South Carolina assistant ranked as nation's top position coaches, per CFB analyst

South Carolina football and head coach Shane Bemer are entering a critical season in 2026. Coming off of a 4-8 season, Coach Beamer had to majorly overhaul his staff after the disastrous 2025 season. 

On defense, Coach Beamer did just that by hiring Deion Barnes as his new defensive ends/outside linebackers coach. Barnes, who was hired by South Carolina in Dec. 2025, was recently ranked by Dave Bartoo of CFB Matrix as one of the nation's best defensive ends coaches. As for his methodology, he uses play-by-play defensive end performance adjusted for the talent level:

Barnes showing up at No. 3 overall likely won't be a huge surprise to Coach Beamer or South Carolina fans. He spent the last five seasons with the Penn State Nittany Lions, where he helped oversee one of the most talented EDGE rushing units in the country in recent years. He coached the likes of first-round draft picks in Abdul Carter, Chop Robinson, Odafe Oweh, as well as coaching stars like Adisa Isaac and Arnold Ebiketie. In fact, Penn State saw seven defensive ends drafted under his tenure, with seven drafted from 2020-25. 

Two of his former players were drafted in the most recent NFL Draft, with Dani Dennis-Sutton going in the fourth round to the Green Bay Packers, where he'll join Gamecock cornerback Brandon Cisse. Defensive tackle Zane Durant also went in the fifth round to the Buffalo Bills, where he will play with another former Gamecock in safety Jalon Kilgore. 

Perhaps one of the most exciting parts about Barnes joining Beamer's staff is he will get to coach one of the most talented players on South Carolina's roster in EDGE rusher Dylan Stewart. Across his two seasons with the Gamecocks, Stewart has accounted for 56 total tackles, 11 sacks, six forced fumbles and three passes defended. Although a back injury limited his productivity in 2025, he is expected to have one of his best seasons yet in Columbia in 2026. 

"It's definitely a blessing," Barnes said of getting to coach Stewart via Gamecocks247 in January when he was hired. "I'm excited to be able to coach him up and help him get better, so definitely a big part of it as well. I'm ready to coach all those guys in the room."

With a veteran coach like Barnes mentoring him, it's not surprising that fans are expecting Stewart to have one of his biggest seasons yet in 2026. He is already projected to go in the Top-10 of the 2027 NFL Draft. 

Prior to joining Penn State's staff, Barnes played for the Nittany Lions from 2011-14, and spent 2015-2016 with the New York Jets and Kansas City Chiefs' practice squads. He had a brief stint in the American Alliance of Football in 2019 before joining his high school alma mater's coaching staff in northeast Philadelphia. He joined Penn State's staff as a graduate assisstant before working his way up James Franklin's staff.

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