Lower Richland football coach turned program around. Now he’s moving on.
After turning around the Lower Richland football program, Rodney Barr announced that he was leaving Tuesday night.
Barr posted a letter on Twitter announcing the move. In the letter, he tanked Lower Richland administration, the coaching staff and the players for the dedication and support.
“After a time of much soul searching, I have personally made the decision that it is time for me to move on and explore other opportunities,” Barr wrote in the letter on the team’s football Twitter page.
Barr is taking the head coach and athletic director job at Class A Scott’s Branch High School in Summerton, taking over for Leonard Johnson. He was offered the Wando job last month and declined. The school filled it with assistant Rocco Adrian.
Barr spent four seasons at Lower Richland and led the program to a pair of region titles. After going 0-10 the first season, LR was 20-17 the next three years including 8-5 this year.
Lower Richland made it to the second round of the playoffs this year and third round in 2017 after upsetting Myrtle Beach. He was named The State Newspaper’s Coach of the Year in 2017.
The 2017 season was LR’s best season in 26 years. The Diamond Hornets won seven games after winning just seven combined from 2013 to 2016.
Barr’s “Keep Chopping” mantra became a signature phrase of the program and and he wanted his players to keep fighting in all aspects of life both on and off the field.
“I can say with confidence and security that Lower Richland football is in a good place,” Barr said. “As I sit here typing this letter, my heart is heavy for the coaches and young men that will remain and carry the axe for Lower Richland football. ... I always will be your biggest fan.”
Lower Richland will be moving from Class 4A to Class 3A this year because of realignment and will be in Region 4-3A with Chester, Fairfield-Central, Keenan and Mid-Carolina.
Before coming to Lower Richland, Barr spent three seasons as coach at Overhills High School in Spring Lake, NC, where he went 14-22.
Barr also spent eight seasons at Wilson High in Florence as baseball coach and defensive coordinator under Darryl Page. He was an assistant on the Tigers’ state championship team in 2007.
This story was originally published May 5, 2020 at 7:05 PM.
