Dreher High School football coach stepping down
There is another football coaching job opening in the Midlands.
Dreher High School coach Treigh Sullivan has stepped down after nine seasons as head coach. The Blue Devils went 2-6 this season and missed the playoffs for the third straight year.
“It has been an absolute privilege to serve as the Head Football Coach at Dreher High School for the Last 9 years,” Sullivan said in a statement posted to Twitter. “I was fortunate to coach football and basketball from 2010-2012 and develop incredible relationships before I was given my leadership opportunity in 2013. There are so many people that I need to thank for their support over the last 12 years.”
Sullivan went on to thank his family, former coaches and administration at Dreher along with his players. He told The State that he doesn’t have another position lined up yet but would like to be a little closer to his home in Gilbert. Sullivan’s wife works at Gilbert High School and his children are on the swimming team there.
Sullivan will finish the rest of the year at Dreher and still handle assistant athletic director duties.
:When you’re in this business long enough you build relationships with coaches and players that last a lifetime Dreher High appreciates Coach Sullivan for his sacrifices and commitment these last 12 years. Thank you for giving us all of you and leading us through tough times,” the Dreher Athletics Twitter page posted.
Sullivan has been thinking about the decision for a while. It was a difficult season off the field for him and the rest of the Dreher community when Blue Devils offensive coordinator Damien Jackson died in March.
“It has been a hard year,” Sullivan said. “I just felt like now was the right time. I wanted to give coach (Daryl) Jarvis and the principal time to fine somebody and get it off my chest. I am going to miss the people at Dreher and the relationships I have built over the years. It has been an emotional day.”
Dreher made it to the playoffs in Sullivan’s first six seasons and went 7-4 in 2017, winning a region championship. Sullivan said winning a region championship was his favorite memory at the school.
The Blue Devils went 43-41 in Sullivan’s tenure. Sullivan took over at Dreher after Josh Stepp left for the Lexington High School job in 2013. Stepp is now the offensive coordinator at Georgia State.
Dreher will be dropping from Class 4A to Class 3A next year and will be in Region 6-3A with Brookland-Cayce, Gilbert, Lower Richland, Orangeburg-Wilkinson and Swansea.
Dreher athletic director Daryl Jarvis said the school will move quickly in finding its next football coach and hopes to have someone in place by next month. In less than a year on the job, Jarvis has had to hire a new football, boys basketball and baseball coach.
Sullivan’s departure means there are five openings in the Midlands with the others AC Flora, Ben Lippen, Airport and Newberry.
SC High School Football Openings
School — Former Coach — New Coach
AC Flora — Dustin Curtis— TBA
Airport — Kirk Burnett — TBA
Bamberg-Ehrhardt — Robert Williams — Corey Crosby
Batesburg-Leesville — Gary Adams — Gene Cathcart
Ben Lippen — Stephen Cagle — TBA
Bluffton — John Houpt— Hayden Gregory
Boiling Springs — Rick Tate — Matt Reel
Dorman — Dave Guttshall — Dustin Curtis
Dreher — Treigh Sullivan - TBA
Hilton Head Prep — Dave Adams — TBA
Lewisville — Will Mitchell — Leon Boulware
Newberry — Phil Strickland — TBA
North Augusta — Jim Bob Bryant — TBA
North Myrtle Beach — Matt Reel — TBA
Oceanside Collegiate — Joe Call — TBA
Stall — Joe Bessinger — Benjamin Lailson
Travelers Rest — Ray Gould — TBA
This story was originally published January 24, 2022 at 3:06 PM.
