By Thomas Grant Jr.
The “award tour” for Irmo head football coach Aaron Brand continued Friday.
This time, he was recognized as the Coach of the Year by the NFL’s Carolina Panthers. The ceremony was held at the high school where Brand was also presented a $2,500 check by the team to benefit athletics there.
In addition, Brand will receive an additional $1,000 as the Panthers’ nominee for the Don Shula National High School Coach of the Year award. The two winners from both the NFC and AFC will be flown to Orlando, Fla. for the Feb. 4 Pro Bowl games and receive $15,000 for their school and $10,000 for themselves.
The Don Shula winner will be announced during the leadup to Super Bowl LVIII
“I was just flabbergasted,” said Brand, who was previously named the Panthers’ High School Coach of the Week this season. “I’m just overjoyed man. Anything for the community. Anything to continue making this place a place that people want to be around and a place that people want to see, and it just means everything to me. Irmo High School’s been good to me, and I just hope I can pay them back a little bit.”
Brand’s fifth season with the Yellow Jackets saw him lead them to the Region 5-4A title with an undefeated record. He also earned his 100th career win as a head coach as Irmo advanced to the Class 4A Lower State semifinal for the first time since 2010.
The Yellow Jackets finished the season with a 13-1 record.
This latest honor for Brand comes on the heels of being named the South Carolina Football Coaches Association’s Class 4A Lower State Coach of the Year in December. In October, he was inducted into the Sports Hall of Fame at college alma mater Emory and Henry in Virginia.
Brand was a two-sport athlete for the Wasps from 1994-97. A four-year letterman as a quarterback for the Wasps’ football team, he never suffered a home loss during his college career. The Wasps accumulated a 33-8 overall record and won the Old Dominion Athletic Conference an unprecedented four consecutive years during Brand’s time on campus.
He was named to the 1997 Old Dominion Athletic Conference All-Conference Team, and Virginia All-State Team as well as being selected as a Preseason All-American. He was also named Most Valuable Player for the Emory and Henry team for his performance during the 1997 season. In baseball, Brand started in every game either as a pitcher or centerfielder.
Brand set a school record by pitching 85 innings as a senior. He also earned MVP honors in baseball as a senior and was named to the ODAC All-Conference Team and Virginia All-State Team as a centerfielder.
Photo by Leixngton/Richland School District Five
