Flora’s Reggie Shaw named head coach at Byrnes

Reggie Shaw will get a chance to lead one of the top high school football programs in the state of South Carolina.

Shaw was named the coach at Byrnes on Monday at a Spartanburg District 5 board meeting. He replaces Brian Lane, who stepped down in November and recently accepted a job at Clover.

“This is a once in a career-type coaching opportunity,” Shaw said. “When you are looking at schools, you want to see what kind of administration and support is there, what kind players and facilities you have. And this has all of them. It is the total package and everything you would want.”

Shaw knows the expectations and pressure that go with coaching at Byrnes. He was the Rebels’ defensive backs coach in 2006 under Bobby Bentley, who is now the South Carolina running back coach.

“We were No. 2 in the nation when I was there, so I think that helps being there before,” Shaw said.

Shaw will be introduced at a press conference Tuesday at 4 p.m. He’s currently trying to get out of his contract with Richland 1 so he can start immediately at Byrnes. In addition to his coaching duties, he will also be assistant director of athletics.

Byrnes has been one of the most consistent programs in the state for almost two decades. The Rebels won 10 games or more from 2001-2015 and eight state championships during that span.

This season, Byrnes went 3-7 and missed the playoffs for the first time since 1999. Byrnes returns 20 starters from last year’s team and has a marquee game against Don Bosco Prep (N.J.) on Sept. 1.

The 43-year-old Shaw spent the past four seasons as head coach at A.C. Flora, where he went 29-20, including a 6-6 mark this past season. His best season at A.C. Flora came in 2014 when he led the Falcons to a 12-2 mark and trip to Class 3A Upper State championship.

Before going to Flora, he was head coach at Ben Lippen for six seasons and went 30-27.

Shaw also was head coach at Blythewood in 2007, but resigned before coaching a game. He took over when Jeff Scott left, but the program was sited for rule infractions — holding illegal practices — during the spring and he resigned in August.

Before becoming a head coach, Shaw he spent 10 seasons as an assistant at his alma mater, Fairfield Central, and was a part of two state championship teams.

Shaw’s departure leaves the Midlands with six football openings, along with Blythewood, Camden, Lexington, Richland Northeast and North Central.

This story was originally published January 23, 2017 at 2:27 PM with the headline "Flora’s Reggie Shaw named head coach at Byrnes."