Chapin makes hire for next football coach. Here are the details
Chapin High’s search for its next football coach didn’t last long.
The Eagles have promoted defensive coordinator Ryan Cole as their successor to Justin Gentry, who announced early last month that he was retiring. The move was approved at Monday’s Lexington-Richland 5 school board meeting.
Gentry was the head coach at Chapin since 2010 and saw the program go from Class 3A to Class 5A, the state’s highest classification, during his tenure. He was the second-longest-tenured coach in school history behind Eddie Muldrow (1981-2005).
Cole was an an assistant under both Gentry and Muldrow.
“I know the community and what coach Genrey and coach Muldrow stand for,” Cole said. “I know the importance of producing great young men through the game of football so I know it would be the perfect fit I ever got the opportunity. And it just happened to work out.”
The 52-year-old Cole has been the Eagles’ defensive coordinator in two different stints from 2001-08 and from 2022 to present. He also was Chapin’s safeties coach from 2012-13 and from 2017-20 and at Dutch Fork from 2010-12 and 2014-16.
Cole met with his players late Tuesday morning for the first time as head coach and there was a press conference later Tuesday afternoon at the school to introduce him. He was one of 13 candidates to interview for the position, with three of them coming from Chapin’s coaching staff.
Cole also held his first spring practice as head coach on Tuesday.
“It is all about team first. The name in front of the jersey is more important than the name on the back,” Cole said. “We are adopting a model of being relentless. A relentless pursuit of excellence in the weight room, the classroom and building great character.”
Cole said there will be a few openings on his staff that he needs to fill with departures and retirement of a few coaches. Jody Haltiwanger will remain as the team’s offensive coordinator. He also will give up his defensive coordinator duties.
The Eagles went 6-5 in 2023 and lost in the first round of the playoffs. Chapin will open the 2024 season Aug. 23 at Catawba Ridge.
The Eagles will have several key players back from last year’s team, including quarterback Brady Albro, second-leading receiver Kalen Bostick and its two top tacklers on defense in Gavin Stam and Tanner Short.
Chapin is the sixth school from the Midlands to have a new head coach next season. Other schools that have filled their openings are Gilbert, Gray Collegiate, Heathwood Hall, Lugoff-Elgin and Swansea.
SC High School Football openings
School — Former Coach — New Coach
Bishop England — John Cantey — Logan Hall
Chapin — Justin Gentry — Ryan Cole
Chesnee — Clay Lewis — Brett Chappell
Easley — Jordan Durrah — Sam Houston
Fort Dorchester — Josh Smith (interim) — Shaun Lorenzano
Gaffney — Dan Jones — TBA (Jones retiring at end of 2024 season)
Gilbert — Chad Leaphart — Ozzie Exume
Gray Collegiate — Adam Holmes — De’Angelo Bryant
Great Falls — Brian Kane — Syvelle Newton
Greenville — Greg Porter — Jaybo Shaw
Heathwood Hall — Rick Reetz — Tymere Zimmerman
Hilton Head Prep — Dustin Etheridge — Doug McFadden
Laurens — Darryl Smith — Greg Porter
Lewisville — Leon Boulware — Trent Usher
Lugoff-Elgin — Matt Campbell — Leon Boulware
Marlboro County — Quinn McCollum — Cory Johnson
Rock Hill — Bubba Pittman — Randy Birch
Stall — Benjamin Lailson — Ken Freeman
Scott’s Branch — Randall State — Patrick Fleming
Silver Bluff — De’Angelo Bryant — Matt Hayes
St. John’s — Mike Howard — TBA
Swansea — Brent Wilder — Willie Fox
Union County — Brian Thompson — Quinnon Isom
Wade Hampton — Travis Miller — Reuben Wright
Wagener-Salley — Willie Fox — Blaze Gillespie
Wando — Rocco Adrian — Isaiah Perrin
Wilson — Rodney Mooney — Glenwood Ferebee — Daryl Page (interim)
