South Carolina approves salaries for football assistants

Updated Jan. 4, 2021 5:51 p.m. ET

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COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — South Carolina's Board of Trustees has approved more than $4.1 million in salaries for eight assistant coaches on football coach Shane Beamer's first staff.

The panel approved the deals Monday for four holdovers from fired coach Will Muschamp's staff and four newcomers to the Gamecocks.

Beamer, a former South Carolina assistant and son of ex-Virginia Tech coach Frank Beamer, was hired by the Gamecocks last month after the team finished a 2-8 season.

Mike Bobo, the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach who served as interim head coach after Muschamp's dismissal in November, had his contract extended a year through the 2022 season at his current salary of $1.2 million a year.

Will Friend, who was Tennessee's offensive line coach, will earn $700,000 per year — the most of all the new hires — for the same job at South Carolina. His deal goes through 2022, as well.

Among the other newcomers, ex-Ball State head coach Pete Lembo will make $450,000 per year as assistant head coach and special teams coach. Lembo's deal is for three seasons through 2023.

Receivers coach Justin Stepp, who had filled that role at Arkansas, will make $460,000 per year through 2022.

Tight ends coach Erik Kimrey will make $200,000 a season through 2022.

The three other assistants retained by Beamer, defensive line coach Tracy Rocker, outside linebackers coach Mike Peterson and running backs coach Des Kitchings, had their deals extended an extra year through 2022.

Rocker will make $525,000 a year while Peterson and Kitchings each will make $300,000 per season.

Beamer is still searching for two more coaches to complete his 10-person staff, including a defensive coordinator.

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