WS Chronicle

In photo above:Rodney Brewington will be headed to his alma mater as head coach. (Submitted photo)

Special to The Chronicle

Rodney Brewington is heading back to North Carolina. Brewington, former head football coach at Greensboro Smith High, is returning to his alma mater, Hope Mill South View¸as the head coach after spending the last three years at Winter Springs High in Florida. Brewington, who spent more than 10 years as an assistant coach in Winston-Salem before being named head coach at Smith, will assume his duties at Hope Mills in early June. Brewington was a starting defensive back on South View’s 1991 state 4-A championship football team.

Brewington began coaching at LIFT Academy in Winston-Salem in 1999, while he was a student at Winston-Salem State. He was named the defensive coordinator under Sam Davis, LIFT’s head coach. The upstart program went 8-2 in its first season and was on a fast track to become one of the state’s top 1-A programs. However, the program was shut down in 2001 when the school closed.

After leaving LIFT, Brewington was named the defensive coordinator at Bishop McGuinness for two seasons before landing as the defensive coordinator and assistant head coach at Atkins under Coach Mike Winbush. Brewington stayed at Atkins until he was named the head coach at Smith.

At Smith, Brewington inherited a program that was on a 33-game losing streak. He resurrected the program, leading the Golden Eagles to a 10-2 record in 2010. Among the players on that team was Eric Eborn, who was a first-round NFL draft pick by the Detroit Lions in 2014. Brewington replaces Randy Ledford, who passed away last month. He inherits a team that went 2-9 last season.

“Not to say we’re in disarray, but he’s done a great job at Smith and Winter Springs of turning programs around and making them successful,” said South View principal Brian Edkins. “He’s an alumni here, and he’s got that sense of South View pride.”

Brewington said he was eager to get started.

“South View is tradition,” Brewington said. “I loved the school and played under Coach (Bobby) Poss and Coach Ledford. Just to have the opportunity to carry that torch is unbelievable. I want to get with the kids and get that excitement with the program, continue the legacy that Coach Ledford and Coach Poss started there.”
In addition to Ebron, Brewington has strong ties to the NFL. His uncles, Tony Medlin and Ronald Medlin, work on the support staff of the Chicago Bears and Baltimore Ravens, respectively.

Brewington, who still owns a home in Winston-Salem, was a finalist this spring for head coaching positions at Walkertown and R.J. Reynolds high schools. However, both jobs were offered to other people. Davis said Forsyth County’s loss is South View’s gain.

“That is very typical of the hiring process for head football coaches in Forsyth County,” Davis said. “Coaches in this system are hired based on how well they are connected and not on ability or track record. Coach Brewington would have been a good fit at both of those schools. He is a great, young, football coach. We have remained close over the years and he called me to inform me that he had gotten the job and I extended my congratulations to him. I’m sure he will do a great job.”