Shane Beamer remains haunted by a penalty from five years ago.
Speaking to reporters this week, South Carolina’s head coach recalled a pivotal play from his second and final season as Georgia’s specials teams coach. The officials negated a blocked punt in the National Championship Game against Alabama, calling Tyler Simmons offsides.
Beamer hasn’t forgotten the controversial flag.
“We were going to get a free rusher, we felt like, and we did. Came completely clean. Blocked a punt, just like we had designed it to do. Unfortunately the officiating crew — not an SEC crew, but the officiating crew absolutely blew the call,” Beamer said, via SEC Mike. “And I don’t want to say cost us a national championship, but that was a significant play in the game.”
Shane Beamer wants the world to know that Tyler Simmons was onsides.
His response when asked about one memory that stands out while coaching special teams for Georgia
“Unfortunately the officiating crew — not an SEC crew, but the officiating crew absolutely blew the call.” pic.twitter.com/ux8CS6Lz24
— SEC Mike (@MichaelWBratton) September 12, 2023
Beamer theorized that Alabama wouldn’t have received the opportunity to win in overtime had the blocked punt stood. Instead, Tua Tagovailoa threw a game-winning 41-yard touchdown to DeVonta Smith.
Alabama erased a 13-point deficit in the second half for Nick Saban’s fifth of sixth national titles with the school. Two years later, Big Ten referee Dan Capron admitted to the Chicago Tribune that they got the call wrong.
“We had a miss,” Capron said. “Alabama was on the ropes. They were deep in their own territory and they’re punting. The punt gets blocked. There’s a flag on the ground because the line judge had Georgia offside. Oh, boy. (Simmons) actually had a running start and timed it (properly). He wasn’t offside.”
That likely didn’t make Beamer feel much better.
“I’ve gotten past it, as you can tell,” Beamer concluded to laughs from reporters. “It doesn’t bother me anymore.”