Take A Bow Sterling Lucas. You've Earned It.

With what he's done in his first year and a half in South Carolina's Football program, it's time edge coach Sterling Lucas gets his flowers.

When Sterling Lucas was named South Carolina's new defensive ends and outside linebackers coach on January 14th, 2022, multiple things on his résumé stood out to both fans and Shane Beamer; he's a South Carolina native, a coach with youth and energy and came into Columbia possessing NFL coaching experience. The latter bullet point, however, concerned some of the fanbase, and understandably so, as until South Carolina hired him, Lucas had never had to deal with recruiting responsibilities, something that most on-field assistant coaches have to excel at, especially in the SEC.

With five-star edge rusher Dylan Stewart now in the fold for the 2024 class, any concerns about Sterling's lack of recruiting experience have completely withered away. In just seventeen months, Lucas has either personally landed or helped recruit the following prospects:

"*" denotes Lucas as the primary recruiter

*2024 Five-star Edge Dylan Stewart

*2023 Five-star Athlete Nyckoles Harbor

*2023 Four-star Edge Desmond Umeozulu

2023 Four-star Linebacker Grayson "Pup Howard

2024 Four-star Safety Kelvin Hunter

2023 Four-star Quarterback LaNorris Sellers

2024 Four-star Cornerback Braydon Lee

Sterling Lucas has arguably been the Gamecocks' best recruiter on the staff since his arrival in Columbia, which is impressive considering the fact that South Carolina's 2023 recruiting class was objectively viewed as their best one in over a decade, and the 2024 class has a chance to top that. At the rate the second-year Gamecock assistant is going, he's quickly sure to become one of the highest-paid coaches on the staff, as he's making $475,000 a year on his current deal.

The craziest part about this ordeal with Dylan Stewart is that Sterling was in the hospital with his wife, awaiting the birth of his daughter, when the news came down. So, I imagine Lucas wouldn't be upset about a pay raise. Take a bow Sterling Lucas. You've earned it.

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