Irmo High School has gone outside the Palmetto State for its next head football coach.

On Monday, Richland-Lexington School District 5 approved the hiring of Aaron Brand. He replaces Reggie Kennedy, who accepted the head football coaching job at Manning High School earlier this month.

“It’s a golden opportunity, and it’s never a perfect time to leave,” Brand told The Charlotte Observer. “But, I was always told to leave it better than how we found it. I think we did that.”

Brand, 43, arrives to Irmo from Vance High School, where he spent the past 5 seasons and led the program to its first Class 4A title appearance in 2018. He previously served as offensive coordinator at West Charlotte, Independence and Mallard Creek high schools and previously worked on 2 occasions under current Dutch Fork head coach Tom Knotts.

The school is still seeking an athletics director to replace Kennedy.