2026 Preview: Chapin Eagles

In honor of the five-site Prep RedZone Media Days series this June and July, we're giving everyone a 50% offer code on all subscriptions throughout July 31. Get access to more than 100 team previews and everything else we have in store for readers as we gear up for the 2026 football season. <a href="https://prepredzone.com/subscribe">Simply head to our subscription page</a> and use the code "przscmediaday2026" at checkout to take advantage of the savings.   For a team that went 0-10 last year, lost a couple NCAA Division-I players and had to hire a new coach, Chapin has reasons for optimism that extend well beyond the fact there's nowhere to go but up.   For our money, we're having a hard time not starting with the Eagles' reshaped offensive line.   Tackle [player_tooltip player_id='1824393' first='Luke' last='Prochak'] (6-foot-6, 255 pounds) and guard Hank Olds (6-foot-4, 290) form up an impressive left side. Right tackle [player_tooltip player_id='2174886' first='Thomas' last='Griffin'] (6-foot-1, 270) is the other newcomer, while center [player_tooltip player_id='1818507' first='Kemp' last='Tisdale'] (6-foot, 295) and right guard [player_tooltip player_id='1824391' first='Grady' last='Meetze'] (6-foot-2, 270) have spent the last 12 calendar months preparing to and then starting for a full season.   That's an average of 6-foot-3 and 276 pounds, which is a fine place to start for a rebuild.   But as far as their mental preparedness, we asked one of the guys asked with going up against them in practice.    “At the beginning, they weren't looking great,” defensive tackle [player_tooltip player_id='2182512' first='Clinton' last='Gentry'] said during last week's Prep RedZone Media Days series at Gilbert. “But they're looking good now. They've gotten a lot more competitive. They've kind of got that edge to them now. They want to go out and win. They're chippy now.”   Some feistiness is a welcome sign for a program that lost nine of those 10 games by 22 points or more last fall.   It might also be a table setter for a large number of players who have limited to no varsity experience, are changing positions at this level or haven't played the game at all.    “We're going to have probably 25-plus guys playing this year who haven't played varsity football before,” first-year coach Cory Helms said after coming over from Pelion in January. “We have some guys who haven't played football - mostly baseball players - and we graduated 40 seniors last year. We have a lot of JV guys coming up. They're talented players. They just haven't played varsity before. They're young and don't have a lot of experience. But they have a lot of potential.”   If the relatively new-look line sets a positive tone, the rest of the bunch may follow right behind them and help that rebuild's progress.   STARS SET TO SHINE   [player_tooltip player_id='1811070' first='Parker' last='Collins'] LB, 2027 (pictured) - Collins didn't simply lead the team in tackles last year while putting up 77 stops. He did so while starting the season playing alongside another linebacker who was getting plenty of recruiting headlines but was unable to finish the season. Collins took over, constantly reminding people that he was there, even during many of those lopsided results.   [player_tooltip player_id='2182512' first='Clinton' last='Gentry'] DL, 2027 - Gentry is the other senior Eagle on that side of the ball popping in with some serious experience. He's put up at least 25 tackles and seven tackles for loss in each of the last two seasons while letting folks know his relatively small 5-foot-10, 220-pound frame was run by one heck of a motor.    [player_tooltip player_id='1816823' first='Zauron' last='Mack'] DB, 2028 - The Dutch Fork transfer is still a relative unknown who was playing on the sub-varsity with the Silver Foxes but has already earned a starting cornerback job with the Eagles for this year. He's got sprinter speed and a true coverage mentality.    [player_tooltip player_id='1824923' first='Charlie' last='Todd'] DB, 2027 - Todd will be manning the team's free safety spot and will at times have no issue lending some support against opposing rushing attacks. His primary job, though, will be cutting down on some of the home run passes teams often utilized last year. He has two career picks on his resume to go along with 74 career tackles.   FILM REVIEW   [player_tooltip player_id='1818507' first='Kemp' last='Tisdale'] OL, 2027 - A year ago, Tisdale was still trying to earn a starting spot at guard and gave coaches more than enough reason to plug him in on the left side. In recent months, he's now show a mostly newer staff that he can handle even more responsibility. His quick first step and knowledge of the offense will mean a move to center for this season. Tisdale's lateral movement in traffic is already proven. And how he incorporates that after the snap could be a boon for a young offense.     BIGGEST LOSSES   Caden Muskus OL - The Touchstone Energy Cooperatives Bowl and all-state selection inked with Appalachian State chasing his esteemed Chapin career.    [player_tooltip player_id='2156062' first='Caleb' last='Davis'] DB/LB - Davis appeared in his first varsity game in 2022 as a freshman and went on to play 31 more games and put up 167 tackles over the course of his career.   UP-AND-COMING POTENTIAL   [player_tooltip player_id='1818504' first='Harper' last='Ellerbee'] RB, 2029 - Ellerbee has been one of the key talking points of this team since Helms took over the program during the offseason. He played 10 games last fall, mostly in the secondary, but now he's making the switch to tailback and is slated to start behind that big offensive line.   Trey Pollock DB, 2029 - Similar to Mack, Pollock transferred over from Dutch Fork this spring after a slew of incoming transfers started filling up the Silver Foxes' roster. For Pollock, the move to Chapin means the 6-foot-1, 190-pound safety isn't simply going to see playing time, he's expected to start.    Gravelle isn't young. In fact, he was a starter at safety last year and finished the season with 37 tackles. But as a senior, he's going to bring his height to the offense and play an inside-out tight end spot that will have him moving all over the field.    He's got plenty of upper body strength to add another blocking component while simultaneously possessing enough speed to create some problems in the passing attack.   He's got the look of an excellent safety valve as he morphs from blocker to pass catcher inside the same play..

In honor of the five-site Prep RedZone Media Days series this June and July, we're giving everyone a 50% offer code on all subscriptions throughout July 31. Get access to more than 100 team previews and everything else we have in store for readers as we gear up for the 2026 football season. Simply head to our subscription page and use the code "przscmediaday2026" at checkout to take advantage of the savings.

For a team that went 0-10 last year, lost a couple NCAA Division-I players and had to hire a new coach, Chapin has reasons for optimism that extend well beyond the fact there's nowhere to go but up.

For our money, we're having a hard time not starting with the Eagles' reshaped offensive line.

Tackle Luke Prochak Luke Prochak Chapin | 2027 SC (6-foot-6, 255 pounds) and guard Hank Olds (6-foot-4, 290) form up an impressive left side. Right tackle Thomas Griffin Thomas Griffin 6'2" | 276 lbs SC (6-foot-1, 270) is the other newcomer, while center Kemp Tisdale Kemp Tisdale 6'0" | 288 lbs | OL Chapin | 2028 State SC (6-foot, 295) and right guard Grady Meetze Grady Meetze 6'2" | 278 lbs | OL Chapin | 2028 SC (6-foot-2, 270) have spent the last 12 calendar months preparing to and then starting for a full season.

That's an average of 6-foot-3 and 276 pounds, which is a fine place to start for a rebuild.

But as far as their mental preparedness, we asked one of the guys asked with going up against them in practice.

“At the beginning, they weren't looking great,” defensive tackle Clinton Gentry Clinton Gentry 5'10" | 225 lbs SC said during last week's Prep RedZone Media Days series at Gilbert. “But they're looking good now. They've gotten a lot more competitive. They've kind of got that edge to them now. They want to go out and win. They're chippy now.”

Some feistiness is a welcome sign for a program that lost nine of those 10 games by 22 points or more last fall.

It might also be a table setter for a large number of players who have limited to no varsity experience, are changing positions at this level or haven't played the game at all.

“We're going to have probably 25-plus guys playing this year who haven't played varsity football before,” first-year coach Cory Helms said after coming over from Pelion in January. “We have some guys who haven't played football - mostly baseball players - and we graduated 40 seniors last year. We have a lot of JV guys coming up. They're talented players. They just haven't played varsity before. They're young and don't have a lot of experience. But they have a lot of potential.”

If the relatively new-look line sets a positive tone, the rest of the bunch may follow right behind them and help that rebuild's progress.

STARS SET TO SHINE

Parker Collins Parker Collins 5'11" | 190 lbs | LB Chapin | 2027 State SC LB, 2027 (pictured) - Collins didn't simply lead the team in tackles last year while putting up 77 stops. He did so while starting the season playing alongside another linebacker who was getting plenty of recruiting headlines but was unable to finish the season. Collins took over, constantly reminding people that he was there, even during many of those lopsided results.

Clinton Gentry Clinton Gentry 5'10" | 225 lbs SC DL, 2027 - Gentry is the other senior Eagle on that side of the ball popping in with some serious experience. He's put up at least 25 tackles and seven tackles for loss in each of the last two seasons while letting folks know his relatively small 5-foot-10, 220-pound frame was run by one heck of a motor.

Zauron Mack Zauron Mack 5'11" Dutch Fork | 2028 SC DB, 2028 - The Dutch Fork transfer is still a relative unknown who was playing on the sub-varsity with the Silver Foxes but has already earned a starting cornerback job with the Eagles for this year. He's got sprinter speed and a true coverage mentality.

Charlie Todd Charlie Todd 6'0" Chapin | 2027 SC DB, 2027 - Todd will be manning the team's free safety spot and will at times have no issue lending some support against opposing rushing attacks. His primary job, though, will be cutting down on some of the home run passes teams often utilized last year. He has two career picks on his resume to go along with 74 career tackles.

FILM REVIEW

Kemp Tisdale Kemp Tisdale 6'0" | 288 lbs | OL Chapin | 2028 State SC OL, 2027 - A year ago, Tisdale was still trying to earn a starting spot at guard and gave coaches more than enough reason to plug him in on the left side. In recent months, he's now show a mostly newer staff that he can handle even more responsibility. His quick first step and knowledge of the offense will mean a move to center for this season. Tisdale's lateral movement in traffic is already proven. And how he incorporates that after the snap could be a boon for a young offense.

BIGGEST LOSSES

Caden Muskus OL - The Touchstone Energy Cooperatives Bowl and all-state selection inked with Appalachian State chasing his esteemed Chapin career.

Caleb Davis Caleb Davis 5'10" | 165 lbs | QB Wando | 2029 SC DB/LB - Davis appeared in his first varsity game in 2022 as a freshman and went on to play 31 more games and put up 167 tackles over the course of his career.

UP-AND-COMING POTENTIAL

Harper Ellerbee Harper Ellerbee 5'11" | 190 lbs | ATH Chapin | 2029 State SC RB, 2029 - Ellerbee has been one of the key talking points of this team since Helms took over the program during the offseason. He played 10 games last fall, mostly in the secondary, but now he's making the switch to tailback and is slated to start behind that big offensive line.

Trey Pollock DB, 2029 - Similar to Mack, Pollock transferred over from Dutch Fork this spring after a slew of incoming transfers started filling up the Silver Foxes' roster. For Pollock, the move to Chapin means the 6-foot-1, 190-pound safety isn't simply going to see playing time, he's expected to start.