Two-time college football champion comes home to coach

Like the Baltimore Ravens after the 2020 draft, Union Pines High School wasted no time signing a local athlete to be an assistant coach. Sean Pollard had a great football career at Pinecrest High School and then Clemson University. He was signed by the Baltimore Ravens shortly after the 2020 NFL Draft. Now he is home to coach. 

At Pinecrest, Pollard was ranked No. 129 overall by a scout, 173 by ESPN, and 177 by Rivals, according to Sports Illustrated. In his position, he was ranked 10th best prospect in his position in N.C., 11th by Rivals, 10th by ESPN. 

Pollard graduated from Pinecrest High School in 2015 and played football under the leadership of Coach Chris Metzger. 

“We are super proud of Sean,” Metzger told Sandhills Sentinel in a phone call. “He will make a difference teaching on the playing field. “He will make a big impact.” 

At Clemson, Pollard played 2,328 snaps over 55 games, according to Sports Illustrated. He had 38 starts at tackle, guard, and center. In Pollard’s career, the Clemson Tigers had a record of 55-4 and won two national championships. He was selected 2019 second-team All-ACC and voted permanent team captain. He is the 17th player in school history to earn at least three selections to the All-ACC Academic team, and he was a member of NFF Hampshire Honor Society. 

Off the football field, Pollard founded a charity in college that raises money for pediatric cancer research. He also did other charity work while attending Pinecrest High School. 

Pollard will be working under Union Pines High School head coach Lonnie Cox.

“We are ecstatic about adding Coach Pollard as a member of our coaching staff,” Cox wrote to Sandhills Sentinel. “Immediately, I knew that Coach Pollard would be a perfect fit for our culture and our program because his ultimate goal is to serve kids first, and then to continually learn and use his experience to help build our program into a championship contender like the ones he’s been a part of at Pinecrest, Clemson, and then the Ravens.

“Coach Pollard will have a tremendous impact on the development of our kids in many different capacities, especially as it relates to the total development of a student-athlete and person. Coach Pollard has a wealth of knowledge as it relates to building a lasting culture, individual skill development, and strength training, all of which are crucial in building a championship football program.” 

Union Pines is scheduled to open its season on February 26 at Montgomery Central High School.

Sandhills_Sentinel~Written by Sandhills Sentinel Reporter Curtis Self.

Photo of Sean Pollard via Clemson Football Facebook page.

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