Richland Northeast football program hires new coach with history of rebuilding
After turning around the C.A. Johnson football program, Walt Wilson will get a chance to do it to another Columbia high school.
Richland Northeast hired Wilson to be its next football coach, Wilson confirmed Wednesday morning. . Wilson’s hire was approved at Tuesday’s Richland 2 board meeting. He replaces Will Richardson, who was fired in December after two seasons.
Wilson led C.A. Johnson to a 4-3 record this year in a COVID-shortened season, the school’s first winning season since 2009.
The Green Hornets actually started 4-0 before losing the final three games. One of the losses was against Lamar, 50-44 in overtime, to decide the Region 2-A title. Another came in the first round of the Class A playoffs against eventual state champion Southside Christian.
Before CAJ, Wilson led Battery Creek to three straight playoff appearances in his three seasons. He is best known for his run at Calhoun County, where he coached future Gamecock and current NFL player Alshon Jeffrey, among others. Calhoun County won four region titles in seven seasons under Wilson, himself a former standout at Eau Claire High School.
Wilson also was head coach at Kingstree and has spent time as an assistant at Blackville-Hilda, Sumter and Irmo.
Richland Northeast is in need of a rebuild. The Cavaliers went 0-6 in a shortened season this year and haven’t won a game since 2018.
The Cavaliers also 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 was a 6-6 campaign in 2015.
Wilson will have new facilities to work with, though. For the first time in school history, RNE will have a permanent on-campus stadium to play its home games. In the past, the Cavaliers have played their home games at Spring Valley’s Harry Parone Stadium.
The new Richland Northeast 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.
Wilson’s departure from CA Johnson leads three Midlands schools without head football coaches. The other two are Ridge View and Eau Claire.
Midlands football coach openings
School — Former Coach — New Coach
Hammond — Erik Kimrey — Jon Wheeler
White Knoll — Dean Howell — Nick Pelham
Ben Lippen — James Reynolds — Stephen Cagle
Richland Northeast — Will Richardson — Walt Wilson
Northside Christian — Stacy Bell — Dean Howell
Ridge View — Perry Parks — TBA
Eau Claire — Michael Kelly — TBA
CA Johnson — Walt Wilson — TBA
