“Daniel Football’s Bold Move: Meet Chris Stone, the New Coach Ready to Ignite a Championship Revival!”

In an exciting turn of events for Daniel High School football, Chris Stone has been appointed as the new head coach, following the departure of Jeff Fruster, who left a profound legacy after leading the team to three state championships. Stone, previously at Walhalla, is no stranger to success, having guided his team to its first playoff victory since 1995. His tenure at Mauldin and Easley as an assistant head coach and offensive coordinator showcases his wealth of experience and leadership skills. The anticipation surrounding Stone’s new role at Daniel is palpable, as both the athletic director and the school principal project confidence that he will uphold and enhance the program’s storied tradition. With the Lions coming off a strong 11-2 season, the expectations are high, and the community is eager to see how Stone will shape the future of this promising team. Interested in more details about this coaching change? LEARN MORE.

“With Coach Stone’s proven track record of transformational leadership,” Daniel athletics director Ben Touchberry stated in a news release, “we are confident that he will continue to sustain and build on our tradition of excellence that has existed here at D.W. Daniel from past years and for years to come.”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 [email protected]. Follow him on X, formerly called Twitter, at @ToddShanesySHJ.Stone comes from Walhalla, where he led the team last season to its first playoff win since 1995. He was at Mauldin from 2019-23 as assistant head coach and offensive coordinator; and was offensive coordinator at Easley from 2016-19.Chris Stone was named Wednesday as football coach at Daniel to replace Jeff Fruster, who stepped down last month after winning three high school state championships in his nine seasons.“Coach Stone is a high-character leader who understands the value of building a program by building men beyond Friday nights,” Daniel principal Adam Russell said. “On and off the field, our young people will learn to win the right way. His approach to football, academics and community aligns well with the values of D.W. Daniel High School and the D.W. Daniel community.”

Daniel went 11-2 last season and made the Class AAAA Upper State semifinals. The Lions from 2018-23 under Fruster went 73-4 with state championships in 2020, 2021 and 2023.Stone is a graduate of Eastside. He played football at Furman and Clemson.