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Adam Rittenberg, ESPN Senior Writer
South Carolina coach Shane Beamer and Illinois coach Bret Bielema continued their exchange Wednesday on social media after several testy moments during Tuesday’s Cheez-It Citrus Bowl, which the Illini won 21-17 in Orlando, Florida.
Late in the third quarter, Beamer took issue with Bielema making the “T-bar” signal toward the South Carolina sideline after walking over to check on an injured Illini player. Beamer had to be restrained from charging at the Illini coach.
Bielema said the T-bar is part of an “unwritten philosophy in coaching,” meant to signal a fair catch/touchback on a kickoff to the opposing coverage team. Moments before the on-field altercation, South Carolina made the T-bar signal and proceeded to lateral the ball, leading to a 25-yard return by Nyck Harbor. Bielema said he first learned about the T-bar signal while coaching in the NFL, as a way of limiting the risk of injury on kickoffs.
“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 added that Beamer “is a good person” and that his signal wasn’t toward him but “their whole damn sideline.”
“I just wanted them to understand that I know what just happened,” Bielema said. “There’s nothing illegal, there’s nothing wrong. I just have never seen it done in any level of college football.”
Beamer defended the play, saying that he informed the officiating crew before the game that South Carolina intended to use the lateral after the T-bar signal, and got clearance from them. He acknowledged that most teams use the signal as a touchback indicator.
But Beamer said he has never seen an opposing coach walk over and gesture like Bielema did.
“You have to ask him why he didn’t take it up with the officials and why he felt the need to come over here while his player was on the ground and look at me and say something to me and do that motion at me, like I was full of you know what to do it,” Beamer said. “That’s what I have an issue with. I’m a competitive guy. When somebody says that to me, I’m going to respond, because I thought that was bush league, just to be completely honest.”
Beamer posted Wednesday on X that he was disappointed in his team’s ethics being questioned, writing, “I don’t take that lightly.” He also reposted a video of an Illinois player looking to the sideline before dropping to a knee during a South Carolina drive late in the fourth quarter.
“Unethical looks like this,” Beamer wrote. “Along w our RB getting his helmet ripped off at the same time , along with the IL player taunting him and then tossing the ball at the Umpire’s leg-Who does nothing.”
Bielema also posted on X, clarifying that his issue had “NOTHING to do with substitution. Had everything to do with player safety.” Moments after the T-bar exchange, South Carolina had to call timeout near the Illinois goal line after a late defensive substitution, to avoid a delay of game penalty. Cameras captured Beamer looking frustrated while Bielema grinned from across the field.
Bielema later reposted Beamer’s message, while writing, “Happy New Year and congrats on a great season.”
