South Carolina officially hires new football assistant coach. Here are the details
South Carolina has its new defensive assistant coach.
The USC board of trustees approved a contract for Jacksonville Jaguars assistant defensive line coach Sterling Lucas on Friday afternoon to join the Gamecocks’ football staff. Lucas will replace Mike Peterson, who left South Carolina to coach outside linebackers at Florida.
Lucas will be paid $350,000 under the two-year contract approved in Friday’s meeting. The deal runs through Dec. 31, 2023.
Like Peterson, Lucas will coach the edge/outside linebacker position. Returning edge players include Jordan Burch and Jordan Strachan. Peterson made $420,000 under a contract that had been extended each of the past two years, according to documents obtained by The State.
Head coach Shane Beamer will address the hire in a 3 p.m. Friday press conference.
Sterling earns a $25,000 bonus if the Gamecocks reach the SEC Championship game, or $50,000 if USC wins that game. Bowl game incentives start with $20,000 for a postseason appearance. That escalates to $65,000 with a national championship victory.
Lucas comes to South Carolina with a bevy of NFL experience. Prior to his time with the Jaguars, he worked in varying capacities for the Baltimore Ravens.
The Orangeburg native also has ties to both Beamer and defensive coordinator Clayton White. Beamer recruited Lucas out of Orangeburg-Wilkinson High School in the class of 2007 when working on Steve Spurrier’s South Carolina staff. Lucas eventually signed with N.C. State.
White and Lucas overlapped on the Wolfpack’s staff between 2013 and 2015. White spent that time as co-special teams coordinator and safeties coach, while Lucas served as a strength and conditioning graduate assistant his first season and a defensive graduate assistant his second season.
Beamer said on Thursday during a radio appearance on 107.5 FM that South Carolina was nearing a decision on the spot vacated by Peterson and that he and White had interviewed candidates.
Sterling owes South Carolina $200,000 if he leaves for another job before Dec. 31 of this year. That drops to $100,000 after Jan. 1, 2023.
South Carolina Football Staff Annual Salaries
Shane Beamer (HC) — $2.75 million
Marcus Satterfield (OC) — $900,000
Clayton White (DC) — $900,000
Greg Adkins (OL) — $550,000
Torrian Gray (DBs) — $475,000
Justin Stepp (WRs) — $460,000
Pete Lembo (ST) — $450,000
Jimmy Lindsey (DL) —$350,000
Sterling Lucas (LBs) — $350,000
Montario Hardesty (RBs) — $300,000
Erik Kimrey (TEs) — $200,000
*Annual salary numbers are derived from documents obtained by The State and previous reporting.
This story was originally published January 14, 2022 at 2:16 PM.
