Richland Northeast parts ways with football coach, now making third hire in 5 years
Richland Northeast High School is in the market for a head football coach.
Will Richardson told The State on Thursday that he won’t return after two seasons. He was informed of the school’s decision earlier this week. It will be the third time in the last five years RNE is looking for a new football coach.
“I met with my principal on Tuesday and he notified that he wanted to go in another direction and relieve me as my duty as head coach,” Richardson said. “It is a choice I am disappointed with and disagree with but that is the nature of the business. I understand it. I just hate for the amount of work I put into the program.”
Richardson never got a full offseason with the program after being hired in April of 2019 and then COVID-19 limitin things this year. The Cavaliers went 0-16 under Richardson, including 0-6 in the COVID-shortened season. Two losses were by three points or less to Dreher (17-14, OT) and Lugoff-Elgin (35-34).
Before coming to RNE, Richardson was the associate head coach at Westlake High in Georgia. Before that, he was an assistant in Georgia at Pebblebrook High School and had two stints at Druid Hills High School.
Richardson said he plans to stay in the area and would love to get another shot as a head coach one day and try and get a job as an assistant in the short term.
“Timing is everything and the timing wasn’t right but I will bounce back. I appreciate the opportunity Dr. Suber gave me when she hired me and I love these kids to death,” Richardson said.
The Cavaliers haven’t made the postseason since 2015, the year they moved into Region 3-4A with the likes of South Pointe, Ridge View, Westwood and York. RNE moved into Region 4-4A this year with state champion A.C. Flora, Irmo, Dreher, Lugoff-Elgin and Westwood.
RNE’s last winning season came in 2011 when it went 9-3. Its best season since then was 6-6 in 2015.
RNE athletic director Gary Fulmer said there is no timetable for when to have new coach in place.
The next RNE coach will have a permanent on-campus stadium to play in for the first time in school history. The Cavaliers had been playing their home games at Spring Valley’s Harry Parone Stadium.
The new RNE stadium is part of the $467 million approved in the 2019 bond referendum, which will fund construction, maintenance and improvement of Richland 2 schools. Turf was installed at Westwood High School and District 2 Stadium at Blythewood High School. New on-campus stadiums are currently under construction at RNE and Ridge View to be done in time for the 2021 season.
Richland Northeast is the third Midlands football opening so far this offseason. White Knoll and Ben Lippen also have openings. White Knoll has begun its interviews in trying to find a replacement for Dean Howell.
This story was originally published December 17, 2020 at 10:29 AM.
