii Bowl. The Chanticleers look forward to playing in the bowl game on Saturday.”

So far, none of the responses have addressed why the photo was removed or how the posed photo spontaneously came together to include matching outfits and the mascot and got shared on multiple official social media accounts associated with the coach and university.

CCU will face San Jose State in the EasyPost Hawai’i Bowl Dec. 23, 2023. Kick-off is 10:30 EST.