Cornelius excited about opportunity as new East Clarendon football coach
Former Lakewood head coach likes what he saw after first week of summer workouts
Turbeville – Since he wasn’t hired as the football head coach at East Clarendon High School until the end of May, Larry Cornelius did not have the luxury of spring practice with his new players.
That, however, hasn’t deterred the former Lakewood head man from hitting the ground running in his new endeavor.
“We just completed our first week of summer workouts, and we had a great turnout,” said Cornelius, who had around 60 student-athletes between the B team and varsity teams participate. “That exceeded my expectations. And I was told there would be more in the lower grades (seventh- and eighth-graders), but it's been the reverse. We’ve had more ninth- through 12th-graders.”
Cornelius takes over a program in which the job came open in April. That's when the former head coach, Scott Cook, was told the job was open to applications and was told he could reapply for the job, which he did. Obviously, he was not hired.
Cornelius had been at Lakewood for the past six seasons. Cornelius took over an LHS program that had gone 1-19 in the two previous seasons. The Gators were 19-38 during his tenure, but had made the AAA state playoffs in three of the past four seasons.
“We did turn things around at Lakewood, making the playoffs three of the last four years,” Cornelius said. “I felt like I had made all the difference I could make at Lakewood and it was time to move on. I hated to leave the kids (at Lakewood) hanging, but I felt like this is what was best for me and my boys personally. Honestly, it’s a family decision.”
Cornelius is a single father to Takoda, who will be a sophomore for the upcoming school year, and Skyler, who will be entering the seventh grade. The ECHS middle school and high school students are all on the same campus, and Cornelius said that works out best for him as a coach and a dad as both of the sons will be part of the football programs of which Cornelius will be in charge.
“This is not a job I took to be here a year or two,” Cornelius said. “I’m here until I’m fired or I feel I can't make a difference any more.”
Cornelius said he is excited to be working with Curtis Johnson, the former Sumter High School athletic director, who was recently named the athletic director and baseball head coach at East Clarendon.
Cornelius likes what he’s seen in his limited time with his players.
“There is a lot of potential there,” said Cornelius, who will also be the strength coach. “Coach Cook did a good job, and it’s my job to take it further and win in the long term.
“I’m not predicting any miracles, but I think we have the ability to make the (Class A) playoffs in Year 1. With the summer workouts, it’s about changing the culture, being on time, being disciplined.”
While East Clarendon has operated mainly out of the wishbone formation on offense the past several years, Cornelius likes to run out of the shotgun with a mix of using the lead option, the triple option and RPOs.
The next few weeks will be used to determine who fits where on both offense and defense, which will be a 4-4 look. Cornelius said he has several players competing for the quarterback position. He likes the athletes he has to choose from at the skill positions.
“We have a lot more athleticism than I initially though,” he said. “The team speed is pretty good.”
One thing he is excited about is having 10 players battling for the five starting positions along the offensive line.
“That’s a great thing to have at a Single-A school,” he said.
The Wolverines will open their season on August 25 on the road against Latta. That’s a week later than most of the schools, but Cornelius thinks it works in his team’s favor.
“That gives us an extra week in pads to work and get ready,” he said.
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