Report: South Carolina to hire former Alabama, NFL assistant as tight ends coach
Shane Beamer has reportedly filled one of his coaching staff vacancies.
Former New York Giants offensive assistant Jody Wright is expected to be hired to replace Erik Kimrey as South Carolina’s tight ends coach, per a report from Matt Zenitz of On3.com.
The State reached out to a USC spokesperson who could not confirm the report at the time of publication.
Wright comes to Columbia with a mix of NFL and Southeastern Conference coaching experience over his nearly two decades in the game. The former Jacksonville State running back spent two years as a student assistant at his alma mater before joining the Mississippi State staff in 2005 as a volunteer coach. Wright spent a total of five years at MSU, eventually getting elevated to director of football operations.
Following his time in Starkville, he worked in a variety of roles at Jacksonville State and UAB between spells on Nick Saban’s staff at Alabama. Wright was first a graduate assistant and offensive analyst for the Crimson Tide between 2010 and 2012. He returned to Tuscaloosa as the director of player personnel in 2015.
Wright went on to stops in the pro ranks as an assistant coach for the Cleveland Browns and the Giants, working with former MSU assistants Freddie Kitchens and Joe Judge — both of whom also overlapped with Beamer on the Bulldogs’ staff.
South Carolina has largely kept its on-field staff in tact after Beamer’s 7-6 debut season that concluded with a 38-21 win over North Carolina in the Duke’s Mayo Bowl.
Mike Peterson was previously the only on-field assistant to leave Beamer’s staff prior to Kimrey’s departure last week. Peterson was hired to coach linebackers at Florida — his alma mater — in January, while Kimrey is the new head coach at The Baylor School in Chattanooga.
Legendary South Carolina quarterback and director of football relations Connor Shaw also left the program this offseason and is expected to pursue a job outside of coaching.
Wright joins former Jacksonville Jaguars assistant coach Sterling Lucas — who replaced Peterson — as the newest imports on Beamer’s USC staff.
The details of Wright’s deal are not yet clear, though Kimrey was paid an annual salary of $200,000 under the terms of his previous contract, according to documents obtained by The State.
Lucas received two-year deal worth $350,000 annually — $70,000 less than Peterson’s contract paid him yearly.
South Carolina’s board of trustees requires contracts over $250,000 be approved by the university’s governing body. The board is scheduled to meet on Tuesday at 2 p.m., though no athletics matters are on the agenda.
This story was originally published February 7, 2022 at 10:40 AM.
