West Columbia, SC 02/04/2025 - A football coach with more than 25 years of experience at the high school and collegiate levels has been selected for the top athletics post at Brookland-Cayce High School.
Louis Clyburn, who is the current assistant head football coach and offensive coordinator at Camden High School in Kershaw County, is Brookland-Cayce’s new athletic director and head football coach. The hire was recommended by Lexington School District Two Superintendent Dr. Brenda Hafner and approved by the Board of Trustees at a special-called meeting on February 3.
Clyburn’s achievements as a coach in South Carolina high schools point to a leader with a talent for developing strong offenses and athletic talent.
In his current role at Camden High School, his high school alma mater, his teams have made the 3A playoffs multiple times, averaging at or near 40 points per game for the past five years and setting school records for rushing offensive totals. The Bulldogs won the 3A Lower State Championship in 2020, 2021, and 2023, and the team led the state of South Carolina in rushing offense in 2019. Prior to arriving at Camden in 2017, Clyburn was head football coach and athletic director at North Central High, also in Kershaw County Schools. There, he took a football program with no wins in the early years to the playoffs over two consecutive seasons, 2012 and 2013, and was host to the first postseason home playoff game in 19 years in 2012. He was named a Region Coach of the Year and Region Athletic Director of the Year during his time there. Before moving to North Central in 2009, Clyburn was head football coach for a year at Andrew Jackson High School in Lancaster County, where the 2-8 football team finished with a winning season and made the playoffs for the first time in several years. As was the case at Camden High School, Clyburn’s tenure at North Central and Andrew Jackson also set school records in offense. In addition, football participation has flourished during his time in Kershaw County Schools, with Camden growing enough to build B-Team, JV, and Varsity teams with a 90 percent winning percentage over the past five years, as well as a three-team Youth Bulldog Organization developed from the ground up for 8U, 10U, and 12U.
Before taking his first head coaching job in high school football, Clyburn spent 15 years in roles at the collegiate level in North Carolina, first as an assistant football coach at Appalachian State University from 1995-1998, then from 1998-2004 as an assistant football coach for the offensive line and tight ends at Duke University, where Clyburn himself was a four-year football letterman and full scholarship athlete. Clyburn left Duke to become an assistant football coach and offensive coordinator at Lenoir Rhyne College before being selected in 2005 as an assistant football coach/recruiting coordinator at Elon University, where he also served as an assistant athletic director in 2008.
Clyburn graduated from Duke University with a double major in political science and history and a minor in physical education. He received a master’s in education administration from the American College of Education. In addition to football, he has coached boys and girls high school track and golf.
“Coming to Brookland-Cayce offers an opportunity to lead an elite program in a community that is passionate and supportive of this school and its traditions,” Clyburn said. “With today’s rapidly evolving athletic landscape, there are more opportunities than ever at high school, college, and professional levels. Brookland-Cayce has the resources in place to provide students with everything they need to grow while in high school, and at the same time expose them to the expanding opportunities available to them. My background and the opportunities I’ve had create a desire to see our athletes reach their potential, academically and athletically, so they’re prepared for success in career and life.”
Brookland-Cayce High School Principal Dr. Vance Jones said Clyburn’s “commitment to teamwork, discipline, and academic excellence align perfectly with the school’s values.”
“Coach Clyburn brings a wealth of experience, leadership, and a passion for football, athletics, and student development,” Dr. Jones said. “We are confident that his vision will not only strengthen our football program but also elevate our entire athletic department. We look forward to seeing the positive impact he will have on our student-athletes and the broader BCHS school community.”
PHOTO CAPTION: Louis Clyburn
