Eric Wolford

Offensive line coach Eric Wolford is in his fourth year on Will Muschamp’s staff and his fifth year overall in Columbia. Wolford previously served on Steve Spurrier’s Carolina staff during the 2009 campaign.

In 2019, Wolford’s unit helped pave the way for five different running backs to rush for more than 100 yards in a game.

In 2018, Carolina averaged 30.1 points, 152.8 yards rushing, 272.8 yards passing and 425.6 total yards, the best marks since 2014. The Gamecocks had five games of 500 yards or more for the first time in school history, including back-to-back games of 600 yards against Chattanooga and Clemson.

Carolina’s number of sacks allowed dipped from 41 in 2016, the year prior to Wolford’s arrival, to 29 in 2017 and to 23 in 2018, the fewest since the 2013 season. Even more impressively, in SEC play the sacks allowed number dropped from 31 in 2016, to 18 in 2017, to just 12 in 2018.

Off the field, Wolford was named a top-25 recruiter by Rivals following the 2018 February signing date.

Before coming back to Carolina, Wolford spent the previous two seasons (2015-16) in the NFL as the San Francisco 49ers assistant offensive line coach.

Prior to his stint with the 49ers, Wolford logged 19 seasons as a coach at the collegiate level, including five (2010-14) as the head coach at Youngstown State University. After a 3-8 mark in his first season, the Penguins compiled a 28-18 mark over his final four campaigns, were ranked in the top-10 three times, and broke 32 school records during his tenure. Highlights included a 2012 win over Pitt – the first win over a BCS team in school history, and a 2011 win over top-ranked North Dakota State, while overseeing the squad’s highest GPA on record for four-consecutive seasons.

Wolford served as South Carolina’s run game coordinator and offensive line coach in 2009 after a two-year stint at Illinois where he held a similar post. Under Wolford’s tutelage, the Illini, which played in the 2008 Rose Bowl game, led the Big Ten in rushing (2007) and passing (2008), while topping the 5,000-yard mark in total offense for just the third and fourth times in school history. Wolford was a Rivals Top-20 National Recruiter in 2008.

Wolford spent three seasons (2004-06) at Arizona as the offensive line coach. UA led the league in fewest sacks allowed in 2004 and was second in 2005. He was also an integral part of back-to-back top-25 recruiting classes.

Wolford spent the 2003 season at North Texas, where his offensive line paved the way for tailback Patrick Cobbs, who earned the Sun Belt Offensive Player of the Year Award. Wolford also helped lead UNT to its third-consecutive bid to the New Orleans Bowl.

Before joining North Texas, Wolford enjoyed three-year stints at both Houston and South Florida. While at Houston, he coached a number of positions, spanning offense, defense and special teams. In 2002, Houston enjoyed a dramatic turnaround, going from a winless season to five victories.  During that time, Wolford coached five all-conference players.
Wolford had the unique experience of coaching in the first three seasons of the USF football program, helping to lead the Bulls to two winning seasons. In year two, the offense put up over 400 yards per game.

Wolford began his coaching career at his alma mater, Kansas State, where he worked as a GA with the offensive line under John Latina. He then spent two years as the offensive line and strength coach at Emporia State.

Wolford was a four-year starter at K-State under Bill Snyder. During his senior year, the Wildcats won the school’s first bowl game in the 1993 Copper Bowl. He earned a bachelor’s degree in 1994 in social sciences with a focus on monetary policy and banking.

Wolford and his wife, Melinda, have two children, Stone and Marlee.

Eric and Melinda started a non-profit organization, inspired by their son, called the No Stone Unturned Foundation. The Foundation is dedicated to embracing, engaging, and empowering children with special needs and their families, with a major focus on any child with any disability.