Boyd inherits veteran coaching staff at Lamar

Lamar – Tyler Boyd is the man carrying the title of football head coach at Lamar High School. However, he is definitely the newcomer in his return to his alma mater.

 Boyd, who was an All-State quarterback for the Silver Foxes while playing for his father, J.R. Boyd, has inherited a coaching staff filled with veteran Lamar assistants.

 The returning coaches are Rob Joye, Hayden Wilks, Brian Scott, Jimmy Woods and Allen Poole. The new assistants are Javonte Green and Antonio Jones.

 “Having a lot of the same coaches, the adjustment has been more so for me than them or the players,” said Boyd, who came back to Lamar after two years as the football head coach at Williamsburg Academy. “For the older kids, I will be their third head coach in four years, so it will be about me earning their trust. I can understand where they are coming from.

“Me stepping in there with no coaches I brought, I want to keep a lot of the same things they’ve been doing because it worked well. But I want to bring in my own stuff, but it’s a good situation to come into.”

 Boyd inherits a team that went 9-4 and reached the quarterfinals of the Class A state playoffs under Stephen Burris, who departed after two seasons to be the head coach at Westwood.

 Scott, the former University of South Carolina standout wide receiver, will coach wide receivers and defensive backs as will Jones. Wilks will coach the offensive lineman, while Woods will be in charge of the defensive line. Joye will coach wide receivers and linebackers, Poole will coach linebackers, and Green will coach running backs and linebackers.

It’s been so far, so good for Boyd.

 “Things have been going great,” Boyd said of the summer workout. “We went to Conway last week, and that was our last competition-type thing. The kids have been showing up and getting after it. Everyone is excited and everything is going good so far.”

 Lamar opens its season on the road against Darlington on August 22.

 Boyd is the only newcomer to the Lamar head coaching staff. Carlos Burgess returns as the athletic director, while Randolph Scott will be the girls basketball coach and Brian Scott returns as the boys hoops coach. Adam Fedawa is set to return as the baseball coach. Francis Humphrey will be the boys and girls cross country coach, Alan Hunter will handle volleyball, Shane Brantley will be the softball coach, John James will be in charge of wrestling and Wilks will be the boys golf coach.

Burgess has yet to hire a boys and girls track and field coach.