Shane Beamer held back from going after Bret Bielema after on-field taunt

Shane Beamer and Bret Bielema are squaring off in what has become a suddenly spicy Cheez-It Citrus Bowl between South Carolina and Illinois. The two teams are fighting tooth and nail for every moment, and the head coaches had to be kept apart at one point in the game.

Late in the 3rd quarter, one Illini player was injured and on the turf near the South Carolina sideline. Bielema made the long trek across the field to check on his player, but what happened afterward is what set off Beamer.

The head coach of Illinois trolled Beamer by flashing the substitution signal at the Gamecocks. While that might seem innocent enough, the deeper context of the game is clear.

During the first half, Beamer was frustrated on multiple times with Illinois taking full advantage of substitution rules on defense to milk the play clock away from South Carolina’s offense. Beamer was visibly bothered by the tactic, and that’s what led to Bielema’s gesture.

Beamer was so set off by Bielema’s troll job that South Carolina’s head coach had to be held back by officials and his coaching staff from charging at Bielema. Here’s how it all went down:

For what it’s worth, neither Shane Beamer nor Bret Bielema received a flag in the incident. With the 4th quarter just opening, you can bet the postgame handshake will be something to watch right around the corner.

Paul Harvey

Paul Harvey lives in Atlanta and covers SEC football.