South Carolina’s Shane Beamer is moving up CBS Sports’ annual ranking of SEC coaches

Barrett Sallee and the CBS Sports staff released the SEC edition of their annual football coach rankings on Tuesday, and second-year South Carolina coach Shane Beamer is moving up.

Last year, Beamer was in the last-place spot at No. 14 in the conference. In 2022, he’s slid up three spots to No. 11. Beamer is also listed No. 41 among all Power Five coaches by CBS Sports.

The rise in stock can be attributed to the somewhat surprising success of Beamer’s first year at the helm of the South Carolina program. The Gamecocks went 7-6 and capped of the season with a big win over North Carolina in the Duke’s Mayo Bowl.

“Beamer’s first season as a head coach in college football ended with Beamer getting a mayonnaise bath after a win in the Duke’s Mayo Bowl — that despite struggling to find consistency at the quarterback position all year,” Sallee said. “He lured ex-Heisman Trophy front-runner Spencer Rattler to Columbia to fix that problem and reeled in a top-25 recruiting class on the heels of the 7-6 season. The SEC East is becoming a tough neighborhood, which will challenge Beamer moving forward.”

Beamer and South Carolina kick off their 2022 season on Sept. 3 at home against former Gamecocks coach Shawn Elliott and Georgia State.

CBS SPORTS 2022 SEC COACH RANKINGS

Determined by a vote among the CBS Sports staff. Listed by SEC ranking, with overall Power 5 ranking in parenthesis.

1. Nick Saban, Alabama (No. 1 overall)

2. Kirby Smart, Georgia (2)

3. Jimbo Fisher, Texas A&M (5)

4. Brian Kelly, LSU (7)

5. Mark Stoops, Kentucky (16)

6. Lane Kiffin, Ole Miss (18)

7. Sam Pittman, Arkansas (22)

8. Mike Leach, Mississippi State (26)

9. Billy Napier, Florida (32)

10. Josh Heupel, Tennessee (33)

11. Shane Beamer, South Carolina (41)

12. Eli Drinkwitz, Missouri (46)

13. Bryan Harsin, Auburn (48)

14. Clark Lea, Vanderbilt (57)