In a matter of 10 years Kirby Smart has already built a pretty solid coaching tree from his time as head coach at Georgia. There are currently four former assistants that are the head coach of a Power Four or Group of Six team. The two most prominent coaches of Smart's coaching tree are without a doubt Dan Lanning at Oregon and Shane Beamer at South Carolina.
Both coaches will be put to the test this weekend as they both face top 12 teams ranked higher than they are. Though the season is still young, there is a lot riding on these games than what meets the eye.
Dan Lanning's Oregon legacy: Can he win Big Games as an Underdog?
Dan Lanning is nowhere close to being on the hot seat in Oregon. Lanning was hired in 2021 and has compiled a record of 50-9 which includes a 4-2 record in bowl games. However, Oregon was already having success before Lanning got to Eugene.
The thing fans expected the former Georgia defensive coordinator to get Oregon over the hump of consistently going 10-2 and falling short in the playoff or in big games. Despite winning the Big 10 in 2024 with an undefeated 13-0 record, fans have not been happy with Oregon's playoff losses. They lost to Ohio State in 2024 in the playoff by 20 and to Indiana last season in the playoff by 34.
Now after losing in upset fashion to Oklahoma State in Week 2 fans are looking for Oregon to bounce back and get over the hump of just being a playoff contender. They want to be national title contenders. Beating No. 12 USC this weekend is crucial for Oregon to be able to be in that conversation this season. If they lose, not only will that conversation likely die out, but they'll also likely fall out of the top 25.
Shane Beamer's seat is getting warm in South Carolina
The hiring of Shane Beamer at South Carolina in 2020 was met with plenty of optimism for Gamecock fans. Beamer, notably the son of former Virginia Tech legendary head coach Frank Beamer, brought an energy and charisma to Columbia that it had been missing since Steve Spurrier was coach.
Beamer has had some great moments at South Carolina, including signing two five-star recruits for the first time in program history in 2024 and consistently having a top 25 recruiting class in the nation since 2022. However, Beamer has yet to produce much on the field with that talent. Beamer hasn't had a 10-win season in Columbia yet and is winless in bowl games since his first season at South Carolina.
After yet another disappointing loss last week against Mississippi State fans have grown frustrated and are calling for South Carolina to fire him before the season even ends.
For anyone wondering, Shane Beamer's buyout is $27.9 million and drops to $22.1 million on Dec. 31.
— Brad Crawford (@BCrawford247) September 20, 2026
This week's game against No. 8 Alabama can completely shift the mood in Columbia for Beamer if the team were to pull off the upset. The Gamecocks have come close multiple times to beating Alabama under Beamer, losing by one possession both times they have played since 2020. Beamer is 3-5 in one-possession games since 2024 and has not won one since that season. Beamer needs to shift the narrative and prove they can not only win the close games but win the games that matter. This week's game against Alabama can go a long way in accomplishing that.
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