Lexington, Brookland-Cayce, Pelion hire new football coaches

A slew of new football coaches have been hired in Lexington County recently. 

Three positions have been filled at schools in Lexington County. Lexington, Brookland-Cayce and Pelion all announced their next head coach for the upcoming football season. 

Lexington

The Wildcats hired long-time Saluda coach Stewart Young as their next head football coach. 

Young has been the head coach at Saluda for the past 11 years. He was at the school for over two decades also serving as an assistant. 

Young built Saluda into one of the best 2A programs in the state. He had a 93-37 record during his head coaching stint.  The team won its region twice and made the state semifinal game six times.  

In 2019, Young led Saluda to their first state championship since 1963. 

“Saluda has been something that has been very special to me,” Young said. “Memories and accomplishments, moments that I will never, ever forget, and it is a special place and always will be to me and my family. But the opportunity to be here at Lexington was one that at the time of my career, I couldn’t turn down.” 

Young replaces former head coach Dustin Curtis, who stepped down as coach but stayed on as athletic director. Curtis’ decision continues the trend of Lexington One schools splitting the two positions. 

In the past two years, Gilbert, River Bluff and Pelion have split the positions. White Knoll is now the only Lexington One school with one person in both roles. 

Young takes over a Lexington program that finished 5-6 last season and was eliminated in the first round of the 5A Division I playoffs. He feels he can build Lexington up and compete in one of the toughest regions in all of South Carolina.

“This is a prestigious football program. This is a prestigious school and a prestigious community,” Young said. “I look forward to setting a standard of excellence built on discipline and built on preparation. And most importantly, I look forward to building a family with this football program and this community, continuing to build on the success that has been done here at Lexington, and to take it to greater heights. I think the potential is definitely here for us to win and win big.” 

Brookland-Cayce

The Brookland-Cayce Bearcats announced Louis Clyburn will become the school’s next head football coach and athletic director. 

Clyburn was most recently the offensive coordinator at Camden, but he has over 25 years of experience at both the high school and collegiate levels. 

Camden’s offense has been explosive under Clyburn’s guidance. The team averaged over 40 points per game for the past five seasons and set multiple rushing records. Camden won three Lower State Championships in 2020, 2021 and 2023. 

“Coming to Brookland-Cayce offers an opportunity to lead an elite program in a community that is passionate and supportive of this school and its traditions,” Clyburn said in a press release. “With today’s rapidly evolving athletic landscape,  there are more opportunities than ever at high school, college, and professional levels. Brookland-Cayce has the resources in place to provide students with everything they need to grow while in high school, and at the same time expose them to the expanding opportunities available to them.”

Clyburn played college football at Duke. After graduating, he took an assistant coaching job at Appalachian State from 1995-98. He then returned to Duke and coached there for seven years as an offensive line and tight ends coach. 

After Duke, Clyburn was hired as offensive coordinator at Lenoir-Rhyne before moving to Elon to serve as an assistant football coach and recruiting coordinator. He got his first administration experience at Elon, serving as an assistant athletic director in 2008.

Clyburn made the jump and took his first head coaching job in 2009 when he took over at Andrew Jackson High School. There he took a 2-9 team from the previous year and led them to a winning record and their first playoff appearance in years. 

After Andrew Jackson, he became the head coach and athletic director at North Central High School. There he led the team to two consecutive playoff appearances, including the first at home in almost two decades. He also won Region Coach of the Year and Region Athletic Director of the Year during his run. 

“Coach Clyburn brings a wealth of experience, leadership, and a passion for football, athletics, and student development,” Brookland-Cayce principal Vance Jones said.  “We are confident that his vision will not only strengthen our football program but also elevate our entire athletic department. We look forward to seeing the positive impact he will have on our student-athletes and the broader BCHS school community.”

Clyburn takes over for former head coach and athletic director Rusty Charpia, He ran the program for 14 years and became the school’s all-time winningest coach with 92 wins. After a 4-7 season in 2024, the district decided not to rehire the coach. 

Pelion

Pelion selected former Gamecock football offensive lineman and NFL player Corey Helms as its next head football coach.

Helms played for the Gamecocks in 2016 and 2017 under former head coach Will Muschamp. He made 46 starts on the offensive line. Helms started his career at Wake Forest. 

In 2018, he signed with the New Orleans Saints and Cincinnati Bengals as a free agent, appearing in two preseason games. 

After ending his playing career, Helms got into coaching. He started at Lexington County’s Gray Collegiate as an offensive line coach. 

Not long after that, Helms was chosen to take over as head coach at Cardinal Newman. There he led the team to its most wins in three years since the ‘90s. In his best season, the team went 9-3 and advanced to the semifinal round in the postseason. 

Helms takes over the job from Dann Holland, who resigned as football coach but stayed on as athletic director, continuing Lexington One’s goal of having all schools split the position. 

Helms will have a similar task at Pelion that he did at Cardinal Newman. He will look to take a team that has struggled in recent years and build them up into a capable contender. 

Pelion went 2-9 in 2024 and hasn’t had a winning season since 2020. 

“I am about as excited as it gets. I can’t wait to get in here and hit the ground running,” Helms said. “We’re going to have a lot of energy. We’re going to do things the right way and compete in everything that we do. That means in the weight room, in the classroom, on the field and definitely on Friday nights. Friday nights are going to be special here at Pelion, and we are going to bring a lot of fun here to the community.”