Now that Shane Beamer is the head coach at South Carolina, he’s been assembling his staff for the 2021 season. And it appears he could be going after a defensive assistant from another SEC East program.

According to Doug Samuels of Football Scoop, Beamer is targeting Florida cornerbacks coach Torrian Gray to join the Gamecocks’ staff. Gray and Beamer were teammates for two seasons at Virginia Tech, as Gray played for the Hokies from 1992-96 and Beamer was on the team from 1995-99.

Gray became Florida’s defensive backs coach in 2016, before leaving to serve as the defensive backs coach for the NFL’s Washington Football Team for two seasons. He returned to the Gators prior to the start of the 2019 season to become their cornerbacks coach.

Gray and Beamer also spent time together as assistants on longtime Virginia Tech head coach Frank Beamer’s staff. Gray was the Hokies’ defensive backs coach from 2006-15, while the younger Beamer was the assistant head coach/running backs coach from 2011-15.

Considering their long history together, it makes sense that Beamer wants Gray to join his South Carolina staff, although it’s not yet clear what role he might serve in.

Beamer has already been busy adding to his Gamecocks’ staff, as over the weekend, he announced seven of his assistants, three of whom were new hires. Among the group is offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach Mike Bobo, who served as South Carolina’s interim head coach following the firing of Will Muschamp.