Gamecock football assistant leaving for Big 10 job

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Former Gamecock assistant coach Justin Stepp has been named Illinois’ wide receivers coach, head coach Bret Bielema announced. Stepp’s contract is pending approval by the University of Illinois Board of Trustees at its next meeting in March.

“I have admired Coach Stepp’s career from afar and I am excited to welcome him to our Illini famILLy,” said Bielema. “His relationships-driven leadership has led to an enormous amount of success in recruiting and developing NFL-caliber wide receivers. I am excited to see the impact his passion will have on our building. He and his wife, Brooke, and their two children are going to be great additions to our football famILLy and the Illinois community.”

“I was extremely impressed with Justin’s passion and knowledge for the receiver position when I worked with him for two years,” said offensive coordinator Barry Lunney. “He is full of energy, a relentless recruiter, and has a unique ability to create meaningful relationships with his student-athletes. I can’t wait to reunite with him here in Champaign.”

“I can’t wait to get to Champaign and join Coach Bielema, Coach Lunney, and everyone in the Illinois football famILLy,” said Stepp. “I have always been impressed with the tough, smart way Coach Bielema’s teams play the game. I am excited to get to work with the great staff and student-athletes within the program.”

Stepp joins the Fighting Illini after spending the past six seasons as a wide receivers coach in the SEC, coaching seven receivers to 5+-touchdown seasons and six receivers to 500+-yard seasons. Six of his former wide receivers are currently on professional rosters, including five in the NFL, with another – Xavier Legette – projected as a first-round pick in the 2024 NFL Draft.

Stepp led South Carolina’s wide receivers to big years in each of the last two seasons, finishing in the top 40 in the nation and top six in the SEC in passing offense in back-to-back years with an All-SEC First Team wide receiver in 2022 and an All-SEC Second Team wide receiver in 2023.

In 2023, Stepp developed Legette into one of the top receivers in the nation. Legette caught 71 passes for 1,255 yards, the second-most receiving yards in South Carolina history, while earning All-SEC recognition and All-America honors by Phil Steele. Legette had totaled just 42 catches for 423 yards through his first four seasons on campus before his breakout senior season.

In 2022, Stepp transformed transfer Antwane Wells Jr. into an All-SEC selection after he led the team with 68 receptions for 928 yards and six touchdowns. Senior Jalen Brooks added 33 catches for 504 yards and parlayed that performance into an invite to the 2023 NFL Combine.

In his first season at South Carolina in 2021, Stepp was instrumental in helping Josh Vann put together his best season as a Gamecock and become a quality SEC receiver. Vann led the team with 43 receptions for 679 yards after logging just 47 catches for 377 yards over his first three seasons in Columbia.

Before South Carolina, Stepp spent the previous three seasons as the wide receivers coach at Arkansas from 2018-20. During his time in Fayetteville, he had five players combine for six 400-yard seasons and 26 touchdowns. In 2020, sophomore Treylon Burks became the first Arkansas wide receiver to earn All-SEC recognition since 2015 after hauling in 51 catches for 820 yards and seven touchdowns. In 2019, Burks and Trey Knox were one of the top freshmen receiving tandems in the nation, combining for 57 catches and 860 yards, most among SEC freshman duos.

Off the field, Stepp was named as one of the nation’s top 25 recruiters by Rivals thanks to the recruitment of four four-star receivers in 2019 and seven four-stars during his time at Arkansas. The Razorbacks were the only team in the nation to sign four four-star wide receivers in the 2019 class.

Stepp was selected to participate in the 2018 AFCA 35 Under 35 Coaches Leadership Institute, a prestigious program aimed at identifying and developing premier, future leaders in the football coaching profession.

Prior to his arrival in Fayetteville, Stepp spent three seasons (2015-17) as the wide receivers coach at SMU, culminating in being named a finalist for the 2017 FootballScoop Wide Receivers Coach of the Year award. Stepp’s protégés Courtland Sutton and Trey Quinn were two of the most dynamic wide receivers in college football in 2017 and each went on to be selected in the 2018 NFL Draft. The Mustangs boasted one of the most prolific passing attacks in the nation with All-Americans Sutton and Quinn each posting 1,000-yard receiving seasons. SMU was one of only two schools with multiple 1,000-yard receivers in 2017. In addition, Sutton and Quinn were the only pair of teammates to rank in the top-10 in touchdown receptions and combined for a dozen 100-yard receiving games.

In 2016, Sutton led the SMU offense for the second-straight season, hauling in 76 passes for 1,246 yards and 10 TDs to become SMU’s first 1,000-yard receiver since 2013. In addition, James Proche, caught 57 passes for 709 yards and six scores on his way to Freshman All-America honors.

Stepp’s first season at SMU saw him develop Sutton into a Freshman All-American in 2015 after leading all FBS freshmen with nine receiving touchdowns. He set an SMU freshman record for receiving yards with 862 and tied for the most touchdowns by a freshman.

Stepp’s first full-time collegiate role came as the wide receivers coach at Appalachian State from 2012-14. While at App State, he coached three players who combined to earn five All-Southern Conference honors, including All-American Sean Price who set NCAA Division I FCS freshman records with 81 receptions and 1,196 receiving yards in 2012.

Stepp starred at Pelion (S.C.) High, helping the Panthers to an unbeaten regular season in 2000, before becoming a standout wide receiver and punt returner at Furman from 2003-06. He earned All-SoCon recognition as a junior and senior and finished his playing career with 118 catches for 1,568 yards and 10 touchdowns.

Stepp’s professional career began as wide receivers and strength coach at Fort Mill (S.C.) High School in 2007 before becoming the wide receivers coach and recruiting coordinator at NCAA Division II North Greenville in 2008. He worked as a graduate assistant at Clemson from 2009-11.

Stepp and his wife, Brooke, have a son, Courtland Spencer, and a daughter, Allison Blair. His twin brother, Josh, is an assistant football coach at Cincinnati.