Former South Carolina defensive back to coach DBs at Palmetto State school

South Carolina football alum Jaylin Dickerson is on the move in the coaching world. The former Gamecock defensive back is returning to the Palmetto State to coach cornerbacks at Wofford, according to a Thursday announcement from the school.

Dickerson arrives in Spartanburg on the heels of two seasons coaching cornerbacks at Murray State under former USC assistant Jody Wright. He joined the Racers in the spring of 2024.

Before taking his coaching talents to Murray State, Dickerson spent two seasons (2022-2023) working with the Gamecock defense as an off-field defensive assistant under head coach Shane Beamer, defensive coordinator Clayton White, and defensive backs coach Torrian Gray. His USC coaching tenure began following a medical retirement from football.

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During his time coaching at Carolina, Dickerson helped mentor Freshman All-Americans Nick Emmanwori, DQ Smith, and Jalon Kilgore. Emmanwori and Smith earned the honors in 2022, while Kilgore picked up the recognition in 2023.

Emmanwori and fellow defensive backs Cam Smith, Darius Rush, and Marcellas Dial earned NFL draft selection after being coached by Dickerson, as well. Kilgore likely will be next on that list this April.

Dickerson originally arrived in Columbia as a promising young defensive back for head coach Will Muschamp. Muschamp publicly lauded Dickerson’s potential, but continual battles with injuries kept him from consistent playing time. He saw limited action across five seasons, totaling 42 tackles and one interception.

During the 2020-21 academic year, Dickerson won the Gamecock Leadership Award. He also represented the University of South Carolina on the SEC Football Leadership Council.