South Carolina has hired former NFL player and assistant coach Mike Furrey as its wide receivers coach, the third person to hold that position since the season ended.
Furrey, who led the NFC with 98 catches in 2006 with the Detroit Lions, was most recently head coach the past two years at Limestone University, a Division II school in Gaffney, South Carolina.
On Thursday, South Carolina’s board of trustees approved a two-year contract that will pay Furrey $425,000 per season.
Another former NFL wide receiver has replaced Furrey as Limestone coach. The school announced Thursday that former New York Jets player Jerricho Cotchery had been hired for the role.
Furrey takes over for James Coley, the former Texas A&M assistant who was hired by coach Shane Beamer in January and left for a similar spot at Georgia earlier this month.
Justin Stepp had been the receivers coach under Beamer the past three seasons but was moved to tight ends coach before taking a job as an Illinois assistant.
Furrey spent four seasons as receivers coach for the Chicago Bears from 2018 to 2021.
He began his college coaching career in 2011 as head coach at Kentucky Christian, an NAIA school. He has also worked at Marshall as receivers coach before his first tenure leading Limestone as coach in 2016 and ’17.
Furrey, 46, played seven years in the NFL for the Rams, Lions and Browns. His best year as a pro was with the Lions in 2006, when he compiled 1,086 yards receiving with seven touchdowns.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
