Lane Kiffin Is Reportedly Targeting An SEC Assistant As LSU's New DL Coach

by Staff Reporter

December 19, 20256 Comments

Matthew Hinton-Imagn Images

It has been reported that Lane Kiffin is targeting South Carolina assistant coach Sterling Lucas to join is staff at LSU.

Sterling currently serves as South Carolina's defensive run game coordinator and defensive ends/outside linebackers coach.

Kevin Peoples served as LSU's edge rushers coach last season, while Kyle Williams was the interior defensive line coach.

It was reported on Dec. 6 that Kiffin was planning to retain Peoples on the staff. Sterling could likely take over Williams' position.

Here's a snippet of his Lucas' bio:

quote:
Sterling Lucas is in his fifth season on the Gamecocks’ coaching staff. He officially joined the Gamecocks’ on-field coaching staff on Jan. 14, 2022 as the defensive ends/outside linebackers coach. He was given the additional responsibilities and title of Defensive Run Game Coordinator in January 2025.

Lucas again tutored one of the squad’s most productive positions in 2025. The Edge rushers were led by All-SEC performers Dylan Stewart and Bryan Thomas Jr. Stewart, a second-team All-SEC pick by the league’s 16 coaches, recorded 12 tackles for loss, 4.5 sacks, eight quarterback hurries and three forced fumbles, while Thomas, a third-team All-SEC selection, also was credited with a dozen TFLs, a team high 8.0 sacks, a team-high 14 hurries and three forced fumbles. Thomas shared Most Outstanding Senior and Steve Wadiak Team MVP honors with Nick Barrett. The senior was also a co-winner of the Joe Morrison MVP for defense and a Rex Enright permanent team captain. Lucas’s players helped the Gamecocks collected an SEC-leading 22 turnovers.

Lucas mentored arguably the best tandem of Edge rushers in the country in 2024. Senior transfer Kyle Kennard was the first Gamecock to win the Bronco Nagurski Award as the nation’s top defensive player, was the SEC Defensive Player of the Year and earned All-America honors after logging 15.5 tackles for loss including 11.5 sacks, the second-highest single-season mark in school history. His counterpart, true freshman Dylan Stewart, was a finalist for the Shaun Alexander Freshman of the Year honors after collecting 10.5 tackles for loss with 6.5 sacks in his first season as a Gamecock. Carolina totaled 41 sacks, just two shy of the school record and tying for the sixth-best mark in the country. The Gamecocks were 12th in the country in scoring defense and 18th in the nation in rush defense while forcing 24 turnovers.

In 2023, the Gamecock defense surrendered 149.4 rushing yards per game, the fewest since 2017 and the second-fewest since 2012, while forcing 17 turnovers in 12 games.