South Carolina football losing defensive assistant coach to LSU, reports say

Shane Beamer reportedly has a staff position to fill.

Defensive line coach Jimmy Lindsey is set to take the same position at LSU, per a report from On3.com’s Matt Zenitz on Friday morning. John Brice of Football Scoop reported minutes earlier that LSU had targeted Lindsey and a deal could be worked out this weekend.

Lindsey was entering his third season at South Carolina after spending the 2020 campaign at Illinois on Lovie Smith’s staff. The former Chattanooga linebacker also worked at Western Kentucky between 2017 and 2019 — working with USC defensive coordinator Clayton White. Lindsey also spent time at Georgia Southern, Furman, Miami (OH), UT-Martin and Gardner-Webb.

LSU defensive coordinator Matt House has ties to Lindsey from their time on staff together at Gardner-Webb in 2005.

Tigers head coach Brian Kelly narrowed on Lindsey after losing Jamar Cain, who joined Sean Payton’s staff with the Denver Broncos last month.

Lindsey’s responsibilities in Columbia largely resided with the interior of the defensive line — including Zacch Pickens, Tonka Hemingway and Alex “Boogie” Huntley. He was also a steady presence on the recruiting trail, serving as a recruiter for 2023 four-star signees Xzavier McLeod (Camden) and Elijah Davis (East Mississippi Community College).

Lindsey received a one-year extension in January, putting him under contract through December 31, 2024 and bumping his salary from $375,000 to $475,000 annually. The terms of that deal stipulate he would owe South Carolina $300,000 for terminating the contract in Year 1 of its life.

South Carolina has had limited turnover among it’s 10 on-field assistant coaches since Beamer arrived in December 2020. Offensive coordinator Marcus Satterfield left earlier this offseason for the same position on Matt Rhule’s Nebraska staff. Satterfield has since been replaced by longtime NFL offensive coordinator and ex-Arkansas tight ends coach Dowell Loggains.

The Gamecocks also replaced tight ends coach Erik Kimrey (The Baylor School — Tennessee) and defensive ends coach Mike Peterson (Florida) during the 2021 offseason with Jody Wright and Sterling Lucas, respectively.