South Carolina Football: Assistant coach leaving for LSU

It appears now is not just transfer portal season. Players aren’t the only ones who are changing their scenery as several coaches around the country have made the jump to other programs, as well. On Friday, that became a reality for the South Carolina football program. Defensive line coach Jimmy Lindsey (who primarily worked with defensive tackles) is set to become the defensive line coach at LSU according to a report from Mat Zenitz of On3.

Lindsey had coached with defensive coordinator Clayton White for several years before a year apart in 2020. White and head coach Shane Beamer hired Lindsey, a South Carolina native, as the defensive line coach in 2021, and he coached at Carolina for two seasons.

By all accounts, Lindsey is a good coach and a good recruiter, but those attributes did not come to full fruition for the Gamecocks.

On the recruiting end of things, Xzavier McLeod ended up in Columbia as a highly-rated defensive tackle, but he was a Columbia-area kid who seemed destined to wear garnet and black. Junior college prospect Elijah Davis (who may actually play end for the Gamecocks) is also from close to the University of South Carolina, and Shane Beamer and tight ends coach Jody Wright played significant roles in helping Lindsey get him to Columbia.

Lindsey’s coaching tenure in Columbia also was an interesting one. Only working with defensive tackles, his unit has been largely unproductive relative to its talent. Big Zacch Pickens was a good player for Lindsey, but he was a five-star out of high school and had enough talent to contribute no matter his situation. Tonka Hemingway was an impact player at times, as well. After Pickens and Hemingway, several talented players flashed (Alex “Boogie” Huntley, TJ Sanders), but the unit was porous against the run and inconsistent rushing the passer for most Lindsey’s two seasons.

LSU is getting a good coach in Lindsey, no doubt, but this could be a move that works out best for everyone involved. Several highly thought of defensive line coaches around the country likely will have interest in the job, but the Gamecocks should probably start their search with former Gamecock Travian Robertson.

After an All-SEC Gamecock career, Robertson had a brief stint in the NFL before getting into coaching. He is now the defensive line coach at Tulane and is considered a rising star in the coaching industry.

It is unclear at this point how Lindsey’s defection to Baton Rouge could alter the South Carolina roster in light of the transfer portal or how recruiting might be affected.