The five-time State Champion Chris Miller is no longer the Head Coach of the Vikings. Spartanburg & Chris Miller have parted ways. Miller just completed his 18th season as Head Coach at Spartanburg High School where the Vikings finished the 2019 season with a 3-7 record.
Spartanburg took very little time finding a replacement for Miller as they have named Mark Hodge their Head Football Coach. Hodge is no new face to the Upstate in regards to High School Football. Mark Hodge led Chapman to their most recent State Championship, defeating Dillon 44-14 just thirty-nine days ago.
A press release was sent out by Spartanburg High School at 12:15pm on Wednesday:
(SPARTANBURG, S.C.) – Spartanburg School Districts Seven and One announce the transition in
leadership of the varsity football programs at Spartanburg High School and Chapman High School.
Spartanburg Head Coach and recent Hall of Fame inductee, Chris Miller, has announced that he
will be stepping down following a successful career at Spartanburg High School. Chapman Head
Coach Mark Hodge has been tapped as the next head coach for the Vikings.
Coach Miller returned to Spartanburg High School in 2013 after previously leading programs at
Broome and Byrnes. He has achieved 166 career victories, won five state championships and
seven region championships, served as head coach for the North South game in 2019, and
coached in the Shrine Bowl in 2018. He has been named Coach of the Year more than a dozen
times and was inducted into the South Carolina Football Coaches Hall of Fame in December.
"Over the last seven years, Spartanburg High School has become home for Gina and me. Helping
these young men grow as players and as individuals has been one of my life's greatest joys," said
Miller. "This is the right time for me to step away from this program and I am excited about what
the future holds. I have seen great potential in Mark since I first coached him at Broome, and I
take great pride in this transition. I cannot imagine handing off the Viking program to a better
candidate."
Coach Hodge has led the Chapman Panthers since 2012, where over the last four years he has
guided the team to a 53-5 record, winning three Upper State Titles and two State Titles in the
process. A 1998 graduate of USC Upstate, Hodge began his coaching career at his alma mater,
Broome High School, before serving as the defensive coordinator at Spartanburg High School
from 2006-2009. He was head varsity coach at Carolina High School from 2009-2011, where he
led the Trojans to their first 8-win season in 25 years and was named Greenville County Coach of
the Year.
"The legacy of Spartanburg High School's football program is tremendous and I am deeply
honored to join this team. It is exciting to return to this program as head coach, and I look
forward to building on Coach Miller's accomplishments as we chart the next chapter for the
Vikings," Hodge said, adding, "It is also a very emotional decision. My kids are at Chapman, my
spouse is here, and I have been supported in every way by this community. I feel like God is
leading my family to the next thing, and it is humbling to know I'm fully supported by all the
people at Chapman."
Viking Athletic Director Todd Staley believes this hand-off is a tribute to both coaches and their
respective programs. "Spartanburg High School Athletics is forever grateful for the guidance
and leadership Coach Miller provided to our program over the last seven years. His success on
the football field speaks for itself but his influence on our student-athletes will be evidenced in
their lives as they grow to be productive citizens, husbands and fathers in the future. For this,
we cannot thank him enough." Staley continued, "Likewise, our program is built in a rich
tradition that Mark understands – it is a storied program that I am confident Mark will continue
while also instituting a comprehensive approach to the development of our student athletes."
SHS Principal Vance Jones echoed Staley's appreciation for Miller and excitement to welcome
Hodge. "During Chris' tenure, he built a spirit of excellence and instilled this into our players.
Winning that state championship in 2014 followed by a region championship set our program
back on an upward trajectory. We will be forever indebted to Chris and he will always have a
home at SHS."
As the Chapman community celebrates this bittersweet departure for their beloved coach,
Athletic Director Greg Wilson praised Hodge's leadership of the Panthers. "I am very thankful
for the past eight years and all of the amazing things that have been accomplished under Coach
Hodge's leadership. He has built a tremendous foundation for our football program and
positively influenced so many in the process. I am excited to support him in this next challenge
of his coaching career and to observe how God will continue to use Mark to glorify Him."
His sentiments were echoed by Chapman Principal Dr. Andrew McMillan. "Coach Hodge has
built a tremendously successful football program, all while emphasizing his player's personal
development to be better men of character and integrity. Although I am sad to see him leave, I
wish Coach Hodge, his wife Dana, and their three children – Caleb, Joshua, and Ruthie – the
best of luck moving forward."
Chapman High School will begin the search for their next head football coach immediately and
looks forward to securing a coach with the same level of integrity, character, and vision to
continue the excellence of the Panther football team.
Chris Miller has applied at Easley High School, but no official decisions have been made at this time. Follow @TheColeBryson on Twitter for more updates as information is released.
More on Chris Miller's Accomplishments:
At Spartanburg, he compiled a 53-35 record and a state championship (4A Div. II in 2014). Previously he was the head coach at Byrnes High School, where he compiled a 79-10 record, won four state titles (2007-08, 2010-11), finished as state runner-up in 2009 and won three Region II-4A championships (2007, '09, '11) with the Rebels.
Miller's first head coaching post was at Broome High School from 1992-97, winning three region championships (1993-95). Throughout his career, he has obtained a 169 – 77 record, five state championships, seven region championships, and a 21-8 playoff record. Though he has been honored with a plethora of coaching awards in his career, perhaps three of the most notable are his nods to serve as a coach in the North-South Game (2011) & Shrine Bowl (2018), and most recently, head coach of the North-South Game (2019). Only head coach to lead a team to five straight appearances in the Div. 1 4-A State Championship game ('07-'11)
1993 Herald Journal Coach of the Year
2007 SHJ Coach of the Year
2007 Region II Coach of the Year
2007 HSSR Region II Coach of the Year
2007 HSSR State Wide Coach of the Year
2008 HSSR Div. 1 4-AAAA Coach of the Year
2008 Schutt Southeast Region Coach of the Year
2009 Region 2 4-AAAA Coach of the Year
2009 USA Under Armor All-American Bowl Honorary Coaches Award
2010 HSSR Div. 1 4-AAAA Coach of the Year
2010 SHJ All-Area Coach of the Year
2011 HSSR Div. 1 4-AAA Coach of the Year
2011 Region II 4-AAAA Coach of the Year
2011 North-South All Star Game Defensive Coordinator
2014 HSSR AAAA Div. II Coach of the Year
2015 Region II 4-AAAA Coach of the Year
2019 North-South All Star Game Head Coach
SCACA Football Hall of Fame
