Gray Collegiate makes hire of new football coach, athletic director
Gray Collegiate has found its next football coach.
Silver Bluff’s De’Angelo Bryant was chosen to lead the War Eagles program after a successful run at his alma mater. Bryant was introduced at a press conference Tuesday, along with new athletic director Kevin Heise.
“We feel like we hit a home run with both,” Gray principal Brian Newsome said. “... We are here to celebrate a new era in Gray Collegiate.”
Bryant replaces Adam Holmes, who resigned in December after leading the War Eagles to two championship appearances and the 2021 state title. Holmes was Gray’s first and only head football coach and athletic director since the public charter school in West Columbia opened in 2014.
Heise will remain the boys soccer coach, a job he’s held since 2017. He is one of the winningest coaches in state history and has led the War Eagles to a pair of state championship appearances.
“I would be lying if I didn’t say it was a lifelong goal to be an athletic director,” Heise said. “I have always been involved in administration in some form or fashion. ...I like the responsibility, I don’t mind making decisions. I always thought that was my forte. It was a professional goal to be in this position.
Bryant has been at his alma mater Silver Bluff since 2018. He was a standout player there and part of the school’s state championship teams in 2000-01 before playing in college at Wake Forest.
As a coach at Silver Bluff, Bryant went 38-24 in six seasons with one losing year. He led Silver Bluff to the 2021 Class 2A championship game before losing to Gray Collegiate..
Silver Bluff went 9-4 this year and lost in the third round of the playoffs to Abbeville.
Before Silver Bluff, Bryant was an assistant at White Knoll for eight years.
“This place fits the culture, who I am as a person and the vision I have,” Bryant said. “.... It is going to be built on standards and expectations.
“We are going to Class 4A now, a place I’m familiar with. It kind of resonated with me, the different challenges they have and the expectations they have set forth with the school and the program.”
Bryant said the decision to leave his alma mater was a tough one — especially telling his players — but he’s excited about the chance to continue to build the Gray program.
Bryant hopes to be at Gray by March and is in the process of putting his staff together. He said he plans to bring or two coaches from Silver Bluff with him.
Gray Collegiate went 15-4, which includes wins over forfeited teams in the region that refused to play the school. The War Eagles made it to the Class 2A championship game before losing to Oceanside Collegiate in the final minutes.
The War Eagles are losing several key players from the 2023 roster, including college signees JR Sowell (Appalachian State), Zai Offord (S.C. State) and Jamarious Lockett (Newberry).
But Gray Collegiate has several key pieces coming back in quarterback Tyler Waller, running back BJ Montgomery, linebacker Michael Boulware, receiver Zion Job and linebacker Zeb Taylor. Montgomery and Boulware have Division I offers.
Gray Collegiate will be moving up from Class 2A to 4A for the next two years as part of the S.C. High School League’s new realignment. The War Eagles will be in Region 4-4A with Aiken, Airport, Brookland-Cayce, Gilbert, Midland Valley, North Augusta and South Aiken.
“Everything is now on even playing field. Decisions have been made,” Bryant said. “We bumped up classifications. The way I look at is fair game now.”
The hire of Bryant gives the Midlands with two job openings — Gilbert and Lugoff-Elgin. Both schools plan to bring the names of new coaches to their districts’ board meetings on Feb. 20.
SC High School Football openings
School — Former Coach — New Coach
Bishop England — John Cantey — TBA
Chesnee — Clay Lewis — TBA
Fort Dorchester — Josh Smith (interim) — Shaun Lorenzano
Gaffney — Dan Jones — TBA (Jones retiring at end of 2024 season)
Gilbert — Chad Leaphart — TBA
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
Lugoff-Elgin — Matt Campbell — TBA
Marlboro County — Quinn McCollum — TBA
Rock Hill — Bubba Pittman — TBA
Stall — Benjamin Lailson — Ken Freeman
Scott’s Branch — Randall State — Patrick Fleming
Silver Bluff — De’Angelo Bryant — TBA
St. John’s — Mike Howard — TBA
Swansea — Brent Wilder — Willie Fox
Union County — Brian Thompson — Quinnon Isom
Wade Hampton — Travis Miller — TBA
Wagener-Salley — Willie Fox — TBA
Wando — Rocco Adrian — Isaiah Perrin
Wilson — Rodney Mooney — Glenwood Ferebee
This story was originally published February 12, 2024 at 5:59 PM.
