South Carolina football hires new running backs coach. Here are his salary details

The final puzzle piece of South Carolina’s coaching staff has been smacked down.

During a Friday-afternoon session, the USC board of trustees approved a contract for Gamecocks running backs coach Marquel Blackwell, a veteran of the SEC who rounds out Shane Beamer’s assistant corps.

Blackwell takes over for Montario Hardesty, who was let go by Beamer just after the new year, and the Gamecocks will give a raise to their new RBs coach.

Blackwell’s contract runs for two years (through Dec. 31, 2025) and will earn him $400,000 this year and $575,000 next year. That’s a bump from Hardesty’s $400,000 annual contract.

Blackwell’s hiring comes just a week after the Gamecocks hired wide receivers coach James Coley and shifted Justin Stepp to tight ends coach.

Last season, Blackwell and Coley worked together under Jimbo Fisher at Texas A&M, a part of an Aggies team that beat South Carolina in October.

More than most coaches, Blackwell is no stranger to new endeavors. A former NFL running back, the 44-year old has coached at 10-different schools over the past 13 years.

Before coming to Columbia, Blackwell was the RBs coach at Toldeo (‘10-’11), West Virginia (‘18), Houston (‘19-’21, coached QBs in ‘19), Ole Miss (‘22) and Texas A&M (‘23).

SOUTH CAROLINA ASSISTANT COACH SALARIES

Clayton White (DC) — $1.2 million

Dowell Loggains (OC) — $1 million

James Coley (WRs) — $750,000 (average)

Pete Lembo (ST) — $725,000

Torrian Gray (DBs) — $675,000

Sterling Lucas (DEs/OLBs) — $575,000

Justin Stepp (TEs) — $525,000

Marquel Blackwell (RB) — $487,000 (average)

Travian Robertson (DL) — $400,000

Lonnie Teasley (OL) — $410,000