| Herald-Journal
To listen to the newly hired South Carolina wide receivers coach, Justin Stepp, say that he has been a plague almost his entire life. This uncompromising approach served him well as a child and now as an adult.
The son of a high school coach, 37, knew from an early age that he wanted football to remain an important part of his life, first as a persistent player and then as a young assistant who never bothered to go further in climb the ranks of your desired profession.
Stepp is a native of Columbia who played at Pelion High before spending four seasons (2003-06) at Furman as a wide receiver and 2008 as an assistant at North Greenville. When he was formally introduced to the media on Monday by videoconference, it took him less than five minutes to have to go through a long pause to keep his emotions in check.
“It means a lot to me,” said Stepp. “My parents studied here. That’s it. There is no other job in the country that I would have left (Arkansas) except to be here in Columbia.”
Stepp, who was back home for just 24 hours on Monday afternoon, said “parking in this parking lot (football operations building) this morning is surreal. I’m very excited to be here and for the opportunity. these games and being in this stadium, being here is a dream come true for me and my family. “
South Carolina announces Clayton White as the new defensive coordinator of the football program
Stepp echoed the words of his new trainer, Shane Beamer, a former USC assistant to Steve Spurrier who left the Oklahoma team to take on what he previously called “dream job” with Gamecocks.
Don’t think that just being a local guy was the main driving force behind hiring Stepp. Beamer called everywhere to inquire about his possible hiring. He said the criticisms were brilliant.
“He is highly respected across the country and is not just a reception technician who has connections with South Carolina that we are bringing home,” said Beamer. “He is an elite wide receiver coach, and it was a battle to bring him here that I am grateful to have won. Like all of these (assistants), they are guys who want to be here, they believe in this university as I do and understand what we can accomplish here in this football program. “
Stepp referred to himself as a “relentless” recruiter, and this basically applies to the obvious entrepreneur in all facets of life. Stepp grew up watching as many games as he could at Williams-Brice Stadium. After he started playing football in high school, he pestered the USC team anytime he got access to the possibility of playing the program one day.
“Those guys on the team should be like, ‘Dude, this kid still hasn’t figured out that we’re not going to recruit him,'” said Stepp. “I was in those stands every Saturday, going to every game. I got tired of some of those coaches trying to get there every Saturday.”
He finally met former USC reserve defender Erik Kimrey in person on Sunday, with Kimrey also part of the new team. Stepp remembered being at Williams-Brice Stadium in 2000, when Kimrey replaced injured holder Phil Petty to complete a touchdown pass to Jermale Kelly in a frustrating victory over the state of Mississippi.
“I was sitting where the Cockabooses are, in the right corner of this end zone, when he made that touchdown,” said Stepp.
Unfortunately, due to demand from his own family – Justin has a twin brother, Josh, who is now an assistant to the state of Georgia and an older sister, Jessica – Justin was unable to attend each game if forced to rely on his own ticket. family hide. Her father, Tim, cut straws and made the children draw for the right to watch the games at home.
After starting his coaching career in the 2007 season at Fort Mill, training receivers and overseeing strength and conditioning, Stepp spent the next season as North Greenville receiver coach and recruiting coordinator.
Once again, his tireless agitation would soon reward him with the biggest opportunity of his coaching life, when he got a position as a graduate assistant at Clemson for three seasons (2009-11). Dabo Swinney was promoted from acting coach to full-time coach shortly before the 2009 season, leaving Stepp on the ground floor of what Swinney has turned into a consistent powerhouse over the past decade.
“I practically chased (Swinney) and coach (then USC) (Steve) Spurrier trying to get a job,” said Stepp. “I would show up wherever they were talking. If (Swinney) was talking, I would be the last guy to leave. He remembers that and I am forever in debt that he gave me a job.”
Later, Stepp would train the wide receivers of the Appalachian State (2012-14) before former Clemson offensive coordinator Chad Morris became the SMU coach and brought Stepp into his team to train the receivers (2015-17). When Morris moved on to two seasons as Arkansas head coach, Stepp once again made the switch.
When Morris was fired, Stepp was one of the few remnants of the new Arkansas coach, Sam Pittman.
“I received several calls from Chad Morris when I was hired immediately recommending Justin,” said Beamer. “And I talked to (ex-Clemson co-offensive coordinator) Jeff Scott in South Florida and a lot of people about (Stepp) and it was an exaggerated compliment.
“So, just getting to know him as a person during this process. He’s a high-profile guy, and that’s the best I can say. Just a solid person, and Coach Pitman kept him for a reason on the team last season. after Coach Morris was released and it’s obvious to see why and why they didn’t want to lose him. “
USC’s new offensive coordinator, Marcus Satterfield, never worked with Stepp, but he knew of his solid reputation. Satterfield had ongoing conversations with Beamer even before he was hired to join the Gamecocks due to a long-standing relationship.
“Whenever he hired Justin Stepp, I would say to him, ‘It’s a home run hire,'” Satterfield said. “You see the work he does recruiting and the culture he builds in his office. You see the production he gets, so I think he’s a young rising star in this profession and I’m excited to be working with him at last.”