Derek White leaving Ben Lippen football program
Derek White has resigned as Ben Lippen football coach after four seasons.
White is taking the head coaching job at Savannah Christian in Georgia. A press conference announcing White’s hire will be Friday.
“I love Ben Lippen and never thought I would leave Ben Lippen,” White said. “(It) was the toughest decision I made professionally. I love our kids and want them to be special. Ben Lippen gave me an opportunity to be a head coach for the first time. I had some great kids and left it better than when I took over. It was a life-changing experience.”
White takes over at Savannah Christian for William Bell, who was the school’s interim coach this year after Donald Chumley stepped down in May. Savannah Christian went 6-5 and advanced to the second round of the Georgia High School Class A Private School playoffs.
Chumley, who played with the San Francisco 49ers and is now the school’s athletic director, built Savannah Christian into a powerhouse program. SCS advanced to the Georgia High School Association Class A title game three straight years from 2009-2011, winning it all in 2011. The 2011 team featured Jacksonville Jaguars defensive back Jalen Myrick and former Tennessee Titans lineman DeAngelo Brown.
White turned around the Falcon program, going 34-14 during his tenure. Ben Lippen was 2-8 the season before White took over.
“This means the world to our school and community,” White said in a postgame interview. “We have been blessed with people who have been faithful to this football program. God’s blessed us and it is amazing to achieve this.”
This year’s team lost in the semifinals but featured Division I signees Trad Beatty (Temple) and Kyle Wright (North Carolina) and several other players who are going on to play college football.
Before coming to Ben Lippen, White was defensive coordinator at Christ Church and was part of four state championship teams.
“Coach White has given so much to Ben Lippen. His accomplishments are well recognized and we will always be mindful of the lasting impact he has had on our football program,” Ben Lippen headmaster Tony Fajardo said.
White’s departure leaves two of Columbia’s four SCISA 3A programs without a head coach. Heathwood Hall is looking for a replacement for Marcus Lattimore.
This story was originally published January 31, 2018 at 9:51 PM with the headline "Derek White leaving Ben Lippen football program."