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South Carolina gives 6 assistants raises, contract extensions
By Keith Farner
Published:
South Carolina rewarded 6 assistants for their work during a successful 2021 season, and defensive coordinator Clayton White was among them, and he is now at more than $1 million per season in salary.
This news came after a 7-6 season when the Gamecocks also capped it with a Duke’s Mayo Bowl victory over North Carolina.
Defensive coordinator Clayton White, who saw his salary bumped from $900,000 to $1.1 million, special teams coordinator Pete Lembo, running backs coach Montario Hardesty, receivers coach Justin Stepp, defensive line coach Jimmy Lindsey and head strength and conditioning coach Luke Day had one-year extensions and raises approved by the USC board of trustees on Friday, The State reported.
- Justin Stepp (WRs) — From $460,000 to $475,000 (Year 1) and $525,000 (Year 2)
- Pete Lembo (ST) — From $450,000 to $465,000 Jimmy Lindsey (DL) — From $350,000 to $375,000
- Montario Hardesty (RBs) — From $300,000 to $350,000
- Luke Day (Strength and Conditioning) — From $400,000 to $425,000
South Carolina paid $4.88 million in assistant coaching salaries in 2021, according to a report from the Knoxville News Sentinel on Monday. That ranked USC 12th out of the 13 public schools in the SEC. Mississippi State was the lone school that spent less on assistant coaches last year at $4.83 million.
The South Carolina board of trustees already approved a two-year deal that will pay $350,000 annually for Jacksonville Jaguars assistant coach Sterling Lucas last month. Lucas replaced outside linebackers/defensive ends coach Mike Peterson, who left the Gamecocks to coach outside linebackers at Florida. Tight ends coach Jody Wright also had a two-year contract approved by the South Carolina board of trustees on Friday. Wright — who will rake over for former tight ends coach Erik Kimrey — will be paid $350,000 in Year 1 of the deal and $400,000 in Year 2.
A former newspaper veteran, Keith Farner is a news manager for Saturday Down South.