2025 Preview: Colleton County Cougars

Colleton County is entering the third season under head coach Adam Kinlock and the Cougars are feeling better about themselves than they have in the previous two seasons. You might ask why that is considering the two seasons have yielded three wins.   First off, a lot of these players have been in the varsity program since they were freshmen. They're juniors and seniors now so the experience factor should start paying off.   Secondly, the coaches and the players are seeing a bigger offseason commitment among the players. In the past, maybe not everyone showed up to offseason workouts. But now the Cougars are going 6:30-9:30 am when allowed.   All that seems to be a direction change Kinlock was looking for. Senior offensive tackle and defensive end Ronald Robinson summed it up the best.   “We're all on the same page and doing the right things in the offseason and that will transfer over to the field,” Robinson said. “The weight room has been a big difference and that gives us confidence. We're like brothers and we're going to fight like brothers.”   Another reason for the confidence level to be higher is the players returning up front. Robinson will be joined by Chase Jones, Quinton Holmes and [player_tooltip player_id='1324023' first='Calvin' last='Brown']. That's going to lead to big things coming from do-everything [player_tooltip player_id='1738867' first='Rodney' last='Wilder'] and running back [player_tooltip player_id='1656653' first='Kenari' last='Koger'].   “We've seen a bigger commitment level from the kids,” Kinloch said. “We preach that it has to be our way, we have to be together and we all have to be on the same page. They've bought into it and we like the direction we're moving.”   The schedule will again be challenging with Hampton County, Woodland, Lower Richland, Fort Dorchester and Stratford making up the non-region portion of the slate. Then they have to correct the fact they only scored 21 points in five region games.   “We started off playing with a bunch of young guys and now they're grown up. We're going to see what they can do,” Kinloch said.     STARS SET TO SHINE   Jakell Jenkins LB, 2027 – Jenkins can cover sideline-to-sideline well. He plays off instinct and rarely finds himself out of position. If he adds a few extra pounds, he will fit better at the line of scrimmage but for the Cougars scheme, he plays his role well and could challenge himself to be the team's leading tackler.   Jaques Martin LB, 2026 – Martin is going to be the man in the middle of the Colleton County defense. He's grown up from last season in both physical stature and maturity and that will translate well onto the field. Martin is a rangy linebacker that moves well but also sits in his assignment and waits before attacking.     Ronald Robinson OL/DE 2026 – Robinson is going to be a two-way player in the trenches. His biggest role might come from his offensive tackle spot but he's going to take valuable snaps at defensive end as well. He's big, moves well and the potential is there to have colleges start giving him looks.     [player_tooltip player_id='1738867' first='Rodney' last='Wilder'] ATH, 2026 – You might want to check Wilder's pocket when the bus drives up. He might have the keys in them. It's very likely he's going to play some quarterback, running back, wide receiver, free safety and be featured prominently in the return game. He wants to compete and has been a leader this offseason making sure everyone is aligned in the team goals.      FILM REVIEW   [player_tooltip player_id='1656653' first='Kenari' last='Koger'] RB, 2026 – Koger isn't the biggest back, but he runs through arm tackles and can make people miss in the open field. Maybe the thing that we like is he can put his foot in the ground and change direction quickly. And he's fast enough that when he finds a seam, he can turn a small gain into a huge chunk play. Koger should see his role increase even more this season.    BIGGEST LOSSES   Shawn Williams QB – Williams was a Captain and was not only a good quarterback, but he was the emotional leader and a high energy player. He kept everyone together as the losses mounted last season.   Jayden Nesbitt DB - Nesbitt was the heart and soul of the defense. He defended well but also was a bigger-hitter when it came time to meet a ball-carrier in the hole. His tenacity will be missed.     UP-AND-COMING POTENTIAL     Chase Jones OL, 2027 – Jones got thrown into the mix early and he's going to be better for it his last two years in high school. He plays center and does a decent job there but he's also a leader that knows where everyone is supposed to be and what they're supposed to be doing.   [player_tooltip player_id='1324023' first='Calvin' last='Brown'] OL, 2027 - Brown is a bruiser at 6-foot-2, 320 pounds and will be one of the anchors of an experienced offensive line. He's been playing on the varsity level for two years and Kinlock likes the way he's grown up and mature even when he might not have been ready two years ago.    Allen is making the unusual move from cornerback to outside linebacker. The reason for the change is he went from 5-foot-11 last season to 6-foot-2. He's added weight and muscle in the offseason, and they will help him compete better closer to the line than in the secondary.

Colleton County is entering the third season under head coach Adam Kinlock and the Cougars are feeling better about themselves than they have in the previous two seasons. You might ask why that is considering the two seasons have yielded three wins.