South Carolina head coach Shane Beamer wasted no time addressing one of his staff’s most critical vacancies, officially hiring Deion Barnes as the Gamecocks’ defensive ends/outside linebackers coach on Tuesday, December 23, 2025. The move reunites elite recruiting prowess with proven player development at a position crucial to South Carolina’s defensive identity—and it comes at the perfect moment, coinciding with star pass rusher Dylan Stewart’s announcement that he will return for the 2026 season.
From Penn State Star to NFL Draft Factory Coach
Barnes brings an impressive personal football pedigree to Columbia. The Philadelphia, Pennsylvania native played for the Nittany Lions from 2012-14 and earned Big Ten Freshman of the Year honors in 2012 . He spent two years in the NFL with the New York Jets in 2015 and Kansas City Chiefs in 2016, and an additional season in the AAF with the San Antonio Commanders in 2019.
Understanding the game from a player’s perspective has proven invaluable in Barnes’ coaching career. Barnes, 32, spent the past three seasons as the defensive line coach on James Franklin’s staff at Penn State after working with the Nittany Lions for three years as a graduate assistant tutoring the defensive line.
An Unmatched Track Record of Development
The numbers speak to Barnes’ elite coaching ability. During his six seasons working with the Penn State defensive line, Barnes has mentored 21 All-Big Ten selections, including five first-team picks, along with a first-team, a second-team and a third-team All-American .
Perhaps most impressively, since 2020, Barnes’ first year with the program, Penn State has led the nation in most defensive ends selected in the NFL Draft with seven . This production pipeline is unmatched nationally and demonstrates Barnes’ ability to not just recruit talent but develop it to professional standards.
The defensive statistics under Barnes’ tutelage are equally remarkable. In 2023, Penn State’s defense ranked first nationally in sacks with 49 and first among Power Five teams (second nationally) in tackles for loss with 111. In 2024, the Nittany Lion defense ranked second in the FBS in tackles for loss with 119 and fifth in sacks with 44 .
South Carolina and Penn State are tied for fourth nationally in turnovers forced since 2021 with 110 —a statistic that underscores the defensive philosophy alignment between the two programs.
The Abdul Carter Effect
Barnes’ most decorated achievement came with his development of Abdul Carter, who transformed from linebacker to one of college football’s most dominant edge rushers. Carter was named a unanimous All-American, the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year and Defensive Lineman of the Year in 2024 before becoming the third pick in the NFL Draft .
Carter led the nation with 23.5 tackles for loss and ranked seventh nationally in sacks with 12.0. His remarkable transformation and production exemplify Barnes’ ability to maximize player potential and adapt schemes to individual strengths.
NFL Pipeline: First-Round to Seventh-Round Success
The list of players Barnes has coached into professional football reads like a who’s who of recent defensive talent:
First-Round Picks:
- Abdul Carter (New York Giants, 2025 second overall pick)
- Odafe Oweh (Baltimore Ravens, 2021 first-round selection)
Day Two Selections:
- Chop Robinson (Miami Dolphins, 2024, 21st overall pick)
- Arnold Ebiketie (Atlanta Falcons, 2022 second-round pick)
- Adisa Isaac (Baltimore Ravens, 2024 third-round pick)
Future NFL Talent:
- Dani Dennis-Sutton (projected first-round pick in the current draft cycle)
- Chaz Coleman (Freshman All-American this past season, five-star transfer and number one player in the transfer portal)
The depth extends beyond the marquee names. In Barnes’ first season as the team’s defensive line coach, he worked with Oweh and Shaka Toney, who became the first Penn State defensive end duo to receive All-Big Ten first team honors since 1998, and the first duo to be drafted in the same year for the program since 1975 .
Perfect Timing and Strategic Alignment
The hire addresses an immediate need following Sterling Lucas’ departure to LSU earlier this month. Barnes arrived in Columbia after spending the last several seasons at Penn State, where he steadily climbed the coaching ladder under James Franklin.
For Beamer, the timing couldn’t be better. Barnes will arrive ready to work with Dylan Stewart, whose return announcement came shortly after news of Barnes’ hiring surfaced, signaling stability within the Gamecocks program . This synchronization suggests coordinated messaging and mutual confidence between coach and player.
Over his five seasons working with Penn State’s defensive front, Barnes helped develop 20 all-conference selections and three All-Americans, a résumé that speaks directly to South Carolina’s defensive priorities.
Transfer Portal Implications: The Chaz Coleman Connection
Barnes’ arrival has already created ripples in the transfer portal. Coleman, a five-star recruit who was named Freshman All-American this past season, previously had Barnes as his position coach at Penn State. Since Barnes served as Coleman’s position coach, his move to South Carolina immediately sparked speculation about a potential reunion.
Coleman himself ignited the conversation with a tweet celebrating Barnes’ hiring , suggesting the new coach’s impact on recruiting may extend beyond high school prospects to include elite transfers.
Building the 2026 Defense
Barnes inherits a talented but transitioning defensive unit. With Stewart returning as the centerpiece and Barnes’ proven ability to develop multiple elite pass rushers simultaneously, South Carolina’s defensive line could become one of the SEC’s most disruptive units.
For Beamer, the hire fits a familiar blueprint. Barnes is young enough to connect, experienced enough to command respect, and proven at a Power Five program where defensive excellence isn’t optional .
The addition positions South Carolina to maximize Stewart’s final season while building for the future. With Barnes’ recruiting connections in the Northeast and proven track record of developing NFL-caliber talent, the Gamecocks have secured one of the nation’s premier EDGE developers.
As South Carolina looks to rebound from a disappointing 4-8 season, Barnes represents exactly the type of high-upside hire that can accelerate program rebuilding. His arrival, combined with Stewart’s return and the program’s significant NIL investments, signals that the Gamecocks are committed to competing at the highest level of SEC football in 2026 and beyond.
