‘Ready for this moment’: New Irmo QB battles sickness on journey to title game
Replacing one of the best players in school history has been a challenge for Irmo starting quarterback Drevon Dopson.
But it’s not the hardest thing he’s faced over the last 15 months.
Dopson had to battle ulcerative colitis, a chronic inflammatory bowel disease common among 15- to 30-year-olds that cause inflammation and ulcers on the inner lining of the large intestine. In July 2024, he had emergency surgery after returning from a recruiting trip.
But Dopson persevered through that and is ready to be on the biggest stage this week. The Yellow Jackets are in the Class 5A Division II championship game and play Northwestern at 7:30 p.m. Friday on South Carolina State’s campus.
It is Irmo’s second straight title appearance. The Yellow Jackets lost 34-31 to Northwestern last season on a last-second field goal and haven’t won a state title since 1980.
“I have been ready for this moment all my life, especially with this great group behind me,” Dopson said Monday. “I feel like we can pull this out.”
Dopson’s journey to a healthy season at Irmo
This will be Dopson’s second trip to a championship game. As a sophomore, he was a backup and saw action in 10 games for Gray Collegiate’s 2023 championship team.
After his sophomore season, Dopson left Gray Collegiate and landed at Brookland-Cayce where he was expected to step in and become the Bearcats’ starter. In February 2024, Dopson was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis after experiencing dizzy symptoms before workouts. Doctors prescribed medication.
But Dopson became sick last July and was taken to the hospital.
It was during that stay where Dopson’s mother told WIS that he collapsed in the hospital room and doctors had to do emergency surgery and remove a significant part of his large intestine. He lost 30 pounds and was in the hospital for 10 days. Doctors installed a colostomy bag and Dopson’s 2024 season was in doubt.
But two months later, Dopson was back in a Bearcat uniform after missing only three games. He had to wear extra padding and protection. Dopson threw for almost 1,500 yards last season and had 25 total touchdowns for the Bearcats.
“I thought I wouldn’t be able to play my junior year, but thank God I was able to bounce back really quick,” Dopson said. “I was able to play my junior year and put myself in this situation here and now make it to state.”
Dopson transferred to Irmo in the spring. Brookland-Cayce had undergone a coaching change, and he took advantage of the one-time transfer rule that went into effect this year in the SC High School League.
Dopson and Britton Davis, who moved in from Wilmington, North Carolina, battled out in the spring and summer to see who would replace three-year starter A.J. Brand, last year’s SC Gatorade Player of the Year and a current quarterback at Virginia Tech.
AJ Brand set numerous school records and finished his career with 11,265 total yards and 143 total touchdowns.
Dopson, who missed some practice time in the spring and summer of the ulcerative colitis, eventually won the job as Irmo’s starter.
“He is a good kid. He didn’t bring any kind of drama with him, any kind of ego,” Irmo head coach Aaron Brand said of Dopson. “Just hard work. He answered the bell. He has frustrated the mess on Fridays sometimes, but he has been a breath of fresh air. I didn’t know what I would think when A.J. was gone.”
‘Do what we do’
Dopson was fully cleared over the summer and had the colostomy bag removed. He still has a J pouch in his stomach, which eliminates the need for a permanent external ostomy bag.
This season, Dopson has thrown for 2,255 yards, 27 touchdowns and also ran for 382 yards and three scores for the Yellow Jacket offense. Irmo’s offense is a little more balanced and not dependent on maybe just one player like past years The senior is surrounded by plenty of weapons with receivers Maleek and Corey Miller, Ethan Singletary, 1,000-yard rusher Amire White and tight end Jay Eady. Another one of Irmo’s strengths is its offensive line, which includes Division I prospect Nate Carson and Charleston Southern commit Bryson Moore.
“At the start, there was a lot of pressure coming behind a great quarterback like A.J.,” Dopson said. “Now, I’m thankful to be here and doing what I am doing. ... We’ve got a lot of weapons. ... We’ve just got to give them the ball and do what we do.”
SCHSL football state championship schedule
All games at Oliver C. Dawson Stadium on SC State’s campus in Orangeburg
Friday, Dec. 5
——Class 3A——
Oceanside Collegiate vs. Belton-Honea Path, 12:06 p.m.
——Class A——
Bamberg-Ehrhardt vs. Lamar, 4:06 p.m.
——Class 5A Division II——
Irmo vs. Northwestern, 7:36 p.m.
Saturday, Dec. 6
——Class 4A——
South Florence vs. South Pointe, 12:06 p.m.
——Class 2A——
Hampton County vs. Strom Thurmond, 4:06 p.m.
——Class 5A Division I——
Summerville vs. Dutch Fork, 7:36 p.m.
This story was originally published December 2, 2025 at 2:00 PM.
