Former Gamecock picked to lead Pelion High School football program

Pelion High School has found its next football coach.

Former South Carolina offensive lineman and current Cardinal Newman head coach Cory Helms will be the Panthers’ next coach. He replaces Dann Holland, who is moving into a full-time role as the school’s athletic director as Lexington 1 splits its football coach and AD positions.

Helms’ hire was approved at Tuesday’s Lexington 1 board meeting. A press conference to introduce Helms as school’s next coach is set for 11:30 a.m. Wednesday.

Helms becomes the third former Gamecock this month to land a new high school head coaching job, joining Jake Bentley (Nation Ford) and Captain Munnerlyn (Chambers, N.C.).

This is Helms’ second head coaching position. He spent the last three years at Cardinal Newman, a private school in Columbia, and compiled a 16-18 record with three playoff appearances. The 16 wins were the most in a three-year span since Cards won 18 from 1997-99.

Helms’ best season came in 2023 when the Cardinals went 9-3 and advanced to the semifinals of the SCISA Class 4A playoffs. The nine wins were the school’s most since 1997 and it was the first semifinal appearance since 2018.

Before Cardinal Newman, Helms spent three seasons as the offensive line and strength coach at Gray Collegiate in West Columbia. He also trains offensive linemen in the state with TrenchWork Performance.

The Georgia native started his college career at Wake Forest before transferring to South Carolina. At USC, he made 46 career starts combined at guard and center.

Helms signed with the New Orleans Saints as a free agent in 2018 and also was on the Cincinnati Bengals’ roster later that year, where he played in two preseason games.

Helms will look to turn around a Pelion program that went 2-9 this season and has had four seasons since 2008 that were .500 or better. The Panthers were 4-3 in 2020 (during COVID) and won their first region championship since 2000.

SC High School Football Openings

School — Former Coach — New Coach

Aiken — Dwayne Garrick — Steve Hibbitts

Cardinal Newman — Cory Helms — TBA

First Baptist —Jamaal Birch — TBA

Gaffney — Dan Jones — Donnie Littlejohn

Greenville — Jaybo Shaw — Steve Watson

JL Mann — Steve Watson — TBA

Keenan — Ray McCleod — Jarrett Neely (interim)

Kingstree — Brian Smith — TBA

Laurence Manning — Robbie Briggs — TBA

Lexington — Dustin Curtis — TBA

Midland Valley — Earl Chaptman — Brent Dorn

Nation Ford — Michael Allen — Jake Bentley

Oceanside Collegiate — Chad Wilkes — John Patterson (interim)

Pelion — Dann Holland — Cory Helms

Porter-Gaud — Brad Bowles — TBA

Southside — Roy Ravenell — TBA

Southside Christian — Mike Sonneborn — TBA

Spring Valley — Nygel Pearson — TBA

West Ashley — Donnie Kiefer — TBA

West Florence — Jody Jenerette — Chad Wilkes

Wilson — Daryl Page (interim) — Brian Wilson