By james art 
Two highly valued defense assistants in South Carolina have been promoted to new roles in the structure of the Gamecocks coaching staff.
The outer coach of the linear players/edges Sterling Lucas has added the title of the Defense Game Coordinator, while the Defense Backs coach Torian Gray is already the defensive passing game in addition to the previous responsibilities of each.
The moves that came after South Carolina went 9-4 while led by one of the best defenses in the history of the school were technically official in January, but were not public.
Join GamecockCentral: $ 1 per week for the first year
Both Lucas and Gray played an important role in the recruitment and development of the best talents in their respective position group. Everyone received an increase and extension in the past December.
Gray, who enters his fifth year in Colombia, was a defensive back coach for each of Shane Beimer’s first South Carolina officials.
Gray has been the coach of the secondary for 25 years, including 21 at a collegial level and four in NFL. He was responsible for the recruitment and development of the All-American Nick Emmanwori, a three-year starter for Gamecocks and probably the future first or second round in the upcoming NFL project.
Gray also trained the draft of NFL Picks Cam Smith, Darius Rush and Marcellas Dial during his time in Carolina and the future Pick O’Donnell Fortune project.
Prior to his arrival in Colombia, Gray spent two seasons training discounts in Florida, his second stay with Gators. He also spent a decade in his Alma Mater Virginia Tech among other stops.
Lucas joined his fourth year with Gamecocks after joining the program in January 2022 after a year as a Jaguars Jacksonville Jaguars assistant coach by NFL.
The NC-born NC and former NC State Background serves as a major recruiter for the five-star end of Edge Dylan Stewart, who has partnered with Kennard’s transfer to form one of the best duets in Lucas in the past season S
Kennard became the first Gamecock to win the Bronco Nagurski Award as the best protective player of the nation, while Stuart was a freshman of the Year of On3.
In addition to Lukas and Gray, adding titles, the coach of the wide receivers Mike Furi was declared coordinator of the team passing in December.
The continuity of staff has been a huge priority for Beamer since it arrived in Colombia. Gamecocks kept every trainer in the field of last year’s staff, with the exception of the offensive coordinator Dowell Loggains, which in December landed the head coach of the State of Apalachi. Mike Schula was promoted to OC and Gamecocks defender coach.