Pigskin Preview: Laney begins new era under head coach Coraey Houser
WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — Laney is coming off a six-win season and a playoff appearance. But the biggest change heading into 2026 is a new face leading the program.
The Buccaneers have a new head coach in Coraey Houser, who is no stranger to high school football in the Cape Fear.
“I’m a Wilmington native. Graduated from Hoggard High School. I played football at Hoggard High School. Went to ECU, became a PE teacher. After becoming a PE teacher, I got hired on the staff at Hoggard, so I did four years at Hoggard, five years at New Hanover, and now I’m here, year 10,” Houser explained.
When the Laney job opened, Houser said it was a no-brainer.
“It was just a goal that I always had to become a head coach. My 10th year of my coaching career, and here it is. God blessed me with the opportunity to do it,” Houser said.
Houser takes over for Steve Brooks, who resigned after going 6-5 in his only season with the Buccaneers. Houser becomes Laney’s third head coach in three years.
“It was the right opportunity for me because I just felt like they just needed a coach. I got a couple of guys out here that had three head coaches their last three years, so they’re looking for that stability,” Houser said.
As Laney begins a new chapter, the Buccaneers are also looking to revive a piece of the program’s past.
“2001 was the last time Laney won a conference championship, so it’s been a long time. It’s been 25 years since they did that, and during that span, they were called the ‘Killer Bees,’ where they were just running around, stinging. If you know a bee, they’re a pest, they’re aggravating, and they will sting you. So we just wanna be that type, just fast, physical, swarming to the football, just causing chaos on the field, but it’s controlled chaos. That way everybody knows that when they play Laney, they play a tough, physical style team,” Houser said.
For the players, the focus is on carrying that mentality through an entire game, no matter the score.
“How we’re gonna respond to certain situations. Say we are down, what we gonna do or how we gonna get back on top? Or say we are on top, how we not gonna get complacent and finish,” senior running back Jeremiah Brown said.
While Houser has big goals for Friday nights, he also wants his impact to go beyond football.
“I would do anything for them, give them the shirt off my back, and just make sure they’re good. But I like to use the football aspect to teach them throughout life,” Houser said.
It’s an approach the team says is already bringing them closer together.
“I want them to remember how much of a team we are. We’re a brotherhood pretty much here. We’re all family, and we play like a family,” senior free safety Joe Deffinbaugh said.
Houser shares Laney will be the only New Hanover County team opening the season at home. The Buccaneers host D.H. Conley on Aug. 21 at 7 p.m., giving them a chance to begin the Houser era in front of their own fans.
