On Campus: Brookland-Cayce Bearcats

First-year Brookland-Cayce coach Louis Clyburn didn't have things go exactly like he envisioned in his first season at the helm of the Bearcats. They finished with a 3-8 record and a first-round exit in the Class 3A playoffs but that is not going to hinder expectations in going into year two.   There is going to be a lot of retention on the roster and most everyone returning gained a wealth of experience last season. Now the aspect of adding depth and more contributions is at the forefront, likely making this offseason as important, if not more important, than a season ago.   “We think we have some pieces to where we can turn this thing around,” Clyburn said. “Our biggest thing is we need to work on our depth. We had a lot of kids playing both ways and we need to find a way to get them a breather while still being productive.”   Here is a quick look at several players that will be counted on as Clyburn begins to navigate year two as the head coach.   [player_tooltip player_id='1816457' first='Andrew' last='Frick'] QB   Frick (pictured) stepped in and became a natural leader from the beginning despite being just a sophomore. He threw for just shy of 3,000 yards and 18 touchdowns but one point of emphasis this offseason has been to cut down on turnovers. He threw 14 interceptions. But in GA Mangus's pass-happy offense, protecting the ball is super important so making less high risk throws has been something Frick and the long-time college coach has spent a long time working on.   [player_tooltip player_id='1816471' first='Mekhi' last='Pringle'] CB/WR   Pringle was the Bearcats leading receiver as a sophomore and there is still some untapped potential there. He grabbed 36 passes for 523 yards, but he could see those numbers increase as the offense should open up more this coming season with so many experienced returners. Pringle has good twitch and attacks the ball at its highest point, a key element for a receiver.    [player_tooltip player_id='1816469' first='Avery' last='King'] RB King is what you would call a definite dual threat on offense. He ran for 833 yards and added 31 receptions for an additional 240 yards in the passing game. He's compact, durable and should surpass 200 rushing attempts and could catch over 40 passes if things go as planned. He is only a sophomore and has two more years of growth that could reach a high-level college player.    [player_tooltip player_id='1360306' first='Bennett' last='Plane'] ATH   When asked about Plane, Clyburn couldn't come up with enough superlatives to describe the two-way standout. Plane is one of the fastest, if not the fastest, players on the team and shows no fear in any situation. He caught 30 passes for nearly 500 yards and added 59 tackles from his safety position. Plane is physical and strong which makes him durable and tough to bring off the field.   [player_tooltip player_id='1816473' first='Evan' last='Simmons'] LB   It's been well documented that Simmons is a tackling machine and that's backed up with the 136 tackles he ended up with last season. But he's so much more to the Bearcats than just a heat-seeking missile towards the ball carrier. He makes sure defenders are in the correct spot and quarterbacks the defense from his inside linebacker position. He should have a monster senior season.   [player_tooltip player_id='1809651' first='Max' last='Clyburn'] TE   The rising senior missed some time last season with injury but he's a prototypical H-back/tight end with great size (he's 6-foot-4, 230 pounds). He could bring an added element to the offense that was missing during the four weeks he missed last year. He's a coach's son and has a great understanding of the game.      Isaiah Daniels WR   We haven't seen Daniels on the football field, but we know the coaches are excited about the prospects for the 6-foot-3 receiver. He played junior varsity as a freshman and a sophomore but elected to focus on basketball during his junior season. But he's expected to return to football and the staff believes he can be a college recruit before it's all said and done.   [player_tooltip player_id='1817807' first='Anderson' last='Coggins'] OL and Keondre Carmichael OL   The Bearcats will return four starters on the offensive line with Coggins and Carmichael being the anchors. This group is going to have to play fast and be conditioned to handle a quick moving offense. Coggins and Carmichael give the coaching staff some options and how they want to attack. If they can get King loose to run for over 1,200 yards that could open the offense up.     Christian Braxton WR   Braxton is back in the fold after his family moved to North Carolina last year. He's going to be eligible to play and he's going to bring a ton of versatility. He's likely to play outside receiver but he can also play in the slot and great some mismatches with his 6-foot-3 body. He's going to serve as the backup quarterback, and he might have a package or two for him to run.   Ethan Johnson DL/OL   Johnson was pulled up to the varsity team during the season and despite being a freshman handled business like a seasoned veteran. He's going to help a lot on the defensive front and will likely find his way into rotation on the offensive line. His development is going to be fun to watch over the next three seasons.   [player_tooltip player_id='1816463' first='Campbell' last='Parsons'] ATH   Parsons made some big plays defensively and caught several key passes as more of a possession receiver in 2025. He's steady and doesn't mind going in traffic as a receiver or coming up to support against the run from his safety spot. Much like many of the players on this list, Parsons will play both ways and contribute in a number of ways.     [player_tooltip player_id='1825502' first='Deleon' last='Gore'] RB/LB   Gore is another player that was pulled up from the junior varsity during the season and at 225 pounds, he was more than ready for the physicality of playing against older players. He's only a freshman but he should start at a linebacker position and provide a different change of pace as a running back. His role is going to expand greatly in 2026.

First-year Brookland-Cayce coach Louis Clyburn didn't have things go exactly like he envisioned in his first season at the helm of the Bearcats. They finished with a 3-8 record and a first-round exit in the Class 3A playoffs but that is not going to hinder expectations in going into year two.