Emotions flared at Tuesday’s Cheez-It Citrus Bowl as staff had to hold back South Carolina coach Shane Beamer after Illinois coach Bret Bielema walked across the field to check on injured defensive back Jaheim Clarke — and took the opportunity to seemingly taunt Beamer.
Bielema held his arms up, appearing to signal a substitution, leading Beamer to point angrily while staff held him back.
“I’ve got a lot of respect for him, and have my own team to worry about, but in all my years of football I’ve never seen an opposing team’s coach come over to the other sideline and make a gesture toward the other coach,” Beamer said postgame.
Illinois won the game 21-17 to wrap its season at 10-3, while South Carolina finishes 9-4.
Emotions flared between South Carolina coach Shane Beamer and Illinois coach Bret Bielema.
Bielema appeared to taunt Beamer while he was tending to an injured player.
🎥 @espn | H/T @nocontextcfb pic.twitter.com/0O2YRa5CCK
— The Athletic (@TheAthletic) December 31, 2024
After the on-field incident, ESPN reporter Quint Kessenich said: “Shane just turned to me and said, ‘You saw what he did.’ … I did see it, I did see it. He taunted the opposing coach.”
Required reading
(Photo: Jeremy Reper / Imagn Images)
