Yellowjacket Football Built with Hard Work and Consistency

By Neill Kirkpatrick

Special to the HSSR

Andrews – Tucked away in one corner of Georgetown County is the home of Chubby Checker, Andrews, South Carolina. When you drive through downtown it reminds you of yesteryear until you make a right turn at the end of main street go about mile down the road you find the home of the Andrews Yellowjackets where Head coach Scott Durham has quietly built one of the top football programs in class AA.

Coach Durham came to Andrews 11 years ago from Goose Creek, where he was the offensive coordinator for the 2011 AAAA division II state championship team. Before his arrival in Andrews, the Yellowjackets had made three playoff appearances in 10 years, since the Yellowjackets have made the playoffs 11 consecutive years. In 2020 his Yellowjackets were six inches away from making their second trip to the class AA state finals in school history (1978).

Entering the 2024 season coach Durham has compiled a record of 79-40/ 39-17 and is five wins away from setting a new school record for career wins at Andrews breaking the record of 83 wins held by coach Simon Lewis.

While coach Durham has certainly been instrumental in Andrews rise to prominence, he gives all the credit to assistant coaches and to the continuity they bring to the program. Three of his coaches have been with him for all 11 years, another for 10 years and one for six years.

Coach Durham said, “ We just wanted to build a program that was consistent and the community could be proud of on and off the field. On the field, we want to be the toughest, most physical team on the field every time out. We want to be tough, physical, and aggressive and play to the echo of the whistle. We are not complicated. Off the field, we want students and young men who work just as hard to represent Andrews in a positive manner.”

Besides the consistency coach Durham brought an old-style power option offense with quarterback under center and for most opponents it is the only time they see this all year. When teams play the Yellowjackets they can expect a physical, punishing run first team.

“The offensive system has fit the type of players we have had here. We have had some really good running backs and offensive lineman,” said coach Durham. 

Offensive line coach Jim Rowell is the man behind the road graders who open the holes for the run game. He has been a Yellowjacket for 10 years.

Kelly Cannon, who has been on staff for six years, coaches the running backs and Lamar Brown coaches up the wide receivers. Brown is also the head basketball coach and the short timer on the staff as he has been in Andrews for only two years.

The coaches that have been with coach in  Durham for the 11 years are all on the defensive side of the ball Mike Stapleton, Richie Poston, and Ricky Poston. Stapleton has been the teams DC for the past 11 years but will be stepping back to coach just DB’s this season.

Richie Poston will be taking over the DC position and coach LB’S. He is also the school’s baseball coach and led the Yellowjackets to a District 8 title and a berth in the lower state final four. Ricky coaches the defensive line.

“We have been blessed to have really good assistant coaches that try to build great young men through football,” said Durham. “For the most part we have stayed together as a staff and consistency is a good thing.”