Shane Beamer Adds James Coley to Football Coaching Staff

University of South Carolina head football coach Shane Beamer has added veteran assistant James Coley to his coaching staff, it was announced today following approval from the Board of Trustees. Coley will serve as the Gamecocks’ wide receivers coach. Coach Beamer also announced that he has shifted Justin Stepp from wide receivers coach to tight ends coach for the 2024 campaign. In addition, outside linebackers/defensive ends coach Sterling Lucas has had his contract extended for one year, taking him through the 2025 season.

The Gamecocks currently have one opening on their on-field coaching staff, as Montario Hardesty (running backs) and Jody Wright (tight ends) are no longer with the program.

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Regarded as one of the elite recruiters in college football, James Coley has spent the past 16 years as an assistant coach at a Division I Power-Five school. Most recently, he logged four seasons on Jimbo Fisher’s staff at Texas A&M. He joined the Aggies in January 2020 as the tight ends coach and was named Texas A&M’s co-offensive coordinator in January 2022. In addition, he worked with the A&M wide receivers in 2022 and with the tight ends in 2023.

In 2020, Coley helped the Aggies post a 9-1 record, including an 8-1 regular season mark against an all-SEC slate. A&M concluded the season with a win over North Carolina in the program’s first New Year’s 6 Bowl game.

Prior to his stint in College Station, Coley spent four years at Georgia, helping the Bulldogs to three SEC Championship appearances and a spot in the College Football Playoff. He was part of a 2017 staff that led Georgia to a record-tying 13 victories, including its first SEC Championship since 2005. That season the Bulldogs also made their first appearance in the College Football Playoff, as well as first appearance and victory over Oklahoma in the Rose Bowl CFP semifinal and first appearance in the College Football Playoff Championship Game. Georgia’s offense finished first in the SEC and ninth nationally in rushing offense (258.4 ypg), third in the SEC in scoring (35.4 ppg), fifth in total offense (435.3 ypg) and fourth nationally in red zone offense (0.964).

The Bulldogs followed up in 2018 with another SEC Eastern Division Championship, 11-win season and appearance in the Allstate Sugar Bowl. Georgia finished first in the SEC in total rushing offense, rushing offense per game and second in the SEC in total offense, touchdowns scored, and scoring offense. In 2019 the Bulldogs reached the SEC Championship for the third consecutive season before capturing the Sugar Bowl title over No. 7 Baylor.

Coley’s two seasons of coaching Bulldog receivers produced a pair of NFL draft picks: Isaiah McKenzie (Denver) and Javon Wims (Chicago). In 2018 he coached sophomore quarterback Jake Fromm who posted the second-best completion percentage in school history at 67.3, which was 12th nationally, and second-best passing efficiency for a QB at 171.21, which ranked fifth nationally.

Prior to his time in Athens, Coley served as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Miami (Fla.) from 2013-15. While at Miami, the Hurricane offense led the nation in “explosive plays” all three years and they produced two 1,000-yard rushers in Duke Johnson (1,652 yards in 2014) and Joe Yearly (1,002 in 2015). Coley coached quarterback Brad Kaaya who earned Freshman All-America honors and broke the single season record for passing yards and touchdowns at Miami (3,198 yards, 26 TDs) in 2014. Wide receiver Allen Hurns broke the single season receiving record with 1,162 yards in 2013.

Prior to joining the Hurricane staff, he worked as the offensive coordinator/tight ends coach (2010-12) and tight ends coach/recruiting coordinator (2008-09) at his alma mater, Florida State. At FSU, Coley mentored three first round draft picks in quarterbacks Christian Ponder, EJ Manuel, and Jameis Winston. The Seminole offenses were high-powered, averaging 31.4 points per game in 2010, 30.6 in 2011, and 39.3 in 2012.

In 2014, his Miami offense averaged 430.3 yards per game and seven of Coley’s offensive players earned All-ACC honors with running back Johnson and Shane McDermott receiving first team recognition. In addition, tight end Clive Walford earned AP All-America honors.

A native of Miami, he served as an offensive assistant with the Miami Dolphins in 2005-06. His coaching resume also included a stop at 2003 national champion LSU where he served as a graduate assistant coach while earning his Master’s degree in 2004.

Coley and his wife, Kenia, have two children, Madison and Brady.