Justin Stepp on the move, leaving South Carolina football for new job
Justin Stepp’s return to coach in South Carolina lasted three seasons.
The former Pelion High and Furman University standout is leaving Shane Beamer’s staff to take the wide receivers coach job with Illinois, the Big Ten school announced Thursday evening.
Stepp was an original member of Beamer’s staff when he took over three years ago. Before USC, his stops included Arkansas, SMU and Appalachian State.
He was making $525,000 a year in his latest contract at South Carolina. Stepp will replace George McDonald, who led the Illini wide receivers and had the title of assistant head coach. McDonald was making $585,500 a year.
“I was extremely impressed with Justin’s passion and knowledge for the receiver position when I worked with him for two years,” Illinois offensive coordinator Barry Lunney said through a school statement. “He is full of energy, a relentless recruiter, and has a unique ability to create meaningful relationships with his student-athletes.”
Stepp was most recently shifted by Beamer from wide receivers to tight ends coach, a move prompted by USC’s hiring of James Coley as a new assistant. Coley will coach the receivers for the Gamecocks.
Asked Jan. 19 about Stepp’s new role with the USC staff, Beamer said: “Tight end position is an awesome position to coach on the offense. You are involved in the passing game, the running game, protections and it really forces you to grow. I’m excited for his ability to help our tight end room be better.”
Stepp is the fourth USC assistant to leave the staff this offseason. Running backs coach Montario Hardesty was fired, while special teams coach Pete Lembo and tight ends coach Jody Wright both left for head coaching opportunities.
Beamer will now be in the market for a new tight ends coach. His staff was complete again for all of 10 days before Thursday’s Stepp news — Joe DeCamillis was hired Jan. 29 to fill the special teams role.
Stepp was linked a year ago to the Florida receivers job. He and Florida coach Billy Napier were teammates at Furman and then were assistants at Clemson together.
“If it’s OK, I don’t want to get into all of that,” Stepp said in March of the Florida interest. ”I’m happy to be home. That’s a direct result of the players and Coach (Shane) Beamer and the program we’re building. I’m happy here.”
Stepp fought back tears in his introductory press conference in 2021 about what it meant to be back in South Carolina and coaching the team he watched while growing up in nearby Pelion.
Stepp has built a reputation as a top recruiter. Rivals named him one of the Top 25 recruiters in the country in 2019 after adding four four-star recruits to the Razorbacks’ class. The Razorbacks were the only team to sign four four-star wide receivers in the 2019 class. In Stepp’s four recruiting classes at Arkansas, he brought in seven four-stars recruits.
At USC, Stepp helped with development of Josh Vann, Antwane “Juice” Wells and Jalen Brooks and this season with Xavier Legette, who is projected to be a high-round draft pick.
SOUTH CAROLINA ASSISTANT COACH SALARIES
Clayton White (DC) — $1.2 million
Dowell Loggains (OC) — $1 million
Joe DeCamillis (ST) — $800,000
James Coley (WRs) — $750,000 (average)
Torrian Gray (DBs) — $675,000
Sterling Lucas (DEs/OLBs) — $575,000
Open (TEs) — TBD
Marquel Blackwell (RB) — $487,500 (average)
Travian Robertson (DL) — $400,000
Lonnie Teasley (OL) — $410,000
This story was originally published February 8, 2024 at 7:37 PM.
