South Carolina’s opening on the defensive coaching staff is close to being filled.
TheBigSpur has confirmed that former Penn State assistant Deion Barnes is expected to be hired as the replacement for Sterling Lucas. ESPN’s Pete Thamel was first to report the news late Tuesday afternoon.
Lucas, who was officially hired by LSU on Monday, was hired to replace Mike Peterson in January of 2022. Barnes worked with Penn State’s defensive line for six years. He held the title as defensive line coach from 2023-25. He began working as a graduate assistant in 2020.
Barnes, who’s originally from Philadelphia, played at Penn State from 2012-14. He was in the NFL for two seasons with the New York Jets and Kansas City Chiefs.
South Carolina coach Shane Beamer hired former Penn State running backs coach Stan Drayton to coach that position for the Gamecocks in 2026. Drayton has formally been hired and introduced as a member of the staff.
From Barnes’ profile on gopsusports.com…
Penn State’s 2024 defense was dominant, ranking 2nd in the FBS in tackles for loss (119) and 5th in sacks (44).
Abdul Carter, who made the switch from linebacker to defensive end, became Penn State’s highest NFL Draft pick since Saquon Barkley (2018), joining Bruce Clark and Courtney Brown as top-five defensive line selections in school history.
Carter was named a Unanimous Consensus All-American in 2024, the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year and Defensive Lineman of the Year.
Carter led the nation with 23.5 tackles for loss and ranked seventh nationally in sacks (12.0).
In 2023, Penn State’s defense ranked first nationally in sacks (49) and first among Power Five teams (2nd nationally) in tackles for loss (111).
A total of five defensive linemen earned All-Big Ten honors under Barnes in 2023, led by first-team selection and Associated Press third-team All-American Chop Robinson.
Defensive end Adisa Isaac, an All-Big Ten first team honoree along with Robinson in 2023, finished second in the Big Ten in tackles for loss (16; T-20th nationally) and tied for second in sacks (7.5).
Robinson was selected 21st overall by Miami in the 2024 NFL Draft, Penn State’s highest-drafted defensive end since Aaron Maybin in 2009, while Isaac went in the third round to Baltimore.