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Former Virginia Tech receiver and long snapper Shane Beamer is in his fifth season on the Hokies’ coaching staff as the associate head coach and running backs coach after spending four seasons at the University of South Carolina.

In his first year back in Blacksburg, he provided mentorship to David Wilson, who broke the school’s single-season rushing record and was named both an AP All-American and the ACC’s Player of the Year and went on to be taken in the first round of the NFL Draft by the New York Giants. In 2013, his group of running backs didn’t fumble the ball in 350 combined attempts, marking the first time under head coach Frank Beamer’s tenure that feat has happened. His 2014 group suffered through several injuries that hampered production, but J.C. Coleman stepped up late in the season and earned Military Bowl MVP honors, a game in which Shane Beamer served as the acting head coach while his father Frank watched from the press box following throat surgery.

Beamer coached several spots for the Gamecocks, including the spurs and strong safeties, as well as serving as the special teams coordinator in both 2009 and 2010. Beamer was also Carolina’s recruiting coordinator, duties he took on following the conclusion of the 2008 regular season.

In 2009, Beamer’s special team units recorded five blocked kicks, tying for the SEC lead and tying for the eighth-highest total in the nation. Beamer helped coach a defense that ranked third in the SEC and 15th in the country in total defense and second in the league and eighth in the land in passing defense.

Beamer’s first class as the recruiting coordinator (2009) was ranked the nation’s 12th-best class by both Rivals.com and Scout.com and the 2010 and 2011 recruiting classes were again ranked among the nation’s top 25. Beamer was nominated for the 2009 Frank Broyles Assistant Coach of the Year award following the season.

Beamer joined the South Carolina staff in 2007, coaching the outside linebackers and serving as the co-coordinator of special teams in his first season in Columbia. He worked with the cornerbacks in his second campaign. That 2008 unit was one of the most productive on the field as they were part of a defensive squad that finished the regular season ranked second in the nation in pass defense and 13th in total defense.

Beamer went to South Carolina after spending the previous three seasons at Mississippi State University. He was hired by Sylvester Croom in January 2004 to coach the Bulldog cornerbacks under defensive coordinator Ellis Johnson. Beamer went to Mississippi State from the University of Tennessee, where he spent three seasons as a graduate assistant helping with the cornerbacks, coaching the place-kickers, punters and long snappers and assisting in all special teams areas.

He also oversaw game opponent scouting while at UT and earned a master’s degree in sport science in December 2003.

Prior to joining the staff at Tennessee, Beamer worked one season (2000) as a graduate assistant at Georgia Tech, helping with the Yellow Jacket quarterbacks and wide receivers.

Beamer earned his bachelor’s degree from Virginia Tech in 1999 and was the Hokies’ starting long snapper for three seasons. He also contributed as a wide receiver. He played on four bowl teams and three Big East Conference championship squads.

He concluded his college playing career by helping the 1999 Hokies to a No. 2 final regular-season ranking and a berth in the national championship game played against Florida State in the Sugar Bowl.

Born in Charleston, South Carolina, Beamer is the son of longtime Virginia Tech head football coach Frank Beamer. He is married to the former Emily Gladney, a Starkville, Mississippi, native. The couple has two daughters, Sutton and Olivia, and a son, Hunter.