Erik Kimrey returns to alma mater, hoping to restore prominence at USC

Erik Kimrey is the most decorated high school football coaches in South Carolina history, and now he’s hoping that success translates at the college level.

Kimrey was named the Gamecocks’ newest tight ends coach this week after 17 seasons as head coach at Hammond School, where he he guided the SkyHawks to 12 SCISA state titles, more than any coach in South Carolina history, while compiling an overall record of 194-20.

He was the youngest and fastest coach to reach 100 victories in South Carolina history and the only coach to have won six-consecutive state championships. Among the players who played for Kimrey at Hammond include current Gamecocks Jordan Burch, Alex Huntley, Bradley Dunn and Fabian Goodman. He taught Philosophy of Religion and physical education at Hammond.

“Erik is a Gamecock,” said Coach Beamer. “He is the kind of person and coach who I want on our staff. Not only does he have an astute offensive football mind, he connects well with his players and cares about their progress in every phase of their life. It’s extremely important to have former players on this staff and around this football program. We’re not done yet.”

Kimrey graduated from Dutch Fork High School in Columbia where he played quarterback for his father, Bill Kimrey, who was a head high school coach in South Carolina for 34 years. He set five state passing records as a senior and was the state’s Offensive Player of the Year. Kimrey was a backup quarterback and three-time letterwinner at South Carolina from 1998-2002. He is best remembered for coming off the bench to replace an injured Phil Petty and completing a fourth-down fade route pass to Jermale Kelly to lift the Gamecocks to an upset win over Mississippi State during the 2000 season.

After earning his bachelor’s degree in mathematics, Kimrey spent two years as an offensive graduate assistant on Lou Holtz’s staff at South Carolina, coaching tight ends and studying offensive line and tight end play under Coach Dave DeGuglielmo.

Kimrey is a third generation Gamecock. His grandmother, father, mother, brothers and wife all attended the University of South Carolina. He is married to his high school sweetheart, Erica Russell and they have three children – Kaitlyn Dean, Karis and Ty.