2025 Preview: JL Mann Patriots

There will be plenty of new faces for JL Mann this season, starting on the sideline. Former Gaffney defensive coordinator Bryce Smiley has taken over as the Patriots' head coach. Smiley replaces Scoot Watson, who's now head coach at Greenville after guiding Mann to unprecedented heights.   Following Smiley's playing career at Gaffney and Presbyterian College, he spent the past 15 seasons as an assistant for the Indians. Tradition-wise, going from Gaffney to Mann will be a whole new world for Smiley. However, traditions don't ultimately define what happens on Friday nights each fall. Smiley is taking over a program that could stand toe-to-toe with anyone lately as the Patriots have gone 20-6 over the past two seasons. No Mann team has ever won more games over a two-year stretch.   Smiley was a witness to what kind of atmosphere that kind of success could create last season. With perhaps the biggest crowd ever at Mann's Slaton Field looking on, Gaffney pulled out a thrilling 42-40 win in overtime. That score really wasn't indicative of the defensive performances that night as Smiley's defense had 16 stops for negative or no gain. That was part of a 9-3 season for the Patriots, who fell to Spartanburg in the third round of the Class 5A Division I playoffs.   "You maybe don't have that inherited storied tradition of generations of family all playing for the same school (like Gaffney) in your more metropolitan schools (like Mann). That's not something that just happens overnight, but what you can get here is confidence," Smiley said. "The two ways to get confidence are by winning and knowing that you've outworked people. That's kind of been our mindset all summer is to know we've outworked people. We've actually had to dial it in and make sure we're not overdoing it.   "We've got a group of kids that have tasted success and they want it to be turned up a little bit. ... We're going to be disciplined and we're going to outwork people. That helps leadership develop and when you add those aspects to an already hungry group, I think you're brewing something special."   A big task this season is replacing a ton of Class of 2025 players who keyed much of Mann's success. Those lost to graduation include three running backs who combined for more than 2,000 yards rushing, five receivers who combined for more than 1,500 yards receiving and the top six leaders in tackles on defense last season.   One position not wiped out by graduation is quarterback, where senior [player_tooltip player_id='1420582' first='McLeod' last='Darnell'] is back. Darnell was enjoying a solid first season as a starter last fall, before an injury brought an abrupt end to it halfway through the season.   "He's going to be the one that makes us go this year. He's a tough kid and a grinder," Smiley said. "He's a catcher for the baseball team, so that tells you about his toughness."   A big target for Darnell this season looks to be senior Camden Robinson. The 6-foot-2, 185-pound Robinson is looking to be next in what's been a run of standout receivers for the Patriots in recent seasons.   "I was mainly a JV developmental player last year. So coming into this season, I just want to give it my all and make every play count," Robinson said. "The biggest goal though is to win. Just get that win every week."   Leading the way up front to protect Darnell will be junior Luke Penland (pictured above), who will be the Patriots' leader along the defensive front as well. According to Smiley, Penland is one of a few who will play both ways.   While it's not unheard of for a 5A program to have guys play on each side of the ball, it is rare. That's just how important Penland, who's played only on defense in the past, is in the trenches. Even though he won't be a "senior leader" until next season, he's embraced the role of leading both lines.   "In thinking of leadership, I don't think age is very important for it," Penland said. "I think a lot of people will follow as long as I put in the work. That's what I try to hold myself to every day."   Smiley knows a thing or two about coaching linebackers and he's excited about the group he's inherited this season. That group will be led by seniors Jordyn Turner-Butler and Hunter Rogers, along with juniors [player_tooltip player_id='1271256' first='Major' last='Workman'] and Shaun Carvalho. Senior safety Riggs Manning leads the secondary.   Turner-Butler, who goes by "JTB," is looking forward to making his mark at linebacker after moving from the secondary. He's probably got more experience that anyone else returning on defense.   "It's been a blessing to have been a part of that defense, because the winning just gets embedded in you," Turner-Butler said. "This season, I want to be the tone setter. When we're in the locker room getting ready for the game, I want people to feed off my mentality and energy."   Mann has what Smiley calls a "field position game changer" returning in punter/kicker [player_tooltip player_id='1720507' first='Philip' last='Georgopoulos']. The junior has shined in offseason kicking camps and competitions.   STARS SET TO SHINE   Camden Robinson WR, 2026 - Smiley said Robinson might be the most consistent worker he's seen this offseason. Out of a little more than 60 votes, Smiley received 49 votes by his teammates to be a captain this summer.   [player_tooltip player_id='1420582' first='McLeod' last='Darnell'] QB, 2026 - Prior to his season-ending injury last fall, Darnell completed 68 percent of his passes for 1,090 yards with 11 touchdowns and three interceptions in five-and-a-half games. He also had 41 yards rushing on five attempts.   Luke Penland DL/OL, 2027 - Penland has been impressive enough in summer camps that the 6-foot-3, 260-pound lineman recently earned his first offer from East Carolina.   Shaun Carvalho LB, 2027 - At 6-foot-3 and 205 pounds, Carvalho's length could be pose problems for opponents. "He's been a ball hawk this spring," Smiley said. "We're expecting really big things from him."   FILM REVIEW   Jordyn Turner-Butler LB, 2026 - Smiley said "JTB" has been learning to play both inside and outside linebacker after seeing a good deal of playing time at strong safety in the past. As his film shows, he played safety like he was a linebacker though. Turner-Butler is a hard hitter who often lined up close behind the defensive line last season.    BIGGEST LOSSES   Ladainnian Martin RB - Martin capped off a brilliant high school career with 1,167 yards rushing and 16 touchdowns last season. Martin, who averaged more than nine yards per carry, is now playing at Georgia State.   Wyatt Ward LB - Ward was simply at tackling machine during his career at Mann and he finished it off with a team-leading 132 stops last year, including 29 tackles-for-loss. He's now playing at Wofford.   UP-AND-COMING POTENTIAL   Kevarion Massey RB, 2028 - Smiley said Mann will have kind of a running back by committee. Massey, the youngest of the bunch, is competing with senior Aiden Williams and junior Evan "Buddy" Griffin to see who might tote the ball the most.   Wyatt Pullman OL, 2028 - Pullman transferred to Mann from California in the spring. Smiley said the 6-foot-3, 230-pound sophomore is "going to be really good."    Workman is not an unknown around Mann by any means but after missing nearly all of last season due to injury, he's certainly someone to keep an eye on this year. Workman, who tore an ACL in the second kickoff of last season's opener, will work as at outside linebacker and also a stand-up defensive end. His size and quickness could give opposing offensive tackles fits. "He's a guy that our defense is really built around, honestly," Smiley said. "He's back healthy and is strong as ever."

There will be plenty of new faces for JL Mann this season, starting on the sideline. Former Gaffney defensive coordinator Bryce Smiley has taken over as the Patriots' head coach. Smiley replaces Scoot Watson, who's now head coach at Greenville after guiding Mann to unprecedented heights.