Former Gamecocks quarterback lands first high school head coaching job

Syvelle Newton will get a shot at being a high school head football coach.

The former South Carolina quarterback was named the new coach at Class A Great Falls on Tuesday night. He replaces Brian Kane, who left the program after one season.

This is Newton’s first job as a head coach, after spending time as an assistant at Blythewood and Brookland-Cayce.

Newton was a high-profiled recruit coming out of Marlboro County in 2003. 247Sports ranked him as the fifth-best dual-threat quarterback in the country. He had more than 3,600 total yards and 47 touchdowns as a junior in high school in leading the Bulldogs to a state championship.

As a senior, Newton had just over 2,000 all-purpose yards and 20 TDs. He was the MVP of the 2002 North-South All-Star game.

At USC, Newton played quarterback and receiver for. the Gamecocks He stepped in at quarterback to replace Blake Mitchell during his senior year and threw for 1,316 yards and 12 touchdowns while rushing for 330 yards and three TDs. For his career, he had nearly 4,000 all-purpose yards and 33 touchdowns.

Newton is one of only four players in the history of NCAA Division I history to record more than 600 yards passing, receiving and rushing in their career.

“It is with great pride that we welcome Coach Newton to the Red Devil family,” Great Falls principal Jamal Sanders said in a statement. “His unparalleled energy, extensive knowledge of strength and conditioning, and commitment to embedding mental health awareness in the game make him an exceptional addition to our program. I am confident that under his leadership, our football team will not only excel on the field, but will also foster a holistic approach to the well-being of our student-athletes.”

After college, Newton bounced around in the Arena and Canadian Football Leagues. Most recently, Newton has worked as a trainer and mentor in the Columbia area. He also has been outspoken on mental health issues.

“That’s what it’s all about, self love,” Newton told The State in 2020.. “A lot of the things that they may have experienced, out of football, right after football, going through some struggles of anxiety and depression, fighting those battles. Now I get to use it as a message to help others who may be experiencing some of the same things, maybe not even (knowing) that they are.”

SC High School Football openings

School — Former Coach — New Coach

Bishop England — John Cantey — TBA

Fort Dorchester — Josh Smith (interim) — Shaun Lorenzano

Gilbert — Chad Leaphart — TBA

Gray Collegiate — Adam Holmes — TBA

Great Falls — Brian Kane — Syvelle Newton

Greenville — Greg Porter — TBA

Heathwood Hall — Rick Reetz — Tymere Zimmerman

Laurens — Darryl Smith — Greg Porter

Lugoff-Elgin — Matt Campbell — TBA

Rock Hill — Bubba Pittman — TBA

Stall — Benjamin Lailson — Ken Freeman

Scott’s Branch — Randall State — Patrick Fleming

St. John’s — Mike Howard — TBA

Swansea — Brent Wilder — Willie Fox

Union County — Brian Thompson — TBA

Wagener-Salley — Willie Fox — TBA

Wando — Rocco Adrian — Isaiah Perrin

Wilson — Rodney Mooney — Glenwood Ferebee