Gamecocks hire a new football assistant coach. Here are the details
Jan. 14, 2022
South Carolina has its new defensive assistant coach. The USC board of trustees approved a contract for Jacksonville Jaguars assistant defensive line coach Sterling Lucas on Friday afternoon to join the Gamecocks’ football staff. Lucas will replace Mike Peterson, who left South Carolina to coach outside linebackers at Florida. Lucas will be paid $350,000 under the two-year contract approved in Friday’s meeting. The deal runs through Dec. 31, 2023.
Like Peterson, Lucas will coach the edge/outside linebacker position. Returning edge players include Jordan Burch and Jordan Strachan.
BIO
Lucas began his tenure in Baltimore in 2016 and held various roles on the defensive side of the ball until 2020, when he worked with the defensive line under current Jaguars defensive coordinator Joe Cullen. With Lucas on staff from 2016-20, the Ravens led the NFL in total defense (314.1 yards per game), allowed the second-fewest rushing yards per game (97.1) and produced the third-most takeaways (126). Lucas worked closely with several Pro Bowl players while in Baltimore, including DL Calais Campbell (2020), OLB Matthew Judon (2019 and 2020) and LB C.J. Mosley (2017 and 2018).
In 2020, Lucas helped the Ravens advance to the AFC Divisional round as their defense allowed the second-fewest points (18.9) and seventh-fewest yards (329.8) per game in the NFL. He was promoted from defensive quality control coach to defensive assistant/linebackers coach in 2019 and assisted with the team's linebackers, which helped the team allow the NFL's third-fewest points per game (17.6) and the fourth-fewest yards per game (300.6). Baltimore earned a franchise-best 14-2 record and its second-straight AFC North title.
In 2018, Lucas worked with the NFL's No. 1 ranked defense (292.2 yards per game allowed), which permitted the league's second-fewest points per games (17.9). He served as an administrative assistant for the defense in 2017, helping Baltimore post NFL bests in takeaways (34), INTs (22) and shutouts (three). He originally joined the team in 2016 working on the defensive side of the ball, while also assisting the strength and conditioning staff.
Lucas began his coaching career at North Carolina State where he spent 2013 as a graduate assistant in the strength and conditioning department prior to spending 2014-15 as a defensive graduate assistant, with a primary focus on coaching the linebackers and nickelbacks. South Carolina's defensive coordinator Clayton White was on the NC State defensive staff during that time, coaching the safeties.
A product of Orangeburg-Wilkinson High School, Lucas graduated from North Carolina State in 2012 with a bachelor's degree in communications and played linebacker for the Wolfpack from 2008-12, finishing his career with 167 tackles, 4.0 sacks and one INT.
Lucas and his wife Brittany, have two children, Londyn and Arie.
LUCAS' COACHING EXPERIENCE
2021: Assistant Defensive Line Coach - Jacksonville Jaguars
2020: Defensive Assistant/Defensive Line - Baltimore Ravens
2019: Defensive Assistant/Linebackers - Baltimore Ravens
2018: Quality Control – Defense - Baltimore Ravens
2017: Administrative Assistant – Defense - Baltimore Ravens
2016: Defensive Assistant/Strength and Conditioning Assistant - Baltimore Ravens
2014-15: Defensive Graduate Assistant - North Carolina State
2013: Strength & Conditioning Graduate Assistant - North Carolina State
Jan. 14, 2022
South Carolina has its new defensive assistant coach. The USC board of trustees approved a contract for Jacksonville Jaguars assistant defensive line coach Sterling Lucas on Friday afternoon to join the Gamecocks’ football staff. Lucas will replace Mike Peterson, who left South Carolina to coach outside linebackers at Florida. Lucas will be paid $350,000 under the two-year contract approved in Friday’s meeting. The deal runs through Dec. 31, 2023.
Like Peterson, Lucas will coach the edge/outside linebacker position. Returning edge players include Jordan Burch and Jordan Strachan.
BIO
Lucas began his tenure in Baltimore in 2016 and held various roles on the defensive side of the ball until 2020, when he worked with the defensive line under current Jaguars defensive coordinator Joe Cullen. With Lucas on staff from 2016-20, the Ravens led the NFL in total defense (314.1 yards per game), allowed the second-fewest rushing yards per game (97.1) and produced the third-most takeaways (126). Lucas worked closely with several Pro Bowl players while in Baltimore, including DL Calais Campbell (2020), OLB Matthew Judon (2019 and 2020) and LB C.J. Mosley (2017 and 2018).
In 2020, Lucas helped the Ravens advance to the AFC Divisional round as their defense allowed the second-fewest points (18.9) and seventh-fewest yards (329.8) per game in the NFL. He was promoted from defensive quality control coach to defensive assistant/linebackers coach in 2019 and assisted with the team's linebackers, which helped the team allow the NFL's third-fewest points per game (17.6) and the fourth-fewest yards per game (300.6). Baltimore earned a franchise-best 14-2 record and its second-straight AFC North title.
In 2018, Lucas worked with the NFL's No. 1 ranked defense (292.2 yards per game allowed), which permitted the league's second-fewest points per games (17.9). He served as an administrative assistant for the defense in 2017, helping Baltimore post NFL bests in takeaways (34), INTs (22) and shutouts (three). He originally joined the team in 2016 working on the defensive side of the ball, while also assisting the strength and conditioning staff.
Lucas began his coaching career at North Carolina State where he spent 2013 as a graduate assistant in the strength and conditioning department prior to spending 2014-15 as a defensive graduate assistant, with a primary focus on coaching the linebackers and nickelbacks. South Carolina's defensive coordinator Clayton White was on the NC State defensive staff during that time, coaching the safeties.
A product of Orangeburg-Wilkinson High School, Lucas graduated from North Carolina State in 2012 with a bachelor's degree in communications and played linebacker for the Wolfpack from 2008-12, finishing his career with 167 tackles, 4.0 sacks and one INT.
Lucas and his wife Brittany, have two children, Londyn and Arie.
LUCAS' COACHING EXPERIENCE
2021: Assistant Defensive Line Coach - Jacksonville Jaguars
2020: Defensive Assistant/Defensive Line - Baltimore Ravens
2019: Defensive Assistant/Linebackers - Baltimore Ravens
2018: Quality Control – Defense - Baltimore Ravens
2017: Administrative Assistant – Defense - Baltimore Ravens
2016: Defensive Assistant/Strength and Conditioning Assistant - Baltimore Ravens
2014-15: Defensive Graduate Assistant - North Carolina State
2013: Strength & Conditioning Graduate Assistant - North Carolina State
