Gamecocks officially hire Rod Wilson to complete coaching staff; roles shuffled again
Since South Carolina football hired Joe Cox as tight ends coach to fill a spot vacated by Coleman Hutzler at linebacker, the Gamecocks coaching staff had an imbalance. The squad had six offensive assistants and only four on defense, leaving head coach Will Muschamp as the primary linebackers coach.
That was officially solved Friday when the school’s board of trustees approved the contract of Rod Wilson, a USC alum and recent Super Bowl champion with Kansas City earlier this month, to take on the linebackers job. He replaces the opening created when Thomas Brown left for the NFL’s Los Angeles Rams.
It’s a one-year deal for $275,000.
“I’m excited to have Super Bowl champion and former Gamecock Rod Wilson join our staff,” Muschamp said in a statement. “Rod was extremely impressive in the interview process. His experience in the NFL and on a Super Bowl champion team will be a great benefit to our players and staff. It’s great to have another former Gamecock on our staff.”
The coach also announced his final staff, with Bobby Bentley moving from assistant quarterbacks coach to running backs coach, the role he held his first three years for the team. He replaces Brown, whose arrival bumped him to tight ends coach last season.
“I had to make some hard decisions to do what’s best for the University of South Carolina and our football program,” Muschamp said. “We also had some coaches have an opportunity to advance their careers somewhere else, and we wish them the best. At the end of the day, I want guys who want to be here and want to work to help this program succeed.”
The hire finishes a Gamecocks staff that will have three $1 million assistants in offensive coordinator Mike Bobo, defensive coordinator Travaris Robinson and wide receivers coach Bryan McClendon.
“It’s not a cause for concern,” Gamecocks Athletic Director Ray Tanner said. “It’s certainly something you have to deal with being in an athletic department that is fiscally responsible, but it’s the cost of doing business. I think we’ve got some outstanding coaches among that group.”
Tanner added the transitions that included three new hires in February were also not things that concerned him too much. As a baseball coach for the Gamecocks, he had dealt with a late staff transition before. He also said he got a chance to sit and meet with Wilson before Friday.
A native of Cross, South Carolina, Wilson played a variety of positions at South Carolina through the 2004 season, when he led the team in tackles. He was a seventh-round draft pick by the Chicago Bears and spent six seasons in the NFL with four teams.
He broke into coaching with Charleston Southern from 2013-16, jumped to Furman for less than a month and then joined the staff of the Chiefs. He was an assistant special teams coach in Kansas City for decorated special teams coach Dave Toub.
The move is another in a series of coaching changes that followed February’s National Signing Day.
Tracy Rocker replaced John Scott Jr., who departed for Penn State, as defensive line coach. Drew Hughes took over player personnel director duties for Matt Lindsey, who is taking a larger role at Ole Miss. Wide receivers coach Bryan McClendon was linked to an opening with the Pittsburgh Steelers, but that job ultimately went to Ike Hilliard.
South Carolina’s staff
Will Muschamp Head Coach
Bobby Bentley Running Backs Coach
Mike Bobo Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks Coach
Joe Cox Tight Ends Coach
Kyle Krantz Special Teams Coordinator/Assistant Defensive Backs Coach
Bryan McClendon Wide Receivers Coach
Mike Peterson Outside Linebackers Coach
Travaris Robinson Defensive Coordinator/Defensive Backs Coach
Tracy Rocker Defensive Line CoachRod Wilson Linebackers Coach
Eric Wolford Offensive Line Coach
This story was originally published February 21, 2020 at 1:50 PM.
