The School District of Pickens County (SDPC) and Liberty High School are proud to announce that Head Football Coach Paul Sutherland has been named the Head Coach of the South Carolina team for the 2025 Shrine Bowl of the Carolinas. The announcement was made earlier today, January 10, 2025, by the South Carolina Athletic Coaches Association.

The Shrine Bowl of the Carolinas, established in 1937, is the nation’s oldest high school football all-star game, pitting top players from South Carolina against their counterparts from North Carolina. Being named Head Coach of the South Carolina team is a prestigious honor, reflecting Coach Sutherland’s outstanding career and his ability to develop young athletes into leaders on and off the field.

Coach Sutherland is currently in his fifth year as head football coach at Liberty High School. This year marks his 25th year as a head coach and his 40th year in education. His career includes head coaching tenures at Pendleton High School (17 years) and Franklin County High School in Georgia (3 years) before joining Liberty in 2021. He has a career record of 153-112, achieving his 150th win during Liberty’s 2024 season.

Sutherland’s accolades include being named Region Coach of the Year five times, most recently in 2023, and the South Carolina Football Coaches Association AA Coach of the Year. During his time at Pendleton, his teams achieved a 29-game regular season winning streak over three seasons and secured five region championships. As offensive coordinator for the 2014 Shrine Bowl, Sutherland helped lead South Carolina to victory.

Coach Sutherland holds a Master’s degree in Education Administration from the University of South Carolina. He and his wife, Michelle, are proud parents of two children and grandparents to five grandchildren.

Liberty High School and SDPC are honored to see Coach Sutherland’s exceptional leadership and dedication to student-athletes recognized on this grand stage. The Liberty community is excited to support him as he prepares to guide South Carolina’s top high school football players in the 2025 Shrine Bowl in December.

SDPC Communications

January 10, 2025