South Carolina Football: Gamecocks Name Former Penn State DL Deion Barnes as the New DE/OLB Coach

The news cycle keeps rolling in Columbia as South Carolina has added a proven defensive assistant to the coaching staff. Formerly the defensive line coach for the Penn State Nittany Lions, Deion Barnes joins the Gamecocks' coaching staff as the next defensive ends/outside linebackers coach. Barnes arrives in Columbia after helping develop one of the Big Ten's more consistent defensive fronts, bringing both recruiting experience and development to Shane Beamer's defensive staff. This is the second big news of the day as star pass rusher Dylan Stewart also announced his return to the Gamecocks in 2026.

This move fills a key role on the team following Sterling Lucas' departure to take the LSU defensive line coaching job. Barnes has been with the Nittany Lions for the past six seasons, three as a graduate assistant and three as the defensive line coach. His recruiting and development speaks for itself during his tenure at State College.

Who Is South Carolina Getting?

Penn State defensive line coach Deion Barnes greets defensive end Zuriah Fisher (36) before the start of a NCAA football game against Massachusetts Saturday, Oct. 14, 2023, in State College, Pa. | Dan Rainville / USA TODAY NETWORK

In his first season as the team's defensive line coach, Barnes worked with Odafe 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. Oweh was the program's first defensive end taken in the first round since 2009 (Aaron Maybin).

Barnes also worked with and developed several talented defensive end prospects like Arnold Ebiketie (Atlanta Falcons), Chop Robinson (Miami Dolphins), and 2025 top-five pick Abdul Carter (New York Giants) during his time with the team. Carter, who made the switch from linebacker to defensive end, was named a Unanimous Consensus All-American in 2024, theBig Ten Defensive Player of the Year and Defensive Lineman of the Year. Since 2020, Barnes' first year with the program, Penn State leads the nation for most defensive ends drafted (7). Penn State ranked in the top 15 of recruiting classes in each year that Barnes was the defensive line coach.

As a player, Barnes was a three-year letterman for Penn State between 2012-2014, also earning Big Ten freshman of the year honors in 2012. He spent two years in the NFL with the New York Jets (2015) and Kansas City Chiefs (2016).

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