The 2025 season marks the start of a new era in Gaffney Indians football. Following a 10-2 campaign in 2024 that resulted in a region 2-5A championship and run to the third round of the 5A division 2 playoffs, the winningest head coach in program history – Dan Jones, retired after 18 seasons at GHS (14 as head coach). Not long after, Offensive Coordinator Donnie Littlejohn was promoted to the role, looking to help the Indians chase their 19th state title.
As one might expect with a promotion from within, Littlejohn is looking to minimize changes to ease the transition, but even so things may look a little bit different on Friday nights at The Reservation this Fall.
“I plan on placing more emphasis on special teams, which is the biggest area of improvement needed from last year aside from effectively running the football”, said Littlejohn. “Our base defense will still be a 3-4 with the ability to show multiple fronts. Offensively, we still run the Spread, but will emphasize making teams define the entire field and getting our athletes out in space to make plays. The only big difference is that we will use more motion, shifts, and tempo this year.”
Littlejohn also brought in 2 new coordinators from outside the program – Brad Van Horn to guide the offense and Ian Cooper for the defense. Van Horn comes to Gaffney from South Pointe, where he was named SC Football Coaches’ Association 4A Upperstate Assistant Coach of the Year and helped lead them to the 2021 4A state championship. In 2024, his Stallions offense averaged a school record 47.5 points per game, a school record 77 points in a single game, a state record 485 rushing yards in a single game, a school record 2,665 rushing yards in a season, and a school record 11 receiving touchdowns by a Tight End. Cooper comes from the Charlotte-Mecklenburg area’s Myers Park High School, where he also served as the defensive coordinator.
“We have two new coordinators here who have put their own spin on our existing offensive and defensive systems here, and I believe that their perspectives will add some ‘spice’ and make it fun to watch on Friday nights”, said Coach Littlejohn of the hires.
Another thing that remains relatively unchanged is the amount of talent they have coming back on both sides of the ball. The Indians said goodbye to such key pieces as Linebacker Andrew Ruppe, Wide Receivers Shane Davidson and Jamarcus Smith (who was the #2 leading wideout in our coverage area last season with 45 catches for 774 yards and 6 TDs with an average of 86 yards per game), Defensive Back Jayden Sims, and Offensive Lineman Shedrick Sarratt. But, bring back seven noteworthy performers from a year ago as part of a veteran roster that will feature 15 seniors and 10 juniors. Gaffney also added a number of talented transfers including former Chapman running back Justin Dawkins, who will be a big addition to an already talented Gaffney offense. Dawkins averaged over 93 yards per game last year for the Panthers in his junior season.
Among the key returnees is the now senior Quarterback and Arkansas commit Jayvon Gilmore (120-200 with 1,801 passing yards and 19 TDs last season), senior Running Back Jaiden McDowell – who is fully recovered from an early-season injury last year, senior Inside Linebacker Zyon Ratchford, Sophomore DB/Safety Zion Dawkins, senior Cornerback Chas Smith, Junior Center Cam Shippy, and Senior Left Tackle Scotland Dover.
While that list of names alone is enough to excite Gaffney fans, Coach Littlejohn is even more excited with the growth those guys have experienced from last year to now.
“Zyon (Ratchford) has gained a lot of weight and improved his agility a ton in the offseason. Zion Dawkins moved from corner to safety in order to give himself more freedom to play the ball and help in the run game. Jaiden was injured in week zero last year and is looking to come back with a season as good as or even better than when he was a sophomore. And last, but not least, Scotland Dover has matured a lot mentally, lost some weight, and gained the ability to be really aggressive and mobile.”
Asked what the biggest takeaway from his first offseason at the helm, Coach Littlejohn summarized it in two sentences that also reflect the excitement of what the talent level this team has coming back elicits.
“I think this team has the potential to be very successful”, Littlejohn said. “There is a new energy within the program that was made obvious during the Spring. We are looking to build off that energy.”
The Indians will have a chance to channel all that renewed energy as well as the collection of talent with a tough opener on Week Zero against a Charlotte power that will be familiar to most – the Independence Patriots. They will follow that with a rematch of one of the best games last season – a week one overtime win on the road at JL Mann before closing out non-region on the road for the first time in 2025 against the Greenville Red Raiders. Their region 2-5A slate kicks off at the Reservation against another team it took overtime for them to beat last season in the Boiling Springs Bulldogs followed by a tough road trip to Spartanburg. The last month of the regular season is highlighted with rivalry games against the Byrnes Rebels (at home) and Dorman Cavaliers (away).
It all starts August 22nd at the Reservation with kickoff set for 7:30 PM.
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