South Carolina’s defensive football team is almost ready.
Shane Beamer announced the hiring of coordinator Clayton White earlier this week, ending a month-long search for the author of the defensive game. White’s team of assistants is now almost defined, as the Gamecocks have announced the addition of former Florida secondary coach Torrian Gray.
Gray becomes the fourth member of the defensive team, joining White, defensive line coach Tracy Rocker and linebacker coach Mike Peterson.
Gray has been with the Gators for the past two seasons and has been a secondary coach at both the university and professional level. Prior to his last two-year stint in Gainesville, he was a member of the Washington Football Team’s defense team. Gray also made stops in Maine, Connecticut and Virginia Tech, as well as the NFL’s Chicago Bears.
Gray’s time at Virginia Tech, his alma mater, coincided with that of Shane Beamer. Gray worked at the university between 2006-2015, while Beamer joined the 2011-2015 team. The two were also short-term college teammates in the late 1990s.
Gray oversaw the development of a handful of NFL stars over the course of his 20-year coaching career, including Teez Tabor, Marcus Maye, Kam Chancellor, Brandon Flowers, Kendall Fuller and Kyle Fuller. He also coached Kair Elam and CJ Henderson with the Gators in 2019, who won SEC honors after the season.
Gray will have his hands full, as the South Carolina defense back room is extremely small at the beginning of the off-season. A total of five members of the secondary entered the transfer portal or chose to pursue professional careers. Another, RJ Roderick, chose to leave the 2020 season after Will Muschamp’s resignation and has yet to reveal his plans for the future.
With almost complete staff, South Carolina coaches can begin recruiting at the end of the February subscription period.