Quince Orchard High School

JSpiegelman

149d ago

In 2025, Montgomery County sent six teams into the state tournament, including Damascus in the 2A, Sherwood in the 3A, while Northwest, Blair, Churchill, and Richard Montgomery advanced in the highest class. Of these teams, both Sherwood and Churchill advanced to the championship game, with neither bringing home the title. With last spring marking the first time since 2021 no MCPS team won a state softball title, the question is, will any hoist the big trophy in 2026? Here are the ten teams from MCPS most likely to win the big game: 1. Damascus The Hornets’ 2025 season started very mercurially. Their 4-2 record to start the season included scoring double-digit runs in each of the wins, highlighted by a 19-0 opening day rout against Seneca Valley on opening day, but the squad gave up double-digit runs in each of the losses. After the rocky start, Damascus finished their season on an 8-1 run, including six additional double-digit offensive performances. The Hornets outscored Southern, Centennial, and Hereford 39-5 from the regional semifinals to the state quarterfinals, before a one run loss in the semifinals against Stephen Decatur. Damascus looks so good this coming spring because, after only losing senior Josie Hoffacker, they will return first-team all-MCPS nominee Brook Sell, Marymount University commit Kailyn Sheahin plus all-Met honorable mention Ana DiGiandomenico. This spring looks very bright in Damascus. 2. Churchill The Bulldogs opened their last campaign with a 3-3 record, including scoring 19 runs in a road game against Watkins Mill and a home game against Whitman, while also surrendering 20 on the road against Walter Johnson. From there, Churchill turned up their play, working towards a 10-7 regular season record. The team was one of the only of any sport in the state to play six playoff games, requiring a regional quarterfinal match all the way to the state championship. Churchill outscored opponents 41-5 in the first five playoff games, before an unfortunate end in the 4A championship, falling to Leonardtown 5-0. The loss of Villanova softball commit Maggie King will hurt this year’s squad, along with four other seniors, but they are set to be led by first-team all-division nominee Kai-En Hsu and honorable mention Jacqueline Le. 3. Walter Johnson The Wildcats opened their season dropping their first game, but they quickly turned it around with a seven game win streak. This impressive stretch started with a 26-0 blowout on the road against Gaithersburg, followed by a 20-3 win over Churchill and a 20-4 win at Whitman. However, the stretch quickly switched course, with Walter Johnson going on to lose four of their next five. After outsourcing Einstein and Springbrook 29-0 in their final two regular season games, WJ would fail to make it past the regional semifinals, as Churchill got their revenge in a 7-0 loss. Despite the unfortunate end to their season, the WIldcats look to be in prime position going into this season. After losing four seniors, they will return Ella Reynolds, the all-division player of the year and Emory University commit, along with two seniors and three sophomores who all made the division’s first team. 4. Northwest The Jaguars opened their season on a fourteen game win streak that included a 19-2 road win against Magruder, a 19-4 road win against Gaithersburg, and a 20-run shutout victory over Blake, also on the road. After this, Northwest dropped their final two games of the season, losing to Damascus and Churchill. After eliminating Frederick, Urbana, and Richard Montgomery from the playoffs, the Jaguars fell in their state semifinal game against Leonardtown, the future 4A state champions. While this year’s team will be without six members of last year’s state semifinalist team, head coach Mike Horton will look to bring his team back to the state bracket in the coming months. 5. Wootton The Patriots’ last season kicked off with a strong win over Einstein before the team dropped three of their next four. Following the slide, Wootton won five of their next six, including a 20-4 victory against Watkins Mill on the road, a 14-11 fight against Paint Branch, and a 17-0 home blowout over Northwood. The team went on to finish with an 8-7 regular season record, before beating Kennedy and Rockville in the regional bracket to win the region title. In the state quarterfinals, the Patriots had a tough seed, and were forced to face Sherwood, where they fell 15-0. The good news is that, after losing just three seniors, Wootton will return Bryn Priolo and Emily Liu, who were selected as first-team and honorable mentions to the all-division team, respectively. 6. Sherwood Last year’s 3A runner ups were the lone undefeated team from Montgomery County, finishing with 15 wins. In those 15, the Warriors plated at least 10 runs in 12 games, and at least 15 in seven. From the regional semifinals to the state quarterfinals, Ashley Barber-Strunk’s team outscored Atholton, Reservoir, and Wootton 35-0, before taking down the Dulaney Lions 2-0, punching their ticket to the big game. However, with the season on the line, Sherwood could not come through, falling 5-3 against the Chopticon Braves, ending their season. This year’s squad will be without several key members, including first-team all-met selection Keira Schlutz and first-team all MCPS nominee Avery Anderson, but all-division honorable mention Gabby Anderson will be returning as the team looks to make it back to the top of the state for the second time in three years 7. Quince Orchard The Cougars had a 4-3 start to their most recent campaign, including a 20-3 road win against Blake on opening day, plus a 13-4 road win over Seneca Valley and a 21-run shutout against Gaithersburg at home. After this start, Quince Orchard played six of their last seven games on the road, en route to a solid 10-5 regular season record. Despite this, QO would fall to the 9-9 Bethesda-Chevy Chase Barons, who were coming off a 27-23 first round win over Whitman. Despite the untimely ending to their 2025 year, the Cougars will enter this season without just two members of last year’s campaign, as they look to win their first playoff game since 2024, or potentially, their first state semifinals since 1993. 8. Clarksburg The Coyotes had an impressive regular season campaign, scoring double-digit runs in ten games while surpassing the 20 run mark in three, in a season where the team finished 13-2. Despite such strong play before the playoffs, Clarksburg dropped their first game of postseason play in a 4-3 loss to the Urbana Hawks from Frederick County. After having success in the regular season, the team will lose Sommer Witz to Shepherd University and Gabby Encinas to Frostburg State. The remaining athletes will have a couple of big holes to fill before kicking off their season at home against Churchill. 9. Richard Montgomery To kick off last season, the Rockets opened with a 5-0 record that included four straight wins with over 16 runs scored. After the incredible start to their season, Richard Montgomery went on a 1-6 run that saw a 19-18 home loss against the Blair Blazers, a 23-0 win over Springbrook, which was immediately followed by a 17-run shutout loss to Clarksburg. Despite the rough patch, RM went on a four-game win streak to end their season 10-6. RM took down Einstein and Wheaton in the regional bracket, securing them the championship, before the Rockets fell to Northwest 15-3 in the state quarterfinals. 10. Blair Last Spring, the Blazers opened with a 9-6 home loss to the Churchill Bulldogs before going on a six game win streak, including a 15-0 win over Northwood and an incredible 19-18 victory on the road against Richard Montgomery. Blair slowed down a bit, finishing the regular season 11-5, but in their regional playoff games against Northwood and Laurel, the Blazers outscored the two 32-3 on the way to a regional championship. In the state bracket, their run was cut short in a 5-0 loss against Churchill, the second of the season. Additionally, this year’s team will be without an incredible nine athletes from last year’s squad, which could pose challenges for head coach Louis Hoelman, as the team looks to get back to the state semifinals for the first time in a decade.

The Boys Varsity basketball game between the Cougars and Patriots has been rescheduled to Saturday, February 14. Tip-off time is 12 noon at Quince Orchard HS.

Bcc jv played Quince orchard instead of Watkins mill.

JSpiegelman

184d ago

Heading into the final month of the regular season, Montgomery County has five schools that have reached double-digit win titans, while Whitman remains undefeated at 11-0. Fresh off a week off from last week’s snowstorm, high-stakes games are starting as early as today. Beyond top-tier games, multiple teams are vying for the county’s top spot. Here are the most important storylines that are emerging from Montgomery County Girls Varsity Basketball: 1. The county’s top tier teams are playing other top tier teams. On Monday, the first day back, 9-5 Walter Johnson will travel to face 11-1 Churchill, while 9-3 Wootton will host the Whitman Vikings, looking to give the team their first loss. Also this week, Magruder will travel to Sherwood, Clarksburg will face Poolesville, Walter Johnson will go to Quince Orchard, and Wootton will face Churchill. With that said, the undisputable game of the month will happen this Wednesday, as the county’s top teams, the 11-1 Bulldogs will face off against the 11-0 Vikings. The winner is set to take the MoCo lead. 2. While the top teams will play the top teams, programs on the other end of the standings will also face off against each other. The 1-10-1 Wheaton Knights will face off against a 1-11 Northwood squad on Monday evening. Northwood will then travel to take on the 3-9 Blair Blazers while Seneca Valley faces Watkins Mill. These are just a few of the games that the bottom county teams are set to face, all of which will happen in the first week back. 3. The Einstein Titans have been killing their divisional opponents. Throughout the season, five of eight of their wins came against in-region rivals. Out of their final eight games, six will be against their regional opponents, with the other two coming against Watkins Mill and Wootton in two of the final three weeks of the season. Despite dropping three of their last five, the Titans have a great opportunity to rise up the county standings. 4. Wootton’s final eight opponents looks to cause several problems. Each of their next four games will come against teams with winning records, including 11-0 Whitman, 7-6 Bethesda-Chevy Chase, 11-1 Churchill, and 7-4 Quince Orchard. Then, after games against Northwest and Blake, the Patriots will finish their season on the road against 9-5 Walter Johnson and at home against 8-4 Einstein. As the team looks to get to double-digit wins, these final eight games may keep them from getting beyond eleven, but taking two to three of the six should be considered a win for Wootton.

The Quince Orchard Cougars and the Wootton Patriots rivaled in a hard fought division game yesterday, in which the Patriots were able to walk away with the win. The final score was 51-41 with exceptional performances from Quince Orchard's Adri Marzullo (21 points) and Wootton's Megan Lomotan (13 points). Wootton was able to pull off the win through their dominance in the paint when it came to offensive rebounds. Quince Orchard did a great job moving the ball on offense, however Wootton's defense was able to match their efforts. The Patriots next game is at Wootton this Friday against Wheaton.

springbrook wins 53-50

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GO9sxRRLMBQ

Photo courtesy of Quince Orchard football Instagram. It was always going to be Quince Orchard. Winners of the previous 4A state title, and champions in 2021 and 2022 as well, a perennial powerhouse is an apt descriptor of the program. Friday night furthered that narrative, as the Cougars capped off an undefeated 14-0 season. Wise, who was 11-1 itself heading into the game, offered plenty of resistance — arguably the most Quince Orchard has faced all season long. But the Cougars found a way to pull it out at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium in Annapolis, 26-21. The offenses were slow to start. Wise tried and failed on a fourth down conversion in shallow Cougars’ territory, but failed to convert. Shortly after, Quince Orchard was forced to punt from deep in its own half of the field. But it didn’t hurt them, as defensive line pressure and a hit on Wise quarterback Eric Wedge forced a popped-up ball that was intercepted. The first score didn’t come until just under four minutes left in the first quarter, when Quince Orchard quarterback Will Drakeford Jr. plunged his way into the end zone on a quarterback sneak. But when Wise needed a response, it instead gave the ball right back to the Cougars. Quince Orchard chewed off the rest of the time in the first quarter, methodically marching down the shortened field. On third-and-goal, Drakeford found Rafferty Bankert on a quick slant — his defender was rubbed off on the route concept, leaving him wide open. Suddenly, the Cougars were ahead 14-0. But the Pumas put together a solid response a few drives later, still in the second quarter. On third-and-12 from the 12-yard line, Wedge delivered a strike up the middle, leaving fourth-and-2 from the two. Wedge brilliantly converted — he was flushed out back from the pocket before finding Sergio Terrico in a tight window in the end zone. That score, making the game 14-7, held until halftime. The third quarter started with a bang. A false start on a third-and-goal opportunity from the 1-yard line didn’t deter Drakeford, who found defensive lineman Jaheim Bond in the end zone on the very next play. The response couldn’t have been more quick, as Zorian Gray-Vest returned the ball 85-yards on the ensuing kickoff for a touchdown — the score became 20-14. Another two touchdowns in relative succession came just minutes later. Another Wedge interception led to multiple Drakeford runs, the last of which a 4-yard rush into the end zone. But as it had responded rapidly on the previous Cougars’ score, it repeated that success — Kameron Parker scampered for a 65-yard touchdown on the first play from scrimmage. It was truly the last few minutes of the game that served as the spectacle. After very little transpired for the first 10 minutes of the quarter, the Pumas had the opportunity to take a lead with two minutes left and receive the ball after a punt. It was either going to be a game-winning drive or a game-winning stop. The latter happened. Wise had to go 90 yards for the score, which was already difficult enough. But a Diego Rodriguez sack made things even more difficult. On fourth-and-16, Wedge’s pass was just short of the sticks, and the Cougars were ultimately able to kneel out the championship. Quince Orchard has lost just one game since 2021 — it’s going to take a special effort to dethrone the Cougars in 2026.

https://cszpro.com/4a_maryland_state_semi_final_football_stream

Photo courtesy of Quince Orchard football Instagram. Heading into the 4A state quarterfinal matchup in Maryland, one might perhaps be confused — both Quince Orchard and Charles Herbert Flowers were both not beaten heading into the game, yet the latter was the No. 8-seed, and the former the No. 1-seed. Make no mistake, Flowers presented an extremely tough matchup. Yet, it had to forfeit its eight wins in the regular season due to an eligibility violation. But with all that in the rearview mirror, Friday night presented a hotly contested game between two state title contenders. And it was the Cougars who ultimately prevailed, 21-10, as they continued the quest for their third 4A title in the past four years. It was Flowers that kicked off the scoring with a field goal, with the points being set up by a crucial strip sack. But Cougars’ quarterback Will Drakeford Jr. and company began to string together multiple plays of 10 yards or more on the following drive. Quince Orchard strung together outside runs with darts right over the middle of the field into the teeth of Flowers’ defense. It was the stellar rushing attack that ultimately set up Quince Orchard on the doorstep of the red zone. A 7-yard touchdown run with two-and-a-half minutes left in the opening quarter gave the Cougars a spark. Kacey Gilliam and Jaheim Bond, two of the Cougars’ most dominant defensive pieces, helped all night long to expedite Flowers’ possessions. On the ensuing Jaguars drive, a massive tackle for loss helped to give Quince Orchard the ball back. Drakeford’s biggest strength all night was far and away his rushing prowess — with five minutes left in the first half, he extended the Cougars' lead to 14-3 on a 24-yard rushing touchdown. The signal caller initially bounced outside on the run before churning in between a storm of Flowers defenders and charging into the end zone. But for as good as Drakeford’s running was, his passing left something to be desired. Cavare Durandisse, who had the strip sack earlier in the game, picked off Drakeford before the conclusion of the half and returned it for a score. Suddenly, heading into the second half, the 14-10 deficit Flowers found itself in didn’t seem so daunting. But that would be the last points it would score for the remainder of the match. Quince Orchard’s defense got involved quickly in the third quarter, nabbing an interception at the nine minute mark. And tackles for loss became a theme of the game for the Cougars, continuously finding new ways to slow down the Jaguars' rushing attack. And while the third quarter was scoreless between the two sides, the fourth quarter was not. Drakeford engineered his best series of the evening, taking 14 plays to span almost the entire length of the field, and soaking up minutes of clock in the process. After Drakeford’s second rushing touchdown of the game — a five-yard cut inside on a fake pitch — Flowers only had 1:43 to climb back from an 11-point deficit. But it was no match for the Cougars, who advanced to the state semifinal once more. Quince Orchard will match up with No. 5-seed Broadneck, with a chance to face the winner of No. 2-seed Churchill and No. 3-seed Wise in the state final.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qs-Ktjk973s&t=1116s

Photo courtesy of Lauren Sheintal Sports Photos. Quince Orchard, the perennial crowning jewel of Montgomery County football, looked to be running away with things once again. It was a much-heralded matchup against undefeated Sherwood, marking a hotly-contested game consisting of two unbeaten teams. But the Cougars got the upper hand early. Despite some occasional early pressure and a sack from the Warriors, Quince Orchard Will Drakeford operated relatively cleanly from the pocket. This was emphasized in his two touchdown tosses to a favorite target of his, tight end Diego Rodriguez. But the barrage didn’t stop there. The Cougars’ special teams play also got the best of Sherwood early, as Rico Jackson ran back a kickoff for six. By the third quarter, Quince Orchard led 21-0, and it appeared as though the powerhouse would steamroll to another relaxing victory. Until it didn’t. Sherwood quarterback Matthew Larsen suddenly got the hot hand. With just under four minutes left in the third frame, he uncorked a deep ball to the left side of the field, hitting his receiver in stride for a 46-yard touchdown. Then, to start the fourth quarter, a play-action fake opened up the middle of the field, and Larsen hit his man in stride for a 59-yard score. The game was starting to unravel at the seams for Quince Orchard. And it all came to a head just a minute later on Sherwood’s stellar game-tying drive, which featured an 18-yard pass, 12-yard run and 25-yard opposite field dish for a touchdown. And with eight minutes left, the score was knotted. On the ensuing drive, Quince Orchard’s rushing attack took command, with multiple slices up the middle chewing both yardage and clock. Jaheim Bond ultimately broke free approaching five minutes left in the game, taking a carry with multiple Sherwood defenders on his back and dragging them down deep in the red zone. He punched it in just one play later, nearly untouched. Searching for a response, Larsen instead threw an interception that was returned all the way back to Sherwood’s 15-yard line. And much like last time, it took just one more play for the Cougars to punch it in — J.J. Williams was the recipient of this handoff. Sherwood tacked on one more score to end the contest, but it didn’t have much time to do much else with less than two minutes on the clock, leaving Quince Orchard perfect on the season.

1-7 QO win

Yesterday, September 30th, Wootton's Varsity Girls Soccer team played one of their rivals, the Quince Orchard Cougars. The game kicked off at 7:15 pm at the Cougar Dome. In the first half, it was noticeable that Quince Orchard had the home field advantage. They were able to take distanced shots, exposing the gap between Wootton's defense and midfield. Neither team scored at all in the second half. The game ended in a draw and the teams went into overtime. Quince Orchard scored about six minutes into sudden death, sealing the victory. The goal scorers for Quince Orchard were sophomore, Victoria Fenzel and junior, Kaitlyn Geraghty. The goal scorer for the Patriots was Senior, Mia Stubbins. Despite the loss, Wootton goalie, Taylor Robinson had an exceptional game ending with about 15 saves. The Patriots next game is against Churchill, another competitive team. Good luck Patriots!

This past Friday, the Stone Bridge Bulldogs of Virginia traveled up to Maryland to face the Cougars. This game was circled on calendars for not only each team, but also ABC News. ABC was in the Cougar Dome pregame, along with interviews with coaches and cheer teams. There was really no offense to talk about for the Bulldogs, being forced off the field every time they reached opponents' territory. Defensive end Jaheim Bond tallied three sacks, along with a Diego Rodriguez pick-six at the end of the game. On the offensive side, Jaiden Hebron found the endzone once again. While QB William Drakeford Jr. fumbled the ball in enemy territory just before half. Kicker Seth Rubin nailed two field goals, both from 25 and 27 yards. While this game was not the prettiest for the QO offense or Drakeford Jr., they did their job against a defense that Cougars head coach John Kelley gave major props to. QO looks to continue its run against Seneca Valley this Thursday at 6:30 pm.

WJ 12- 6

🏈🏈 THURSDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL @ WALTER JOHNSON HIGH SCHOOL
🆚 Quince Orchard x Walter Johnson 
Varsity Football 📍 Walter Johnson High School It has been a while since I have traveled Interstate 495 to get some where in Montgomery County (MoCo). This night was different, remembering those who loss their lives in the attack on America September 11, 2001; I reminisced of my times in MoCo going to athletic games as a kid being with my mother. One of the schools she worked in as an assistant principal was Quince Orchard (QO), who was a powerhouse back then. I was headed to see the Cougars take on Walter Johnson at their home in North Bethesda. QO was seeking to continue to establishing their dominance in the county, while the Wildcats had plans on making sure victory was secured for Wildcat Nation. The stage was set for a Thursday Night High School football matchup. 
GAME RECAP This is probably one of the easiest games to recap. It is one sided, not because of any bias; it simply was Quince Orchard Cougars dominating the whole football field. Now, the Wildcats did score a TD, and fought every quarter until the very end. It was quite clear early QO would leave with a win. Each quarter presented itself with the Cougars marching down the field either with a satisfying run attack or excellent passing front. It looked as if they did their homeworkon their opponent. The Wildcats had one of the top QB’s in the county, Jake Forburger, who could throw the football. The Orchard seemed to master containing him and his receivers from being a problem.

Even though they were defeated, it would not be wise to underestimate the Wildcats. They definitely have a serious offensive force to pay attention to. MoCo needs to be on alert. The Quince Orchard Cougars, congratulations are in order!!! Our eyes continue to look and wonder will you again be the powerhouse team in MoCo. We’ll be watching. MUCH SUCCESS to both the Cougars and the Wildcats.
 
MillerFlow
 MFVAllSportsNetwork FINAL SCORE: COUGARS - 56 WILDCATS - 6 👀 MFV U📺🔗⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NUmTmxvSsqM

After a strong week one for both schools, they are set to face off at 7 PM tonight, 9/11. The Cougars, coming off a strong opening day at Paint Branch, look to take care of business tonight in Bethesda. The Wildcats also had a strong showing against Gaithersburg, but may be in for a rude awakening from coach John Kelley's Cougars. Some key players to look for on QO tonight are QB William Drakeford Jr., who threw for three touchdowns last week. RB Jaiden Hebron, JMU commit, and DE Kacey Gilliam, and P/WR Jake Bumgardner. Bumgardner is a player to keep an eye on as the season progresses. He had a strong showing last week and is bound for some great games this year. Expect him to be a big part of this Cougars offense as the season moves along. For WJ, keep an eye on mobile QB Jake Forburger, who will keep Quince Ochard's defense on their toes.

QO opened the score with a penalty then Frank Mebale scored 2 goals to tie and win the game for Wheaton Knights.

Photo courtesy of Phil Fabrizio There are few high schools in Maryland that have accumulated the amount of success over the years as Quince Orchard. Since 1991, the program has seized the 4A state title six times — four in the past seven years, including a stellar undefeated 13-0 season in 2024. The Cougars are led by head coach John Kelley, who has been at the helm since 2014, but began with the program in 2009 as the team’s defensive coordinator. His track record is undeniable — Kelley has seen over 45 of his former players go on to play in college. What’s perhaps most impressive about Kelley’s team performance is simple: they aren’t a private school. The top five ranked schools in the state heading into the new season according to MaxPreps are as follows: St. Frances, DeMatha, Archbishop Spalding, Our Lady of Good Counsel and McDonogh. All are private schools. But Quince Orchard slots in at No. 6. Last season, the Cougars won their games by a margin of 33 points. The slate most notably included a 64-0 thrashing of Richard Montgomery on Oct. 17. Iverson Howard, then a three-star prospect by 247Sports and now a Maryland football running back, rushed for three scores that day. Howard also had a 195-yard, three-touchdown performance in the team’s 48-13 state semifinal win over Broadneck, as well as a two-touchdown contest to propel the Cougars over Wise, 24-13, in the state championship. His presence in the backfield will undoubtedly be missed — replacing his value and production will be instrumental in replicating the program’s success, especially considering that Howard was a steady contributor since his freshman year in 2021. Storylines to watch 1. The quarterbacks. Travon Jackson, last year’s starter, is no longer with the team. He put up 1,467 total yards last season through the air and on the ground. The other quarterbacks on this year’s roster include Tavier Groves, Luke Pages and transfer Will Drakeford. While Drakeford is likely to get the starting nod, it will be interesting to watch if the other two have a chance to compete for starting snaps. Either way, it will be captivating to see the new signal caller in action. 2. Howard’s replacement. Junior Jaiden Hebron had just 68 yards last season, 42 of which came on eight carries against Gaithersburg. But he’s absolutely the next man up. Hebron is a speedy back, and with an experienced offensive line, he could flourish under Kelley. 3. The rematch. On Oct. 24, the Cougars will take on an opponent that snapped their 39-game win streak nearly two years ago in Northwest. On Nov. 10, 2023, the Jaguars took down Quince Orchard in the playoffs, 29-26. Quarterback Jayden Vonprachanh-Nelson threw for 227 yards, 1 touchdown and two interceptions, but still secured the win. Northwest will look to play spoiler once again this season. 4. A national-profile test. Already 1-0, Stone Bridge is the No. 8 ranked school in Virginia, according to MaxPreps. When Quince Orchard took on the Bulldogs last season, it won just 10-0 — one of its slimmest margins of victory all season. On Sept. 19, the Cougars will play host to an opponent that will try its best to give them some more trouble. 5. The stars. Quince Orchard has a number of stars that will look to wreak havoc on the field in 2025. While they don’t necessarily hold the star power of single-season school sack leader Chop Robinson, senior Kacey Gilliam and junior Jaheim Bond are two names to monitor along the defensive line. Gilliam and Bond stand at 6-foot-1, 235 pounds and 6-foot-2, 225 pounds, respectively. Gilliam can reclaim his title as the team’s sack leader in 2025 after taking down the quarterback six times in 2024. Bond, meanwhile, has the potential to be a serious game wrecker, amassing 42 tackles, two sacks and seven tackles for loss as a sophomore in 2024.