Loris Football Preview

By Matt Lincoln
News13 Sports Director
Published: August 19, 2008

Loris’s best player is gone, but their coach is back, and that’s good news for a school that’s needed some continuity.

Jimmy Longerbeam returns for his second season in the gold and blue.  In his first season, Longerbeam increased numbers, bettered discipline and improved strength at Loris.  But the Lions won just two games.  Loris loses just seven seniors, but one of them is Jonathan Willard, who left to play linebacker at Clemson.

Longerbeam breaks a string of three coaches who were one-and-done at Loris.  So he’s hoping that a little more time with his players will lead to a little more success.  While Willard will be playing with the college version, Longerbeam believes he has his own “Thunder” and “Lightning” at running back.  Titus Leaks and Darius Graham both run with different styles, and Loris will go as they go. 

Their region is tough at the top with Dillon and Cheraw, but Loris has an opportunity to win 5 or 6 games this season.  The Lions look to “restore the roar” to a program that has had limited success due to coaching unrest.