Former Scotland DC Johnson named new head football coach at Marlboro County

BENNETTSVILLE, S.C. — The Marlboro County School District announced Cory Johnson, the recent head coach of Clinton High School, as the new head football coach during Monday’s board meeting.

Johnson will start on July 1, according to MCSD Superintendent Helena Tillar. Johnson was previously the defensive coordinator at Scotland High School before becoming the head coach of Clinton.

According to HighSchoolOT.com, Johnson led Clinton to a 15-1 record last fall. The team played in the North Carolina High School Athletic Association’s 2A state championship last year. Johnson had been the head coach at Clinton since 2018, where he amassed an overall record of 61-12. He started his coaching career at 22 when he graduated from Catawba College in Salisbury — where he played linebacker for the school.

“I spent six years there, and before that, I spent five years at Scotland High School,” he said.

Johnson said he took the job in Marlboro County because of the school’s tradition.

“I know they take football extra serious here,” he said. “I love this area of football. I started off in Scotland County, so I know about the battle of the border. I knew about this area, and I just wanted to get back to this area.”

Johnson is taking over a team that finished with a 3-7 record last season.

“I think that we need to first build relationships with the kids. And then, after we build relationships with the kids, we need to work in steps on becoming a true team. We need to insert core values, effort, attitude and toughness to the kids, and they can carry those values way beyond football. Once we do that and everyone gets on the same page and we’re all on the same mission, we’ll start putting ‘Ws’ together on the daily.”

Johnson said it isn’t just about next football season. He wants to make sure the athletes are prepared holistically.

“When we become better human beings, the winning will take care of itself,” he said.

Johnson knows how seriously the community takes football, and he feels he’s a good match for the program because he feels the same way.

“I take it very seriously. It is my ministry. It’s how I give back to the earth. We are going to build champions in life daily.”

Johnson brings a new staff to lead the Bulldogs. Former Scotland standout Amir McNeill will coach the cornerbacks for Marlboro, according to HighSchoolOT.com; McNeill played at NC A&T University and was coaching linebackers at South Carolina State last year. The same goes for former Scotland defensive lineman Karfa Kaba, who will coach his position at Marlboro; Kaba played at both NC Central and NC A&T.

The website also reported Ryan Hunt, who was on Johnson’s staff at Clinton as the defensive coordinator, will be Marlboro’s offensive line coach and recruiting coordinator; Dennis McFatten was hired as the co-defensive coordinator and defensive backs coach after serving as the head coach at Robeson County’s Lumberton High School last season; former Pine Forest athletic director and administrator Lonnie Cox, who previously served as the head coach at Union Pines High School in Moore County and Fairmont High School in Robeson County, will be a teacher and wide receivers coach; Hashan Tyson, a former associate head coach at Chambers High School in Charlotte, will be the edge rushers coach and Clinton strength and conditioning coach Dion Norwood was hired to coach running backs.

Hunt, McFatten, Cox and Tyson were all assistants with Scotland football at different points in their coaching careers.