Clarendon Hall varsity football Coach Mike Corbett is no stranger to the Saints.
He served as the junior varsity football coach from 2014-15 before taking a year off in 2016.
"When Coach Ronnie Way decided he wasn't going to coach this year, the athletic director came to me and asked if I would be willing to coach this year," he said. "After though and prayer, I told him I would."
The Orangeburg native has lived in Clarendon County since 1998, having coached his two sons all the way through junior varsity football.
He said an advantage in this coming season is that he had this year's senior during their freshman year in junior varsity football.
"I am familiar with them," he said. "My goals are that every time we take the field, we give 100 percent. What happens on the scoreboard, that does not prove whether you are a winner or a loser. It's how you conduct yourself, and if you leave it all out on the field."
As far as wins and losses, Corbett said previous records don't matter.
"I'm not even going there, because I don't know at this stage in the game," he said. "This is a talented group of guys. I know from the seniors all the way down. I've coached them. They have a lot of heart, and I expect big things from them."
Eighteen players are on the roster, and 11 of them are returning lettermen.
"Out of those 11, with the injuries and the numbers that the team had, all 11 had significant playing time last year," Corbett said. "I have three seniors, Dylan Way, Ben Corbett and Brandon Davis, who I will be relying on."
Way was the quarterback in 2016, while Ben Corbett was a defensive end and a receiver. Davis served on offense and defense.
"I'm looking to my three seniors to be my leaders," he said. "I have a good group of juniors. Other than my seniors, it's up in the air at this point as to who's going to step up. We have a lot of talent, as I said, but it's just a matter of seeing what happens when they take the field."
Corbett believes his familiarity with the players, even though he is a new coach, will be an asset for the team.
"Players are familiar with me, seeing what I expect and how I want them to perform," he said. "I don't know of any hurdles that we've got to get over."
Corbett said he's hopeful the team will have no major injuries
"That's part of the game," he said. "The biggest thing for me is if the guys would go out there and play with heart. The saying goes, 'It's not the size of the dog in the fight, but the size of the fight in the dog,' and that comes back to heart."
Corbett said that fight is all that he can ask for.
"When these guys take the practice field, when we're in the weight room and when we're on the field playing a game, just give it all you've got, and let the chips fall where they may," he said. "We'll accept the results as long as they're playing with all their hearts."
Corbett said he's looking for his team to have character on the field.
"These guys have a lot of character," he said. "There's a lot of unity on this team. It's always about the team. It's never about the individual. All of these guys are from this community."
"If the community doesn't come out to support them, they're going to miss seeing a bunch of great guys with great attitudes, with a good work ethic, that are going to do their best at all times," he said.
