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Aundres Perkins on Marion Swamp Foxes Football: Still Marion, New Staff, New Standard

Aug 21, 2026
Coach Interviews

Aundres Perkins, the new head coach of the Marion Swamp Foxes, sat down with Movin' The Chains hosts Kevin Thomas and Jerel Hendricks to talk about the job he just took on, the staff he built to help him do it, and the phrase he wants the whole town saying along with him: still Marion.

Perkins was hired in May and spent this past season as an assistant at Hartsville before making the jump. Watch the full conversation below, then read on for the highlights.

Marion Swamp Foxes head coach Aundres Perkins joins Movin' The Chains hosts Kevin Thomas and Jerel Hendricks for a video interview

Aundres Perkins Takes Over Marion Swamp Foxes Football

Before Marion, Perkins spent time at West Florence, Darlington, Hanahan, Pamplico, and North Myrtle Beach, on top of his most recent stop at Hartsville. Asked about the whirlwind of moving from an assistant job straight into a head coaching seat, Perkins said it has been "a little roller coaster ride" but that the goal has been to slow everything down and focus squarely on Marion.

"Everything's happening so fast," he said. "The biggest part for me is just trying to slow everything down and really hone in and focus on Marion. We're just taking everything day by day and having fun. We accepted the challenge."

From a Group Home to the Sideline

Perkins didn't set out to coach. He was a running back at Coastal Carolina, on the program's first-ever football team, and took a summer job at a group home because his running backs coach's wife worked there. He fell in love with the kids. Not long after, North Myrtle Beach called looking for a running backs coach, and Perkins said his instinct was to turn it down.

"I don't think I have the patience," he remembered telling his college coach, Coach James. James talked him into it anyway, telling him to just keep doing what he'd already been doing for five years. Perkins said he has been running with it ever since, crediting Jody Jenerette and Jeff Calabrese as two coaches he learned from along the way in South Carolina high school football. Perkins spent last season at Hartsville, where Calabrese has been the head coach for more than two decades.

That first Coastal Carolina team was a losing team, Perkins said, but a close one. He still keeps in touch with teammates from those early Chanticleer squads, from group chats to weddings. "Coastal Carolina don't owe me a thing," he said of the experience.

The Staff Perkins Built at Marion

Perkins said his coaching staff is set, and that he prioritized bringing in people who genuinely love football and have real playing or coaching experience. His offensive coordinator is Daryl Page. Darnell Williams, who also played at Coastal Carolina, coaches wide receivers. Demetrius Johnson, a holdover from last year's staff, coaches running backs. Denton Graves coaches the offensive line, and Akil Cross, another former Coastal Carolina defensive lineman, coaches the defensive line. Randy Dennison, also a holdover, coaches defensive backs, and Perkins is personally coaching the linebackers.

Aundres Perkins discusses his Marion Swamp Foxes coaching staff during the Movin' The Chains interview

On how he plans to run the program, Perkins described a hands-off approach with his coordinators. "I'm going to let the coordinators do their thing, that's why you hire them," he said. "There's not going to be any micromanaging." He said he wants to keep schemes simple on both sides of the ball and get his players back to fundamentals: knowing the game, and having fun playing it.

"Still Marion": Rebuilding the Swamp Fox Culture

Ask Perkins what he wants his stamp on the program to be, and the answer comes back to one word: culture. He pointed out that just five years ago, Marion had two players go on to play in the SEC, calling that "unheard of" for a program this size. The talent, he said, never left. What slipped was belief.

Aundres Perkins talks about changing the culture and the Still Marion message for Swamp Foxes football

"Don't let that record fool you," Perkins said. "This is still Marion, you still have talent here, and it's our job to go out there and show everybody who we are." He said the players are starting to trust each other and are having fun again, which he described as something the group had been missing. This is his second head coaching stint, and he said the biggest lesson from the first one was learning to delegate instead of trying to control every part of the program himself.

Marion Players to Watch in 2026

Perkins named a handful of players he's excited about heading into the season. Jacari Brown, who goes by Jiggy, is an explosive playmaker Perkins wants to get the ball to in space. Amari Green is at quarterback and, in Perkins' words, was found "on accident" but has done a great job so far. On defense, cornerback Kamari Watson, known as K3, is someone Perkins said is "special to watch" as he continues to develop, and linebacker Cameron Davis is another player he pointed to as doing good work over the summer.

For more on the state's top high school talent, check out Movin' The Chains' player spotlights and Player of the Week coverage, and see where Marion and the rest of the Pee Dee stack up in our rankings.

Off the Field: Fox Trot, Pastor Troy, and a Small Community

Perkins said the Marion community has embraced him and his staff quickly. He's been eating downtown at the Fox Trot and talking with local business owners, and pointed to City (for breakfast and lunch buffets), T-Roy's, and Richie's downtown as his early favorite spots. He said fans have already told him they plan to come back out and support the team after staying away the last few years.

Asked about his pregame playlist, Perkins didn't hesitate: Pastor Troy. "I'm getting ready for war," he said. "I'm going out here to rush for 300 yards. It always gets me right."

Perkins' Goals for His First Season at Marion

Perkins kept his on-field goal simple: get that first win. "One will turn into three, three will turn into five, but you got to get that first one," he said, adding that he wants his players to experience a win after a rough stretch of seasons.

His bigger goal, though, is about what happens after football ends. "Everybody's not going to the league, everybody's not going to college," Perkins said. "I want them to be great fathers, great husbands, great leaders. That's the biggest win for me."

FAQ: Aundres Perkins and Marion Swamp Foxes Football

Who is Marion's new head football coach? Aundres Perkins, hired in May, is the new head coach of the Marion Swamp Foxes. He spent this past season as an assistant at Hartsville and previously coached at West Florence, Darlington, Hanahan, Pamplico, and North Myrtle Beach.

How did Aundres Perkins get into coaching? By his own account, "by accident." He was a running back at Coastal Carolina working a summer job at a group home when North Myrtle Beach offered him a running backs coach position. His college coach, Coach James, talked him into taking it.

Who is on Aundres Perkins' coaching staff at Marion? Daryl Page (offensive coordinator), Darnell Williams (wide receivers), Demetrius Johnson (running backs), Denton Graves (offensive line), Akil Cross (defensive line), Randy Dennison (defensive backs), and Perkins himself coaching linebackers.

What does "Still Marion" mean? It's the message Perkins is using to remind players and the community that a rough couple of seasons doesn't change what Marion is or the talent still in the program. He points to two SEC signees from just five years ago as proof.

Who are the Marion players to watch in 2026? Perkins highlighted Jacari "Jiggy" Brown, quarterback Amari Green, cornerback Kamari "K3" Watson, and linebacker Cameron Davis as standouts through summer workouts.

What is Aundres Perkins' goal for his first season at Marion? Getting the first win. Beyond that, Perkins said his long-term goal is developing players into good fathers, husbands, and leaders, not just measuring success in wins and losses.

Watch the full interview above, catch every episode on YouTube, and follow along all season on the Movin' The Chains blog. Meet the crew behind the coverage on the team page, and reach out with tips, questions, or corrections through contact.

This episode of Movin' The Chains is brought to you by Founders Federal Credit Union. Perkins' playing career began on Coastal Carolina's first-ever football team.

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