Midlands football coach leaving for in-state college job
Heathwood Hall football coach Danny Lewis is headed back to college.
Lewis has accepted a job at The Citadel. He told his team of the news Friday and confirmed his departure to The State. He will be assistant head and tight ends coach for new Citadel coach Maurice Drayton.
Lewis’ recruiting area will be in the Midlands.
“I wasn’t looking for anything. Me and my wife are content. We are empty nesters with no children in the house,” Lewis said. “But the phone rang. And the fact it is coach Drayton, The Citadel and Charleston. Everything aligned. It was just the right time.”
This will be his second stint at The Citadel. He was there from 2000-05 Lewis, who played at Charleston Southern, also has had stops at S.C. State, Newberry, Middle Tennessee, Benedict and was a grad assistant under Lou Holtz at South Carolina.
Lewis worked with Drayton during his first stop at The Citadel and the two were at SC State together.
“We have been close. Our families have been close for 20 years. We are old men now,” Lewis said. “I think the world of coach Drayton and the opportunity to work with him and being associated with The Citadel.”
Lewis was at S.C. State from 2008-18 before coming to Heathwood Hall. He won 28 games during his five seasons, including back-to-back winning seasons 2019-20, the first time that’s happened for the program since 2007-09.
Heathwood went 8-5 in 2019, the most wins since 2009. The Highlanders went 5-6 this year and lost to Porter-Gaud 20-17 in the first round of the SCISA 4A playoffs.
Lewis said his time at Heathwood helped rejuvenate him and will be grateful for his time there.
“I believe I’m a better coach and it has revitalized me professionally and personally,” he said. “I will always be fans of those on South Beltline (where Heathwood is located). My son graduated from there. They will always be the first ones I look for in scores on Friday night.”
SC High School Football openings
School — Former School — New Coach
- Aiken — Olajuwon Paige — TBA
- Berea — Julius Prince — Drew Chisholm
- Clover — Brian Lane — TBA
- Colleton County — Kris Howell — TBA
- Columbia — Jason Bush — TBA
- Conway — Carlton Terry — TBA
- Darlington — Raymond Jennings — Jamie Johnson
- Eau Claire — Shaq Hilton — TBA
- Georgetown — Jimmy Noonan — TBA
- Green Sea Floyds — Joey Price — TBA
- Hannah-Pamplico — Jamie Johnson — TBA
- Heathwood Hall — Danny Lewis — TBA
- Landrum — Jason Farmer — TBA
- May River — Rodney Summers — TBA
- North Central — Tyronne Drakeford — Ryan McDonnell (interim)
- North Charleston — Devon Smalls — TBA
- Pickens — Chad Smith — James Reynolds
- Spring Valley — Robin Bacon — TBA
- Walhalla — Padgett Johnson — TBA
- Ware Shoals — Chris Johnston — TBA
- Westside — Scott Earley — Brian Lane
- Woodmont — Jeff Murdock — Ty Sutherland
- Woodruff — Bradley Adams — TBA
This story was originally published January 6, 2023 at 1:00 PM.
