Season of change; several South Carolina high school football programs have changed head coaches

A dozen new coaches have been hired, including some of the top programs in the state, with more openings yet to be filled

Belton-Honea Path (13-1) vs. Oceanside Collegiate (10-3) for the AAA high school football championships. The game was played at South Carolina State's Oliver C. Dawson Stadium in Orangeburg on Dec. 14, 2024. Oceanside Collegiate Academy Peyton Shaw (0) makes it in the end zone as Belton-Honea Path High senior Colby Bates (9) tries to stop him. / ALEX HICKS JR./STAFF / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Change. It happens every offseason in high school football. 

There are dozens of coaching changes every year in South Carolina and for a variety of reasons. Some of them retire. Others take jobs at different schools. Some are fired. Others have the interim tag removed.

Here’s a look at the movements and status of those schools so far.

Oceanside Collegiate Academy

This may be one of the most coveted jobs in the state. The Landsharks have won back-to-back state championships and star quarterback Aiden Manavian has two more seasons.

John Patterson became the interim coach when Chad Wilkes resigned after the first game of the season and guided OCA to the state championship. Patterson said early on that he would return as an assistant coach in 2025. 

With a talented staff on hand, the school didn’t have to look far and defensive coordinator Brent LaPrad was named head coach. LaPrad has been on the staff two years after serving for 18 years on his father’s staff at Fort Dorchester.

Gaffney

When longtime head coach Dan Jones retired after winning two state championships, the school didn’t take long to name veteran offensive coordinator Donnie Littlejohn as his replacement.

Littlejohn is a former Gaffney player who was also an assistant coach for the Indians during the period when Phil Strickland led the program to three state championships.

Lexington

Lexington made a splash hire when it drew longtime Saluda coach Stewart Young, who made the move after 18 years and a 2019 state championship, the Tigers’ first since 1963 when legend Mooney Player was the coach. Young was head coach the last 11 years.

Young replaced Lexington alum Dustin Curtis, who is keeping his position as the Wildcats’ athletic director.

Brookland-Cayce

Camden offensive coordinator Louis Clyburn got the nod, replacing the Bearcats’ winningest head coach, Rusty Charpia, who won 92 games.

Brookland-Cayce was 4-7 in the 2024 season. 

Clyburn oversaw a prolific offense at Camden. He was previously a head coach at Andrew Jackson for one year and eight seasons at North Central.

Greenville

Here’s another splash hire. Greenville named Steve “Scoot” Watson after he led J.L. Mann to a 10-3 record, its best in 40 years, as well as state semifinal appearance in 2023.

Watson was 32-24 in his five years at J.L. Mann and comes in to revive the Red Raiders, who were 2-9 in 2024 after being hit hard by graduation and their quarterback via transfer.

Keenan

Jarrett Neely had the interim tag removed. This was widely expected after Neely led the Raiders to an 8-5 record, their best since 2014, and the third round of the Class AAA state playoffs.

Midland Valley

Brent Dorn also had the interim tag removed after guiding the Mustangs to a 5-6 record and the state playoffs. The Mustangs were 5-2 in region play. Dorn is a Midland Valley graduate.

Pelion

Cory Helms, a former University of South Carolina player, left Cardinal Newman to take over at Pelion, which went 1-9 last season. Former coach Dann Holland remains as the school’s athletic director. Helms was 16-18 in three seasons at Cardinal Newman.

Nation Ford

Another former Gamecock, quarterback Jake Bentley, is the new coach. Bentley coached in college at North Alabama and was most recently at Rock Hill, where he was quarterbacks coach, co-offensive coordinator and passing game coordinator.

West Florence

Chad Wilkes, who won the 2023 Class AA state championship at Oceanside Collegiate Academy, replaces Jody Jenerette, who was head coach for seven seasons. Jenerette was successful but departed because the daily commute was taking a toll.

Wilkes was previously the head coach at C.E. Murray and Lamar, winning four region championships.

Wilson 

Former Sumter defensive coordinator Brian Wilson is the new head coach, replacing interim coach Darryl Page. The Tigers were 1-9 last season. Wilson helped lead Sumter to a 12-1 record and the Class AAAAA Division 1 state semifinals.

Aiken 

Steve Hibbitts is the new coach, coming over from nearby Evans, Georgia, where he was the head coach at Lakeside. Hibbitts also spent six years as an assistant coach at Westside, six years at Midland Valley and five years at North Augusta.

Current vacancies

As of Tuesday, there were head coaching vacancies at Cardinal Newman, First Baptist, J.L. Mann, Kingstree, Laurence Manning Academy, Porter-Gaud, Saluda, Southside, Southside Christian, Spring Valley, West Ashley and Whale Branch.