South Carolina high school football team prioritizes NFL experience on coaching staff

By Mitchel Summers

Click here for updates on this story

    GAFFNEY, South Carolina (WHNS) — A former NFL coach is now leading a Division-II college football team right here in the Upstate. And he brought plenty of other pro’s with him.

Mike Furrey made his return to the Limestone football sidelines. He led the team for two years before returning as an NFL coach, bringing along an experienced coaching staff.

“It’s funny because our kids will come up and talk trash to us a little bit,” Mike Furrey, Limestone head football coach, said. “Like, coach I’m faster than you or coach, let’s race today. Or coach I could beat you in a race. And, the cool thing for us to say is well ours is documented.”

The Limestone Saints sideline has five coaches who combined to play over 500 NFL games.

“I would love to get another coaching staff on like the 50 yard line and just challenge them,” Anthony Hargrove, Super Bowl Champion and Limestone defensive line coach, said. “You know? Like see what they’re about. Without a doubt we’d beat any staff at anything. Name it. Bring it.”

It starts with head coach Furrey. He played 7 seasons with the Rams, Lions and Browns. Furrey wanted to fill his staff with others who had experience playing on Sundays.

“When it came to my assistants, I really had a standard. I really had one thing, a requirement,” Furrey said. “And my requirement was that they played the game. And we ended up with I believe a heck of a staff.”

Now, do the players remember watching their coaches on TV?

“Oh yeah they do. Especially defensive lineman,” Hargrove said. “I’ve got a guy in the room now who I played on his favorite team so he knew all my stats. He knew how I played. It’s actually awesome. It’s really cool. But, at the same time too you’re like man I’m getting old.”

“They were able to play with us in video games, watch our highlights, see what we can do,” Jordan Todman, 7-year NFL veteran and Limestone running backs coach, said. “And now they’re like, hey coach, teach me. Show me the path.”

“It provides a lot of legitimacy. It brings instant credibility to the guys,” Nate Garner, 5-year NFL veteran and Limestone offensive line coach, said. “They guys are out there asking questions. A lot more detailed I feel like than they would ask if someone who hadn’t played the game before.”

And these coaches remember what it was like playing in college.

“That helps a ton when you’ve walked in those same shoes,” Jerricho Cotchery, 12-year NFL veteran and Limestone wide receivers coach, said. “You’ve been in that helmet. You know that life doesn’t stop when you get on to the football field but you still have a job to do. You’re able to help these guys navigate those things.”

Mike Furrey was the receivers coach with the Chicago Bears. Along with his impressive staff they’re leading a team that has been around less than 10 years.

Please note: This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.