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The confrontation between head coaches Bret Bielema and Shane Beamer in Illinois’ 21-17 victory over South Carolina the Citrus Bowl on Tuesday was due to an issue of player safety.
Bielema gestured toward Beamer and the South Carolina sideline after he came onto the field late in the third quarter to tend to Jaheim Clarke when he was injured.
Bret Bielema @BretBielema
Had NOTHING to do with substitution. Had everything to do with player safety. <a href=”https://twitter.com/hashtag/HappyNewYear2025?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>#HappyNewYear2025</a> <a href=”https://twitter.com/hashtag/famILLy?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>#famILLy</a> <a href=”https://twitter.com/hashtag/ILL?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>#ILL</a> <br><br>The best is yet to come. <a href=”https://t.co/E4AkYOuujN”>https://t.co/E4AkYOuujN</a>
The Athletic @TheAthletic
Emotions flared between South Carolina coach Shane Beamer and Illinois coach Bret Bielema.<br><br>Bielema appeared to taunt Beamer while he was tending to an injured player.<br><br>🎥 <a href=”https://twitter.com/espn?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>@espn</a> | H/T <a href=”https://twitter.com/nocontextcfb?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>@nocontextcfb</a> <a href=”https://t.co/0O2YRa5CCK”>pic.twitter.com/0O2YRa5CCK</a>
The situation began four plays earlier on a kickoff when the Gamecocks gave the T-bar signal that usually indicates the receiving team will take a touchback rather than attempt a return, but instead ran a trick play that resulted in a return of a 25 yards.
Speaking to reporters after the game, Bielema explained there was nothing illegal about what South Carolina did but questioned the ethics of doing it on a high-impact play like a kickoff.
“There’s nothing illegal, they didn’t do anything illegal, but it put us in a position that the ethic of what that is got evaporated, because our kids stopped [running],” Bielema said.
Bielema and Beamer continued their back on forth on social media, with the Illinois head coach sarcastically wishing Beamer a happy new year.
Bret Bielema @BretBielema
Happy New Year and congrats on a great season…. <a href=”https://twitter.com/hashtag/HappNewYear2025?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>#HappNewYear2025</a> <a href=”https://twitter.com/hashtag/CFBPlayoff?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>#CFBPlayoff</a> <a href=”https://t.co/tUtQNcZw61″>https://t.co/tUtQNcZw61</a>
You can see in the clip of the incident that Bielema directs a T-bar signal at the group of South Carolina players and coaches who are on the field while Clarke is being tended to.
Bielema’s gesture led to Beamer coming onto the field and having to be held back by his coaching staff and officials.
“I’ve got a lot of respect for him. He’s obviously done this for a long time, but in all my years of coaching I’ve never seen that happen,” Beamer said after the game. “An opposing coach come over, while his player is hurt and, basically, have something to say to the opposing head coach.”
There was a lot of gamesmanship being utilized by both teams throughout the game. Thomas Goldkamp of On3.com noted Illinois was subbing players late in response to moves by South Carolina, resulting in the Gamecocks coming close to taking delay-of-game penalties on multiple occasions.
Bielema and the Illini got the last laugh on Josh McCray’s nine-yard touchdown run midway through the fourth quarter put them ahead 21-17. South Carolina got down to Illinois’ seven-yard line on its ensuing drive, but LaNorris Sellers’ pass on fourth-and-4 was incomplete for a turnover on downs.
Illinois was able to run out the clock on its final possession to hold on for the win. The Illini finished the season with 10 wins for the first time since 2001.
