Livescore
South Carolina coach Shane Beamer had to be held back by team staff members after Illinois coach Bret Bielema taunted the Gamecocks during the third quarter of the Citrus Bowl, an eventual 21-17 Illinois win.
The incident occurred when Bielema walked across the field to check on injured Illini defensive back Jaheim Clarke. Bielema then held up his arms in an apparent signaling of substitution, which caused Beamer to run onto the field incensed. Beamer had to be held back and could be seen telling the game’s sideline reporter, “you saw what he did.”
Illinois had been taking advantage of late substitutions all game, forcing Beamer to burn two timeouts. The South Carolina coach was been visibly upset about the strategy, but it is legal.
“It’s heated and competitive out there but in all my years of being around football, I’ve never seen an opposing coach come over to the opposing team’s sideline and basically make a gesture toward the opposing head coach,” Beamer told reporters after the game, continuing:
“I think his issue was when we threw the throw-back kickoff return, our kickoff returner did this, which most teams that’s a signal that it’s a touchback and we’re not going to return the kick. You’re allowed to do that as long as you don’t do a waving motion. It’s no different than on a punt. If the punt returner comes pointing to the ball that’s bouncing on the ground, he’s allowed to return it. If you’re doing this, you’re not allowed to return it. There was no waving of the arms, and I cleared it with the Big 12 officials before the game. I told them we were going to do it, making sure they were good with it, and they said, ‘Yeah, just as long as he doesn’t wave the arms.’ I think he had an issue with that.”
The post-game handshake between Beamer and Bielema was civil despite the in-game confrontation.
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