2025 Preview: Fort Mill Yellow Jackets

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Times have been tough for Fort Mill football over the last several years.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Yellow Jackets have not eclipsed five wins since the 2015-16 season, and they've been searching for answers as to why the struggles have been so bad and what they can do to improve things.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>A new offensive scheme could turn things around and Fort Mill head coach Rob McNeely is entrusting his young group with learning the system and developing through its kinks throughout the season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>"We've been a flexbone triple option team the last couple of years and now our offense is more adapt in giving our defense looks they're going to see throughout the year," McNeely said at the Prep RedZone Media Day. "Being a new offense that we are, I just want to see us keep developing in that aspect of things."</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>As we said above, it is a bit of an inexperienced group. That all starts under center with the ongoing quarterback battle between <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1149056' first='Quinn' last='Kelly']</strong> and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1266099' first='Broden' last='Mitcheson']</strong>. Outside of the quarterback room, players such as <strong>Jameson Terrell</strong> and <strong>Andrew Kowalski</strong> are going to be expected to contribute both offensively and defensively if the team has any hopes of improving its 2-7 record from last season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>STARS SET TO SHINE</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1267211' first='Gray' last='Patterson']</strong> LB, 2026 - Speaking to Patterson (pictured above) at the media day made one thing very clear; he oozes with confidence. The Charlotte football commit stands at six-foot-three, 210 pounds but looks much bigger. Injuries held him out of half the season last year, but he was still able to rack up 20 tackles and an interception. A fully healthy Patterson on both offense and defense in 2025 could signal big things for both him and the team.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1394975' first='Joseph' last='Duey']</strong> LB, 2026 - It's quite the duo at linebacker with Patterson and Huey roaming the field. Huey was undoubtedly the best player on defense for the Yellow Jackets last season, finishing the year with 78 tackles, four tackles for loss, two fumble recoveries and an interception. He also tallied up 64 yards in the kickoff return game and with an expected uptick in offensive production, a big year could be in store for the senior.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1266099' first='Broden' last='Mitcheson']</strong> QB, 2027 - We just mentioned Mitcheson when discussing the QB competition and if he is unable to win that battle, he can still be productive on offense. He rushed for 365 yards and two touchdowns on 84 carries last season. He did lead Fort Mill with 565 passing yards but was also the leader with seven interceptions and a lost fumble. Ball security will be one of his most important steps in what he hopes to be a breakout junior season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1769084' first='Josiah' last='Mcgill']</strong> LB, 2027 - Mcgill had a solid sophomore season with 25 total tackles and three tackles for loss. The graduation of several seniors in front of him on last year's depth chart means he will more than likely see an increased role in playing time and could be expected to nearly double his total numbers from last year.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>FILM REVIEW</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1149056' first='Quinn' last='Kelly']</strong> QB, 2026 - We mentioned Kelly above when discussing the ongoing QB battle and if he can replicate and improve on some of the things he did last season, he'll win the job. He finished the season with 522 passing yards and five touchdowns. He did, however, throw four interceptions and have a completion percentage of just 38.8% for the season. Those two things will definitely need to be areas of improvement, especially in a new offensive system.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/hudl {"name":"acf/hudl","data":{"embed_code":"u003ciframe src='https://www.hudl.com/embed/video/3/17734139/66cb18232e2fb8af79f68d38' width='640' height='360' frameborder='0' allowfullscreenu003eu003c/iframeu003e","_embed_code":"field_62daf7995fd8c"},"mode":"edit","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-686bd3143c218"} /--> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>BIGGEST LOSSES</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Tanner Mays</strong> ATH - Mays did it all for Fort Mill last season, totaling 586 yards and four touchdowns in the receiving game as well as 113 yards in the kick return game and 39 punt return yards. He led all players with 738 all-purpose yards on the season, almost 400 yards more than any other player.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Josh Welch</strong> LB - Besides the previously mentioned Duey, Welch was the best player on defense for the Yellow Jackets last season. He was second in tackles with 48 and was tied with Duey for the team lead with four tackles for loss. Some of the younger players will have a hard time replicating his success and production this season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>UP-AND-COMING POTENTIAL</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Mason Burt</strong> WR/DB, 2028 - Burt did not see any action for the varsity squad in 2024, but he's had a big-time showing in camps and 7-on-7 events this summer and he could be in line to be a surprise breakout candidate at either receiver or in the secondary.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Andrew Kowalski</strong> RB, 2027 - Kowalski got one carry all of last season, and it went for 35 yards and a touchdown. Defensively, he had ten total tackles and two fumble recoveries. He should be much more involved on both sides of the ball this season and his production should skyrocket in his junior season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":1704816,"_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"Smith Stapleton","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2027","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"null","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_weight":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_weight":"field_65b288425ecf6","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"2406","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"Fort Mill","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-686bd50c6519d"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Stapleton appeared in five of nine games last season and did really good work when he was able to see the field. He finished the year with 10 total tackles, three tackles for loss and two sacks. He should see an increased role in playing time this season and will have a chance to learn and grow behind Patterson and Duey.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->