Liberty has hired Bobby Ruff as the new football coach, the school announced Jan. 16.
Ruff, a former high school defensive coordinator at Easley, has been an assistant inside linebackers coach at Liberty University for the past three seasons. He is a Charleston native who was an All-Big South linebacker at Charleston Southern.
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“I am incredibly grateful for the opportunity to serve as the head football coach at Liberty High School,” Ruff stated in a news release. “This is a community that cares deeply about its students and its traditions. My goal is to build a program rooted in competition, discipline, accountability and purpose, one that develops young men who represent their school and community the right way.”
Ruff, 30, replaces Paul Sutherland, who retired after 25 years as a head coach, the last five at Liberty. Sutherland coached Franklin County (Ga.) from 2018-20 and Pendleton from 2001 to 2017. His final game was Dec. 20 as head coach of South Carolina in a Shrine Bowl victory against North Carolina.
Liberty went 8-4 and 3-1 in Region 1-2A, in 2025 and won a playoff game for the first time since 2016.
Ruff was at Easley for three years and then at The Citadel from 2017-2022, first as a strength and conditioning intern and moving up to a position coach with offensive tackles and tight ends before being named inside linebackers coach in 2019.
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Ruff joined Liberty University for the 2023 season, which the Flames finished by playing Oregon in the Fiesta Bowl.
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“Coach Ruff’s enthusiasm for the game is evident the moment you meet him,” Liberty athletics director Jonathan Dilworth said. “He brings a high-level knowledge of football and a clear commitment to leading student-athletes both on and off the field, and we are excited to begin a new era of Red Devil football under his leadership.”
Liberty will officially introduce Ruff in a meet-and-greet scheduled for 6 p.m. on Jan. 29 at the high school.
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Todd Shanesy covers high school athletics for the Greenville News, Spartanburg Herald-Journal and Anderson Independent Mail in the USA TODAY Network. Contact him by email at todd.shanesy@shj.com. Follow him on X, formerly called Twitter, at @ToddShanesySHJ.
This article originally appeared on Greenville News: Liberty football hires Bobby Ruff as coach, replacing Paul Sutherland
