Tommy Beecher Teaches Us Valuable Lesson
posted by Scott Hood on Monday, August 13, 2007
Two years ago, when Beecher arrived on campus I questioned his chances to ever take a snap in a game for the Gamecocks. Fellow recruit Cade Thompson from Maryville, Tenn. was considered a better prospect and the one most likely to replace Blake Mitchell as starter.
At the same time, USC was recruiting a whiz kid out of Alabama named Chris Smelley. If the Gamecocks were able to convince Smelley to sign with them, where would that leave Beecher, I thought?
I wasn’t surprised when word spread the following spring that Beecher was planning to transfer. With Smelley signed, I figured he had seen the handwriting on the wall.
But then a funny thing happened.
Beecher decided to stay.
Fifteen months later, it looks like he made a great decision.
But there were a few headaches along the way, too. I recall interviewing him following a scrimmage during spring practice in 2006.
He was frustrated by his struggles to grasp the offense, and remarked to me he had a long ways to go.
Beecher began the 2006 season fourth on the depth chart behind Mitchell, Smelley and Thompson. His prospects for playing time appeared bleak.
But an injury to Smelley and an outstanding performance in an off-week scrimmage lifted Beecher’s hopes. He quickly moved past Thompson.
By that point, the coaching staff had decided to seek a medical redshirt for Smelley, so Beecher leaped to second on the depth chart.
He threw his first career TD pass against Middle Tennessee and then played a small but key role in the emotional victory over Clemson a week later.
Instead of Beecher, Thompson ended up being the one to transfer. He left after the 2006 season and is now with UT-Martin, a I-AA program in the Ohio Valley Conference.
But Beecher wasn’t out of the woods yet.
USC received a commitment last Fall from phenom Stephen Garcia, a dashing Elite 11 QB from Tampa, Fla. Garcia graduated early from Jefferson High School and enrolled at USC in January.
Once Garcia arrived in Columbia, most people predicted the top three QB’s for the Gamecocks in 2007 would be Mitchell, Smelley and Garcia. I’ve written on a couple of occasions that the latter two quarterbacks would rotate playing time in 2008.
But I forgot about Beecher.
Many people did just that after spring practice when Beecher sat out the Garnet and Black game with a sprained shoulder. Out of sight, out of mind, I guess.
It appeared again like Beecher would be buried on the depth chart when next season began.
Undaunted, he forged ahead, Enduring a typical hot, humid summer in Columbia by working on his steps, studying his playbook and practicing the variety of throws Spurrier requires his quarterbacks to make.
All that hard work has finally paid off.
That two-quarterback race between Smelley and Garcia in 2008 has now become a three-horse battle.
There’s no question Beecher is a different quarterback this fall. He’s much more confident and sure of himself both as a player and a leader.
Spurrier has noticed the improvement, as well. Sunday night, he pronounced Beecher and Smelley both ready to play if something happened to Mitchell.
Truthfully, I thought two years ago that the chances of Spurrier ever uttering those words about Beecher were slim to none.
But he said it anyways.
As demanding as Spurrier is on his quarterbacks, there’s never been any question about Beecher’s intelligence to play the quarterback position. He’s practically a straight-A student in a major known as actuary mathematics.
No, I didn’t study that topic when I was in college many years ago. We still wrote on stone tablets back then.
Here’s the valuable lesson learned from Beecher’s roller coaster ride so far at USC: compete hard, try to improve every day, keep your nose clean, go to class, study your playbook and never give up.
Oh yeah, one more thing: ignore people like me when they say you can’t accomplish something.
Spurrier often says the Football Gods favor teams that don’t give up and keep competing in a game no matter the score. Thus, if the breaks go against you early, keep plugging away and good fortune will eventually smile on you.
It works the same with players.
Tommy Beecher, I apologize.
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Before I go further, I must issue an apology to Tommy Beecher.
Two years ago, when Beecher arrived on campus I questioned his chances to ever take a snap in a game for the Gamecocks. Fellow recruit Cade Thompson from Maryville, Tenn. was considered a better prospect and the one most likely to replace Blake Mitchell as starter.
At the same time, USC was recruiting a whiz kid out of Alabama named Chris Smelley. If the Gamecocks were able to convince Smelley to sign with them, where would that leave Beecher, I thought?
I wasn’t surprised when word spread the following spring that Beecher was planning to transfer. With Smelley signed, I figured he had seen the handwriting on the wall.
But then a funny thing happened.
Beecher decided to stay.
Fifteen months later, it looks like he made a great decision.
But there were a few headaches along the way, too. I recall interviewing him following a scrimmage during spring practice in 2006.
He was frustrated by his struggles to grasp the offense, and remarked to me he had a long ways to go.
Beecher began the 2006 season fourth on the depth chart behind Mitchell, Smelley and Thompson. His prospects for playing time appeared bleak.
But an injury to Smelley and an outstanding performance in an off-week scrimmage lifted Beecher’s hopes. He quickly moved past Thompson.
By that point, the coaching staff had decided to seek a medical redshirt for Smelley, so Beecher leaped to second on the depth chart.
He threw his first career TD pass against Middle Tennessee and then played a small but key role in the emotional victory over Clemson a week later.
Instead of Beecher, Thompson ended up being the one to transfer. He left after the 2006 season and is now with UT-Martin, a I-AA program in the Ohio Valley Conference.
But Beecher wasn’t out of the woods yet.
USC received a commitment last Fall from phenom Stephen Garcia, a dashing Elite 11 QB from Tampa, Fla. Garcia graduated early from Jefferson High School and enrolled at USC in January.
Once Garcia arrived in Columbia, most people predicted the top three QB’s for the Gamecocks in 2007 would be Mitchell, Smelley and Garcia. I’ve written on a couple of occasions that the latter two quarterbacks would rotate playing time in 2008.
But I forgot about Beecher.
Many people did just that after spring practice when Beecher sat out the Garnet and Black game with a sprained shoulder. Out of sight, out of mind, I guess.
It appeared again like Beecher would be buried on the depth chart when next season began.
Undaunted, he forged ahead, Enduring a typical hot, humid summer in Columbia by working on his steps, studying his playbook and practicing the variety of throws Spurrier requires his quarterbacks to make.
All that hard work has finally paid off.
That two-quarterback race between Smelley and Garcia in 2008 has now become a three-horse battle.
There’s no question Beecher is a different quarterback this fall. He’s much more confident and sure of himself both as a player and a leader.
Spurrier has noticed the improvement, as well. Sunday night, he pronounced Beecher and Smelley both ready to play if something happened to Mitchell.
Truthfully, I thought two years ago that the chances of Spurrier ever uttering those words about Beecher were slim to none.
But he said it anyways.
As demanding as Spurrier is on his quarterbacks, there’s never been any question about Beecher’s intelligence to play the quarterback position. He’s practically a straight-A student in a major known as actuary mathematics.
No, I didn’t study that topic when I was in college many years ago. We still wrote on stone tablets back then.
Here’s the valuable lesson learned from Beecher’s roller coaster ride so far at USC: compete hard, try to improve every day, keep your nose clean, go to class, study your playbook and never give up.
Oh yeah, one more thing: ignore people like me when they say you can’t accomplish something.
Spurrier often says the Football Gods favor teams that don’t give up and keep competing in a game no matter the score. Thus, if the breaks go against you early, keep plugging away and good fortune will eventually smile on you.
It works the same with players.
Tommy Beecher, I apologize.
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Scott Hood. Since February of 2005, Scott has covered the South Carolina football, men's basketball and baseball programs for GamecockCentral. He may be reached by email at scottblog(at)gamecockcentral.com. Replace (at) with @.