6 YEARS AFTER bringing Greer two state titles, Stuart Holcombe called it a career.
Greer was the final stop for Holcombe, the legendary SC HS coach who made previous stops at Porter-Gaud, Johnsonville, and Socastee.
But he made by far his biggest mark under the water tower.
Holcombe amassed a 132-47 record as Greer’s HC from 1987-2000, leading the Yellow Jackets to two state titles during his tenure — in 1989 and 1994. He was beloved by former players and staff members alike.
And Holcombe says that when the time came to hang it up and call it a day, it wasn’t a mystery. Deep down, he just knew.
“A lot of factors went into me deciding it was time,” said Holcombe. “For starters, I wasn’t getting any younger. There was no time off then, either. It was a year-long commitment. And I think the wear and tear it was taking on me made me feel like I couldn’t be the coach I wanted to be. I felt like I couldn’t do the things I used to do."
Holcombe, in his trademark humble manner, refuses to take much credit for his accomplishments as a head coach. His success at Greer football, he says, boiled down to the people who came before him — and the community investment in the team and school.
“When I got here, the foundation was already set from the coaches who came before me: Phil Clark, Jim Few, those guys,” said Holcombe. “And the community, well, that’s always been there. It was a one-horse town. Greer football was the ticket in town. The tradition was already there.
“Greer is just a different place. The support we received was unbelievable.”
Holcombe was inducted into Greer High’s prestigious Ring of Honor in 2009 — one of just four non-Greer High graduates to receive such an honor. In December of 2025, Holcombe was officially enshrined into the South Carolina Football Coaches Association Hall of Fame alongside some of the greatest coaches in SC high school football history.
Holcombe’s impact in Greer was already immortalized. Now, his impact on HS football across the entire state is, too.
6 days until high school football is back.
