Matt Campbell leaving as football coach of Lugoff-Elgin. Here’s what’s next for him

Matt Campbell is leaving the Lugoff-Elgin High School football program after nine seasons.

Campbell will be taking a job in the Kershaw County School District where he’ll deal with athletics and truancy, among other things, for the district.

“I just reached a point in my life that looking at things, it was time to move on,” Campbell told The State on Wednesday. “I still want to be involved in athletics, and this lets me do that.”

Campbell replaced Scotty Jones before the 2015 season, won 25 games during his tenure at the school and made the playoffs five times. His best year came in 2017 when the Demons went 7-5 and advanced to the second round of the playoffs. That was L-E’s first playoff win since 2008.

“I’m going to miss it and the relationships I built with kids,” Campbell said. “That is what it is all about. Those are the memories that I will take with me.”

L-E went 2-9 this season and lost in the first round of the playoffs to South Florence.

Before Lugoff-Elgin, Campbell spent five seasons as an assistant at VMI, where he coached the offensive line and was the team’s offensive coordinator.

Campbell was a tight end at South Carolina from 1990-93 and was selected to play in the Senior Bowl. He was undrafted but signed as a free agent with the New Orleans Saints in 1994.

Campbell spent one year with the Saints and was taken by the Carolina Panthers in the expansion draft the following season. He moved from tight end to offensive line and made 56 starts with Carolina from 1996-2000.

Campbell finished his career playing with Washington and the Houston Texans.

Campbell’s departure is the second in the Midlands this year. Rick Reetz stepped down at Heathwood Hall during the season. Tymere Zimmerman was named the Highlanders’ new coach last month.

SC High School Football openings

School — Former School — New Coach

Bishop England — John Cantey — TBA

Fort Dorchester — Josh Smith (interim) — TBA

Great Falls — Brian Kane — TBA

Heathwood Hall — Rick Reetz — Tymere Zimmerman

Laurens — Darryl Smith — TBA

Lugoff-Elgin — Matt Campbell — TBA

Stall — Benjamin Lailson — TBA

Scott’s Branch — Randall State — TBA

St. John’s — Mike Howard — TBA

Wando — Rocco Adrian — TBA

Wilson — Rodney Mooney — TBA