31 YEARS AGO, Byrnes football took a chance on a young and, at the time, unproven, assistant coach. His name was Bobby Bentley. 
 
Bentley was just 26 years old at the time of his hiring in 1995, immediately becoming one of the youngest head coaches in the state. He took over a Byrnes program desperate to find its footing after legendary HC Bo Corne resigned in 1986.
 
In his first two seasons, Bentley’s Rebels won just three games combined. The murmurs were growing loud. Bentley would be out around town buying groceries or eating at a restaurant, and he’d hear the whispers.
 
“People would make fun,” Bentley said in a 2023 interview. “They’d say ‘Why did Byrnes hire this guy? He’s got no experience.’”
 
But things changed for Bentley not long after. A 1997-98 upset win over rival Spartanburg, he says, signaled a shift in momentum for the program.
 
“That was when everything started clicking,” said Bentley. “The administration got behind us. We built up the youth league. All of the local kids wanted to play for Byrnes and wanted to wear a Rebels shirt. We built a lot of momentum.”
 
You likely already know the rest. Hint: a lot of winning, a ton of hardware, and multiple state titles. 
 
But we’ll get to all of that later.
 
31 days until high school football is back.