2025 Preview: Chapin Eagles

A year ago, mere weeks after Ryan Cole was named Chapin's next football coach, he took time during the Prep RedZone Media Days talking about the crux of his roster philosophy.    Now, mere weeks from the start of his second season in charge of the Eagles, his messaging has remained the same. More importantly, though, was it filtering down to the players themselves?   “I feel like it has. Anybody has a chance to play on varsity, whether you're a ninth grader, tenth, 11th or 12th,” Cole said Friday during the media day at Westwood. “But I want those kids to know they have to earn that right. It's not just going to be given to you. If you're the best kid at that position in our program, it doesn't matter what grade you're in, you'll play. … I like that. It builds a competitive edge.”   It's giving Chapin a fighting chance after losing a decent amount of talent to graduations and transfers. It's also proving itself to be an effective way to let the cream rise to the top.   Yes, there are big-time seniors like left tackle [player_tooltip player_id='1395031' first='Caden' last='Muskus'] (Appalachian State commit) and linebacker [player_tooltip player_id='1127889' first='Palmer' last='Flake'] (Wofford). But there's also freshmen and sophomores who have risen quickly to join the ranks of the upperclassmen. Offensive guard Kemp Tisdale will be a sophomore. Safety Harper Ellerbe hasn't even taken his first high school class yet. And they're both going to be on the field a lot.    The junior class has also started to establish itself as well.    Guys like safety Charlie Todd and kicker/receiver Beckham Diimler (returning from injury) further spread the wealth away from the senior class. But the elders will still be expected to lead the way, especially given some of the departures.   Big center [player_tooltip player_id='1337939' first='Mason' last='Hetlinger'] (6-foot-3, 275 pounds) will be charged with not only snapping but protecting new quarterback Brock Smith. Fellow senior and former linebacker [player_tooltip player_id='1267269' first='Luke' last='Cromer'] will be transitioning to tailback back in an attempt to fill the void left by [player_tooltip player_id='1592297' first='Cole' last='Martin'] - who transferred out this offseason.    Martin wasn't the only early departure spurred by the recent SCHSL policy change, of course, but thinking this squad is dwelling on transfers would be naive. They have bigger plans.   “You can't focus on people who leave, because they're old news,” Muskus said. “Good for them. I hope they succeed. But we've got to focus on our team and what we want to accomplish. We've got a clear goal this year, and that's to make it all the way.”   STARS SET TO SHINE   [player_tooltip player_id='1708773' first='Caleb' last='Davis'] LB/DB, 2026 - The team's leading tackler last fall finished with 69 total stops. He also forced a fumble, recovered one and picked off two passes. He's got some freakish athletic ability and the type of speed and reach that allows him to flip from run stopper to someone who drops into coverage.   [player_tooltip player_id='1395031' first='Caden' last='Muskus'] OL, 2026 - The Appalachian State verbal commitment is even bigger now than the 6-foot-4, 253-pound verification he got some 16 months ago. He's got a monster wingspan, excellent upper and lower body strength and is every bit of a prototypical offensive tackle, both at this level and the next.    Beckham Diimler K/WR, 2027 - Diimler lost all but three games of his 2024 season to a torn ACL. In those three games, he caught nine passes for 70 yards. More importantly, he's the Eagles' kicker. He connected on 17-of-18 PATs in that short span while also knocking in a 37-yard field goal. He's expected to be ready to go for the year.    [player_tooltip player_id='1667314' first='Peyton' last='Griffin'] DB, 2026 - Griffin put up an impressive showing at the Carolinas Coaches Combine in April and was then brought back for the Invite Only portion of the series in May. He's got 22-miles-per-hour type of speed and is coming off a junior season in which he had four interceptions, including two in the early win over AC Flora.    FILM REVIEW    [player_tooltip player_id='1127889' first='Palmer' last='Flake'] LB, 2026 - While Flake has been known to AC Flora fans, especially after he piled up 80 tackles, nine tackles for loss and a pick last fall, his transfer to Chapin gives the Eagles a physical middle linebacker who loves to run down hill. He verbally committed to Wofford earlier this month. As icing on the cake, Flake is also well-versed as a tailback in short-yardage-carry situations, something else Chapin can use at its discretion.     BIGGEST LOSSES    Brady Albro QB - The Newberry signee and Touchstone Energy Cooperatives Bowl selection was a three-year starter who threw for 8,000 career yards for the Eagles.    Nathan Gilley OL - The 6-foot-2, 275-pound lineman was a productive and consistent force in protecting Albro before eventually signing with Lenoir-Rhyne.    UP-AND-COMING POTENTIAL   Harper Ellerbe DB, 2029 - A 5-foot-9, 180-pound three-sport athlete, Ellerbe is going to see a lot of snaps in the secondary as a free safety or strong safety. Cole said Ellerbe is already more than confident to challenge opposing players and should make an immediate impact as a freshman.    Kemp Tisdale OL, 2028 - Tisdale is looking more and more like a Chapin starter by the time the season gets here. And if he's starting at left guard, he'll be alongside Muskus. The duo could form one heck of a connection for the 2025 season.     Collins started much of last year and finished with 51 tackles and 13 tackles for loss. Now a junior, the program will need him to be even more consistent with his production. But his ceiling in that regard is quite high, especially considering he won't have to be the guy on the Eagles' defense this fall.    This is from one of his best games of 2024, when he showed up big time in a narrow playoff victory against Goose Creek.

A year ago, mere weeks after Ryan Cole was named Chapin's next football coach, he took time during the Prep RedZone Media Days talking about the crux of his roster philosophy.

Now, mere weeks from the start of his second season in charge of the Eagles, his messaging has remained the same. More importantly, though, was it filtering down to the players themselves?

“I feel like it has. Anybody has a chance to play on varsity, whether you're a ninth grader, tenth, 11th or 12th,” Cole said Friday during the media day at Westwood. “But I want those kids to know they have to earn that right. It's not just going to be given to you. If you're the best kid at that position in our program, it doesn't matter what grade you're in, you'll play. … I like that. It builds a competitive edge.”

It's giving Chapin a fighting chance after losing a decent amount of talent to graduations and transfers. It's also proving itself to be an effective way to let the cream rise to the top.

Yes, there are big-time seniors like left tackle Caden Muskus Caden Muskus 6'4" | 285 lbs | OL Chapin | 2026 State SC (Appalachian State commit) and linebacker Palmer Flake Palmer Flake 6'2" | 210 lbs | LB Chapin | 2026 State SC (Wofford). But there's also freshmen and sophomores who have risen quickly to join the ranks of the upperclassmen. Offensive guard Kemp Tisdale will be a sophomore. Safety Harper Ellerbe hasn't even taken his first high school class yet. And they're both going to be on the field a lot.

The junior class has also started to establish itself as well.

Guys like safety Charlie Todd and kicker/receiver Beckham Diimler (returning from injury) further spread the wealth away from the senior class. But the elders will still be expected to lead the way, especially given some of the departures.

Big center Mason Hetlinger Mason Hetlinger 6'3" | 275 lbs | OL Chapin | 2026 State SC (6-foot-3, 275 pounds) will be charged with not only snapping but protecting new quarterback Brock Smith. Fellow senior and former linebacker Luke Cromer Luke Cromer 5'10" | 185 lbs | LB Chapin | 2026 SC will be transitioning to tailback back in an attempt to fill the void left by Cole Martin Cole Martin 5'10" | 185 lbs | RB Dutch Fork | 2026 State SC - who transferred out this offseason.

Martin wasn't the only early departure spurred by the recent SCHSL policy change, of course, but thinking this squad is dwelling on transfers would be naive. They have bigger plans.

“You can't focus on people who leave, because they're old news,” Muskus said. “Good for them. I hope they succeed. But we've got to focus on our team and what we want to accomplish. We've got a clear goal this year, and that's to make it all the way.”

STARS SET TO SHINE

Caleb Davis Caleb Davis 6'0" | 185 lbs | LB Chapin | 2026 State SC LB/DB, 2026 - The team's leading tackler last fall finished with 69 total stops. He also forced a fumble, recovered one and picked off two passes. He's got some freakish athletic ability and the type of speed and reach that allows him to flip from run stopper to someone who drops into coverage.

Caden Muskus Caden Muskus 6'4" | 285 lbs | OL Chapin | 2026 State SC OL, 2026 - The Appalachian State verbal commitment is even bigger now than the 6-foot-4, 253-pound verification he got some 16 months ago. He's got a monster wingspan, excellent upper and lower body strength and is every bit of a prototypical offensive tackle, both at this level and the next.

Beckham Diimler K/WR, 2027 - Diimler lost all but three games of his 2024 season to a torn ACL. In those three games, he caught nine passes for 70 yards. More importantly, he's the Eagles' kicker. He connected on 17-of-18 PATs in that short span while also knocking in a 37-yard field goal. He's expected to be ready to go for the year.

Peyton Griffin Peyton Griffin 6'0" | 150 lbs | DB Chapin | 2026 State SC DB, 2026 - Griffin put up an impressive showing at the Carolinas Coaches Combine in April and was then brought back for the Invite Only portion of the series in May. He's got 22-miles-per-hour type of speed and is coming off a junior season in which he had four interceptions, including two in the early win over AC Flora.

FILM REVIEW

Palmer Flake Palmer Flake 6'2" | 210 lbs | LB Chapin | 2026 State SC LB, 2026 - While Flake has been known to AC Flora fans, especially after he piled up 80 tackles, nine tackles for loss and a pick last fall, his transfer to Chapin gives the Eagles a physical middle linebacker who loves to run down hill. He verbally committed to Wofford earlier this month. As icing on the cake, Flake is also well-versed as a tailback in short-yardage-carry situations, something else Chapin can use at its discretion.

BIGGEST LOSSES

Brady Albro QB - The Newberry signee and Touchstone Energy Cooperatives Bowl selection was a three-year starter who threw for 8,000 career yards for the Eagles.

Nathan Gilley OL - The 6-foot-2, 275-pound lineman was a productive and consistent force in protecting Albro before eventually signing with Lenoir-Rhyne.

UP-AND-COMING POTENTIAL

Harper Ellerbe DB, 2029 - A 5-foot-9, 180-pound three-sport athlete, Ellerbe is going to see a lot of snaps in the secondary as a free safety or strong safety. Cole said Ellerbe is already more than confident to challenge opposing players and should make an immediate impact as a freshman.

Kemp Tisdale OL, 2028 - Tisdale is looking more and more like a Chapin starter by the time the season gets here. And if he's starting at left guard, he'll be alongside Muskus. The duo could form one heck of a connection for the 2025 season.