New Orangeburg Prep football head coach Brooks Smith likes first staff
Indians' Tilden "T" Riley commits to Vanderbilt for football
By Dennis Brunson
hssr.com Associate Editor
Orangeburg – As Brooks Smith prepares for his first season as the football head coach at Orangeburg Preparatory School, he is happy with where he and his coaching staff are with the start of the 2025 season fast approaching.
“I think we’re working well together,” said Smith, who was named the Indians head coach after Don Shelley stepped down after two seasons in charge. “We've all coached together so they know what I expect. I’m glad we were able to maintain as many people off of Coach Shelley’s staff because the continuity is good for the athletes. They are a good group of guys who are great leaders of young men. They are good Christian men who will guide them the right way.”
Smith was the offensive coordinator last season and was on the staff with four of his six assistant coaches this year. Returning to work with Smith are Richard Phillips, Ley Pickens, Grant Axson and Spencer Troutman. Phillips will coach inside linebackers and running backs, Pickens and Axson will both coach wide receivers and defensive backs, and Troutman will be working with both the offensive line and defensive line.
Smith will be bringing veteran SCISA coach Michael Heath as the defensive coordinator. Heath was the longtime defensive coordinator for Thomas Heyward Academy before spending the past two years at Northwood Academy.
Smith said he came upon hiring Heath almost by word of mouth,.
“I’ve known Coach Heath from coaching over the years, and we had some mutual friends who knew I was looking for someone to bring on the staff,” said Smith, who is taking over a team that went 5-6 last season. “We talked and it worked out well.
“I’m excited about it and I think he is too. We had an opportunity to get a proven defensive coordinator who has been on several championship staffs. I said this is someone I’d like to get so let’s make it happen. This is a big win for us to get someone of his caliber.”
Smith said Heath’s base defense is the 3-4, which is what Orangeburg Prep operated out of last year. However, the Indians are going to be more of an attack-oriented defense this year, according to Smith.
“We’re going to be really aggressive on defense,” Smith said. “We’re going to be disguising our looks, our pressure, our coverage, things like that. We’re staying with the 3-4 so we don’t have to completely overhaul our system. We’re just going to be a little more aggressive than what we’ve been.”
The final member of the staff is Ryan McNair. While he hasn’t coached on the varsity level yet, McNair has worked with Smith, who was the junior varsity head coach for Orangeburg Prep. McNair will help with the offensive line and the outside linebackers.
Orangeburg Prep opens its season on August 22 at home against Wilson Hall.
SMITH THE ONLY NEW VARSITY HEAD COACH
Smith, who is a graduate of Orangeburg Prep, is the only new varsity head coach this season. Everyone else is back, including the boys and girls track and field head coach who just happens to be Smith. It is something that Smith has been quite successful at, having led the girls team to five consecutive state championships. They captured the Division II championship in May. He led both the boys and girls to Division II titles in 2024.
The athletic program is led by athletic director and longtime girls basketball head coach Jan Stoudenmire. She led the Lady Indians to the championship round of the AAA state tournament this past season. She is returning to the sidelines for her 27th year as the Orangeburg Prep head coach.
Veteran Tate Jameson will return as the baseball head coach after guiding the Indians to their best season in over two decades. They reached the AAA best-of-3 state championship series before losing to Hilton Head Prep in three games. It was the first time Orangeburg Prep, which finished with a 27-5 overall record, had played for a baseball state title since 2003.
Back for his second year as the boys basketball head coach is Michael Delaney. He had a memorable first year, leading the Indians to an 18-5 overall record and reaching the tournament semifinals for the first time in years. After getting a first-round bye, the Indians beat Greenwood Christian School 73-68 in the quarterfinals before falling to eventual 3-time defending state champion Hilton Head Prep 76-45 in the semis.
Shaniya Thomas will be back for her second season in charge of the softball program. Orangeburg Prep went 15-10 and lost in the championship round of their bracket in the AAA state tournament.
Marji Albergotti is back as the girls tennis coach and Rebekkah Brailsford is back as the cheerleading head coach. Katherine Smith will be the volleyball coach, Rachael Fleming is the boys and girls cross country head coach, Harry Mims Jr. and Colin Weaver share the boys golf head job, and Josh Shurtleff is in charge of the bowling program.
TILDEN “T” RILEY COMMITS TO VANDERBILT
OP wide receiver Tilden “T” Riley has committed to play college football for Vanderbilt. Riley, who had multiple Football Bowl Subdivision offers, chose the Commodores from a final three of Virginia Tech and South Carolina.
Riley plans to sign with Vanderbilt in November, graduate early and enroll for the 2026 spring semester.
The 6-foot-5-inch, 220-pound Riley, who is projected as a tight end at the collegiate level, caught 49 passes for 903 yards and 13 touchdowns last season while rushing for more than 200 yards.
”He's obviously a special football player,” Coach Brooks Smith said. “He has great body control, and he can go up and get the football. When he’s up in the air he makes adjustments.
“He's a special person. He’s a good leader, a good role model for the younger players. He works hard in the weightroom and is willing to help get the younger players there.”
