COLUMBIA − Illinois football has hired South Carolina football tight ends coach Justin Stepp, the Fighting Illini announced Thursday.

Stepp has spent the last three seasons coaching wide receivers for the Gamecocks and moved to coaching tight ends in the offseason after South Carolina hired James Coley as wide receivers coach on Jan. 12.

Stepp helped develop two All-SEC wide receivers in the last two years, with Antwane Wells Jr. becoming an All-SEC First Team wide receiver in 2022 and Xavier Legette being named an All-SEC Second Team wide receiver in 2023.

"I can't wait to get to Champaign and join Coach (Brett) Bielema, Coach (Barry) Lunney, and everyone in the Illinois football famILLy," Stepp said in a school release. "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 played at Pelion High School, helping the Panthers to an unbeaten regular season in 2000. He was a standout wide receiver and punt returner at Furman from 2003-06.

Stepp's professional career began as wide receivers and strength coach at Fort Mill High School in 2007. He later became the wide receivers coach and recruiting coordinator at North Greenville in 2008 and was a graduate assistant at Clemson from 2009-11.

Before South Carolina, Stepp spent three seasons as wide receivers coach at Arkansas from 2018-20, three seasons as wide receivers coach at SMU (2015-17), and two seasons as wide receivers coach at Appalachian State (2012-14).

South Carolina coach Shane Beamer will once again be searching for a new member of his coaching staff. The Gamecocks have already hired three new coaches for the 2024 season, including Coley, running backs coach Marquel Blackwell and special teams coordinator Joe DeCamillis.

This article originally appeared on Asheville Citizen Times: Illinois football hires South Carolina tight ends coach Justin Stepp