2026 Team Preview: Grants Pirates

OVERVIEW   The Gene Riedinger Era begins in Grants. Riedinger was promoted from assistant coach to head coach after Steve Brown resigned after more than two decades on staff to take a full-time job at the Grants school district office. This is Riedinger's first full-time head coaching job.     Prior to arriving in Grants, Riedinger coached in Pierre, South Dakota and Las Vegas, NV (Canyon Springs HS), served as a high school principal and taught middle school in Albuquerque. He was previously on the Grants staff for six years, including 2019 when the Pirates went 10-2, won the district championship and advanced to the semifinals of the Class 4A playoffs.   Riedinger says Grants is averaging about 35-40 players for their evening workouts. Since some Pirate players must work during the summer to help support their families, he expects that number to increase when preseason camp begins in early August. The senior class will be small, though.   “We're going to be a very young team,” Riedinger told Prep Redzone New Mexico. “We're going to be playing a lot of sophomores and some freshmen. Our big class right now is sophomores. That's why when I hired my assistants, the first thing I asked them is ‘Can you teach?' We have to teach the fundamental skills.”       OFFENSE   The new starting quarterback for the Pirates will likely be 6-foot-2, 200-pound rising senior Tyler Jackson, but he must fend off a couple of younger competitors before being officially named the starter.   “Tyler has some mechanics to work on, like getting his feet right, but I think we're in pretty good shape at quarterback,” Riedinger said.   Rising sophomore running back [player_tooltip player_id='2114563' first='Julian' last='Fernandez'] is one of the top young players at his position in the entire state. He impressed at the Prep Redzone Exposure Series camp about a month ago. Fernandez rushed for over 800 yards and 14 TD and made over 50 tackles on defense as a freshman in 2025. He saw varsity action as an 8th-grader in 2024. The Grants coaches are high on rising sophomore [player_tooltip player_id='2114948' first='Colin' last='Lundstrom']. Rising senior Jayden Chavez is an outstanding blocker.      “Julian is a great athlete and a great team leader,” Riedinger said. “Lundstrom is a player. He'll start out playing defense initially, but when he runs with the ball, he's very good. But we have Julian right now, so we're good at running back. We have two impressive young running backs.”   Six of the seven receivers who caught a pass last season have graduated. As a result, Grants is practically starting over at the position. Riedinger hopes 7-on-7 season will produce some answers. Rising junior Evan Poncho is expected to earn a starting job after playing JV in 2025. The other spots are ‘wide open,' Riedinger said.   Six-foot-1, 270-pound rising sophomore center [player_tooltip player_id='2114947' first='Dominic' last='Riley'] will anchor the Pirates offensive line. Right now, Riley is our #2 prospect in the 2029 class. He was a Top Performer at the Prep Redzone Exposure Series camp about a month ago. He moves well. He has excellent hands and is mature beyond his years. Riley could be a D1 prospect if he continues on his current trajectory. And he's an excellent student, which opens doors.   Rising senior tackle [player_tooltip player_id='1602437' first='Jaxson' last='Wengert'] also returns to the O-Line after starting every game last season. Rising junior [player_tooltip player_id='1613727' first='Antonio' last='DeVargas'], who's also an elite defensive linemen, will again play both sides of the ball. Rising junior [player_tooltip player_id='1660607' first='Levi' last='Smith'] was an Honorable Mention All-District performer in 2025.      Key Players: Tyler Jackson (QB), [player_tooltip player_id='2114563' first='Julian' last='Fernandez'] (RB), Evan Poncho (WR), [player_tooltip player_id='2114947' first='Dominic' last='Riley'] (OL).   DEFENSE   Nine of Grants' top 11 tacklers last season have graduated. [player_tooltip player_id='1613727' first='Antonio' last='DeVargas'] posted insane numbers in 2025 as a defensive tackle: 77 tackles (55 solo), 20 TFL, 4.0 sacks and 11 QB hurries. He certainly has next level talent. Riedinger plans to move DeVargas around this season to keep opposing offenses guessing as to where he will attack from. The rest of the Pirates defensive line will be largely young and inexperienced. One of those candidates will be rising junior [player_tooltip player_id='2081624' first='Matthew' last='Coykendall'], who combines good size, speed and quickness with a high football IQ.   In addition to being an elite ball carrier, [player_tooltip player_id='2114563' first='Julian' last='Fernandez'] will play middle linebacker, a testament to his toughness and athleticism. [player_tooltip player_id='2114948' first='Colin' last='Lundstrom'] will likely join him on the second level, as will rising senior Victor Chavira.   The Pirates secondary will have four new starters. As a result, all the positions are up for grabs. Two or three players are competing at each spot.           Key Players: [player_tooltip player_id='1613727' first='Antonio' last='DeVargas'] (DL), [player_tooltip player_id='2114563' first='Julian' last='Fernandez'] (LB), [player_tooltip player_id='2114948' first='Colin' last='Lundstrom'] (LB).   2026 GRANTS SCHEDULE   Aug. 21 at Miyamura               Aug. 28 VALENCIA                   Sept. 4 Bye                Sept. 11 RIO GRANDE*               Sept. 18 MANZANO*             Sept. 26 at Valley (Sat., 1 p.m.)*             Oct. 3 ESPANOLA VALLEY (Sat., 2 p.m.)*               Oct. 9 at Taos*             Oct. 16 BLOOMFIELD*          Oct. 23 at Bernalillo*             Oct. 29 at Del Norte (Thur.)*          * District 4A-1 Game   All kickoffs at 7 p.m. unless indicated otherwise.   <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><a href="https://t.co/eoAeeRlDIx">https://t.co/eoAeeRlDIx</a> Checkout the freshman season highlight reel🏈🐾 Freshman season done ✅ •RB |LB| ATH • Offense •Rushing yards- 817 •Receiving yards- 242 •Carries- 137 •Receptions- 13 •All purpose yards- 1059 •Fumble- 1 •Touchdowns- 14 •Defense •Total…— Julian (@JulianF1211) <a href="https://x.com/JulianF1211/status/2006265873875787825?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 31, 2025</a></blockquote>   <blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Thankful to be named Top Performer at the <a href="https://x.com/PrepRedzone?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@PrepRedzone</a> Exposure Series:Albuquerque. Excited to keep working hard and compete at a high level. 📍Grants HS (NM) 🎓 Class of 2029 🏈 OL<a href="https://x.com/PrepRedzoneNM?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@PrepRedzoneNM</a> <a href="https://x.com/GrantsFootball?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@GrantsFootball</a> <a href="https://t.co/N7jOrzYZI2">pic.twitter.com/N7jOrzYZI2</a>— [player_tooltip player_id='2114947' first='Dominic' last='Riley'] (@Dominic_Riley63) <a href="https://x.com/Dominic_Riley63/status/2060891167760498823?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 31, 2026</a></blockquote>   <blockquote class="twitter-tweet">I had a fun time representing GHS Pirates at the 3rd Annual 7on7 and Big man challenge and facing against great competition from Miyamura and Laguna Acoma!! Won 3 reps on offense against Miyamura and lost one on defense against Miyamura!!<a href="https://x.com/Steve_63_Brown?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Steve_63_Brown</a> <a href="https://x.com/GrantsFootball?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@GrantsFootball</a> <a href="https://t.co/fChtMFkRqq">pic.twitter.com/fChtMFkRqq</a>— [player_tooltip player_id='2114947' first='Dominic' last='Riley'] (@Dominic_Riley63) <a href="https://x.com/Dominic_Riley63/status/2071083601782005931?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 28, 2026</a></blockquote>   <blockquote class="twitter-tweet">It's OFFICIAL!!! Meet the New Coaching Staff at Grants High School Football!! LET'S GO!! <a href="https://t.co/t43eGmwh7s">pic.twitter.com/t43eGmwh7s</a>— Recruit Grants Pirates Football (@GrantsFootball) <a href="https://x.com/GrantsFootball/status/2067982978819788877?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 19, 2026</a></blockquote>   <blockquote class="twitter-tweet">The new Crop of Pirate Football getting in lots of off season work to be ready for the fall! LET'S GO!!! <a href="https://t.co/CWnV9gM969">pic.twitter.com/CWnV9gM969</a>— Steve Brown (@Steve_63_Brown) <a href="https://x.com/Steve_63_Brown/status/2055339426361090376?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 15, 2026</a></blockquote>   <blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Had a great time at this years prospect camp for the <a href="https://x.com/UNMLoboFB?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@UNMLoboFB</a> it was very intense and bought me new stuff to carry to my highschool carrier thank you <a href="https://x.com/Coach_Eck?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Coach_Eck</a> <a href="https://x.com/DGS_4ya?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@DGS_4ya</a> <a href="https://x.com/Beau_Davidson?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Beau_Davidson</a> <a href="https://x.com/LukeSchleusner?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@LukeSchleusner</a> <a href="https://x.com/CoachErikLink?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@CoachErikLink</a> for teaching me new stuff! <a href="https://x.com/Steve_63_Brown?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Steve_63_Brown</a> <a href="https://x.com/PrepRedzoneNM?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@PrepRedzoneNM</a> <a href="https://t.co/SadRGKZ66i">pic.twitter.com/SadRGKZ66i</a>— Julian (@JulianF1211) <a href="https://x.com/JulianF1211/status/2066566552636518902?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 15, 2026</a></blockquote>

OVERVIEW