SUMMERVILLE, S.C. (AP) — Summerville coach John McKissick gave up football gimmicks soon after he entered coaching six decades ago. Now, the 86-year-old's steady, fundamental approach has him on the verge of his 600th victory.

"Yeah, I guess it's getting exciting around here," McKissick quipped.

McKissick long ago became football's all-time wins leader at any level — high-school, college or the pros. He broke Gordon Wood's high school mark in 1993 with win No. 406. Ten years later, McKissick notched his 500th victory — all with the basics of a strong run game and stifling defense.

McKissick goes for the milestone Friday night at rival Ashley Ridge.

He is almost 80 victories ahead of the coach in second place, John T. Curtis Jr., the John Curtis Christian School coach in Louisiana who's got 513 wins and is the only other coach to surpass 500.

St. John's (Minn.) coach John Gagliardi is the college leader with 487 victories while Don Shula holds the professional mark with 347 wins.

It's been a long journey for McKissick, who hasn't wavered in his approach.

The coach remembers feeling pressure to create something new on offense a couple of years after arriving at Summerville in 1952. So he put two halfbacks on either side of the center, creating confusion for a spying linebacker. McKissick said the oddball formation resulted in a long touchdown run — until officials called it back and told the coach the formation was illegal.

"That's when I decided I was through with tricks," he said, laughing.

McKissick's done just fine in 61 seasons. He's 599-147-13 with the Green Wave, winning 10 state titles. He has had just two losing seasons — in 1957 and 2001.

"I've been lucky to have good players, good coaches and school administrators who support me and the kids," McKissick said.

McKissick needed six victories entering this year to reach 600 and Summerville's 2-4 start had the coaching wondering if the milestone might wait until next year. The Green Wave rallied with three straight victories to set up Friday night's latest try at history.

But McKissick is going to have to earn it.

Bobby Behr, a former Summerville assistant who was on McKissick's staff when the coach notched his 500th victory, is now athletic director at Ashley Ridge. Behr said many on the Ashley Ridge staff have played or coached for McKissick.

"We love Coach," he said. "But we're going to try and stop him. He knows that."

Summerville offensive coordinator Joe Call said the players have been aware win No. 600 was on the horizon since the summer.

"These players, especially the seniors, want to be part of the group that gets Coach that victory," he said.

McKissick has built that loyalty since stepping onto the field as Green Wave coach 60 years ago. While styles and trends change, teenagers still want discipline and rules, McKissick said. There's no long, shaggy hair in the locker room, just as there wasn't in 1952. If his players don't follow rules, they don't stay long at Summerville.

"That's always been that way," said Call, who is McKissick's grandson and a former Green Wave quarterback.

McKissick's produced several NFL players in his career, including Stanford and Keith Jennings and Cincinnati Bengals receiver A.J. Green.

McKissick quickly make his mark on the town with an 8-1-2 mark in his debut season. The first championship came three years later. McKissick's most dominant run occurred from 1975-84 when Summerville was a 124-13, had three undefeated seasons and won four state titles.

McKissick's last championship came in 1998.

Call said every so often McKissick will hear from fans unhappy the Green Wave haven't had a title to celebrate in 14 years. Then again, Summerville and McKissick have won almost 100 games in 10 seasons.

"So how much of a drop off is that?" Call asks. "We're still winning games."

Curtis, head coach of the Louisiana school, has a record of 513-54-6. At 65, Curtis seems like he could eventually catch McKissick.

"I don't know how long I want to stay out in that Louisiana heat for practices," he said, laughing.

Curtis said it takes a special person with a strong commitment to young people to keep coaching this long.

"I'm sure he's had numerous opportunities to go the next level and felt his calling, and it is a calling, is right where he is," Curtis said.

McKissick has made a few concessions to age and a heart scare about seven years ago that led him to get a pacemaker. He doesn't jog around Summerville's fields too much, using a golf cart to get between fields. He'll let his assistants handle most of the calls, though he gives his input when he doesn't like what's happening on the field, Call said.

Few people talk of retirement anymore, including McKissick's wife of 60 years, Joan. McKissick said in 1993 he reached out to Wood, the Texas coach who previously held the record. He wanted to find out how life was after football.

Wood told him he had an office and visited with friends, sipping coffee and reading the paper. That wasn't for McKissick, who said being around players keeps him young.

"You've got to have something to do in life," he said. "This is what I do."