PM Looking To Play ‘Hard-Nosed Football’
The philosophy for the Parry McCluer football team heading into the 2026 season, which kicks off this Friday with a road game at rival Rockbridge County in Lexington, is simple: be patient and be physical.
“One quarter at a time,” said PM head coach Jeremiah Brockenbrough. “We want to go out and hit somebody in the mouth and play some football. We have to learn how to play together. We have to be disciplined. We want to be physical and play hard-nosed football. We want people to know they have been to Parry McCluer to play a football game.”
Brockenbrough and his staff – which includes assistants Zack Fowler, Elgin Davis, Mike Craft, Eric Wheeler, Chad Dorey, David Foshay, Ryan Fitz and James Julian – are convinced that, if they do those things, they can improve on last year’s 6-5 record and advance past the first round of the playoffs, one of the team’s stated goals, for the first time since the 2021 campaign.
“I thought we came out of the gate playing well, but we got banged up after the Luray game,” said Brockenbrough, noting that the Blues were missing as many as four starters in losses to Narrows and Craig County midseason. “I think it was a good season. I’d like to stay healthy; if we can stay healthy, I think we’ll be OK.”
The Blues will return nine starters on the offensive side of the ball, but to improve on last year, PM will have to fill two huge holes. One of them is at quarterback, where PM is searching for a replacement for three-year starter Nathan Glass, who accounted for more than 1,500 total yards and 20 total touchdowns a year ago. Glass is continuing his academic and football career at Division III school Bridgewater College, where he’s expected to be a wide receiver. The other is at one of the running back spots, where the Blues look to replace graduated Jacob Shafer, who led the Blues with 721 rushing yards in 2025 and found the end zone nine times.
“They were two big parts [of the offense],” said Brockenbrough, starting his fourth year as the Blues’ head coach. “We have to make a decision at the quarterback spot and at that right halfback spot. Whoever puts those shoes on has some big shoes to fill.”
While the starting quarterback job is still up for grabs, junior Quentin Rosser, who is listed at 6-feet, 250 pounds, and senior Kyle Smals (6-1, 200) have emerged as the frontrunners. Each brings a different skill set, with Rosser being a more athletic dual threat and Smals settling in as more of a traditional drop back passer, but neither has much experience. Rosser saw only a few snaps under center late last season and has never attempted a pass in a regular-season contest, and though Smals did complete 11of-21 passes as a sophomore, he had only one attempt a year ago.
“We’ve got a decision to make at quarterback,” Brockenbrough admitted. “We played a lot of ball this summer to get those reps in place. We haven’t made a decision, but we have a good idea.”
Regardless of who wins the quarterback job, the other will not spend his time relaxing on the bench. If Rosser gets the nod, Smals will return to the tight end position he played last year. If Smals is named the quarterback, Rosser will turn into a speedster out of the backfield as a wing man or a split end catching passes downfield.
Freshmen Abel Williams (5-4, 110) and Abram Johnson (5-9, 130) will dress on Friday nights and provide emergency depth, though both will see their playing time most likely at the junior varsity level, as will be the case with most of the freshmen on Parry McCluer’s 42man roster.
The decisions that need to be made to fill out the rest of the backfield are much easier. Parker Snider, a 5-11, 160 senior, will be one of the running backs after rushing for 685 yards (6.2 yards per carry) last year and leading the team with 19 receptions.
“Parker had a good off-season,” praised the PM coach. “He lifted weights hard, and he has gotten stronger. Holding onto the football is going to be big for him. I think he can be one of the better backs in the Pioneer [District]; he should be a threat every Friday night when he touches the football.”
Senior Thomas Conner (6-2, 225) will man the fullback spot whether the Blues are running out of their traditional T-formation or attacking out of the I-formation as they throw multiple sets at the opposition. A trio of backs – junior Brody Coleman (6-1, 190), senior Jordan Brockenbrough (5-10, 150) and sophomore Isaiah Gilbert (5-3, 16) – are going to see plenty of carries as the Blues hope to run the football successfully this year.
“I feel good about my backs,” Coach Brockenbrough said. “They all run downhill.”
Juniors Brody Julian (5-10, 140) and Ashton Lotts (5-7, 150), along with sophomore Liam Long (5-7, 150), will provide depth off the bench in the backfield. Freshmen Remmington Jordan (5-3, 110), Braddic Brockenbrough (5-6, 135), Dashawn Floyd (5-7, 160), Jaxon Kerr (6-0, 210) and Nic Henson (5-11, 145) round out the list of PM ball carriers.
Smals, if he does not wind up at quarterback, will anchor the outside of the PM offensive line at tight end, and opposite him will likely be junior Michael Fleming (6-0, 160). Senior Caleb Clark (6-4, 235) and junior Adison Haynes (510, 210) could push for playing time as they gain more experience, as could sophomore Lucas Ramsey (5-11, 150). A large group of freshmen tight ends dot the PM depth chart, including Michael Haynes (6-0, 140), Dillon O’Connor (5-9, 130), Landon Harris (5-4, 120), Kaden Davis (6-0, 150) and Liam Lewis (5-9, 140).
Between the tackles, the Blues bring back a wealth of size and experience with a group of offensive linemen that averages 255 pounds and remains intact from last season. Junior Timber Thomas (6-3, 300) and sophomore Bryson Sorrels (6-0, 250) will hold down the tackle spots. Senior Tyler Chittum (5-11, 225), who has started every year he has been in the PM program, and senior Kaedin Conner (5-9, 230) will man the interior at guard, while senior Brad Spinner (5-9, 270) will anchor the line at center.
“They are experienced,” Brockenbrough said. “They know exactly what we’re supposed to do. They’re big, not slow, and they’re aggressive. We just have to clean up some of the mistakes.”
It will be extremely important for the offensive line group to remain healthy, for there is little experienced depth on the bench. Sophomores Keenan Clark (6-0, 205) and Colton Slagle (6-1, 165) are the only fulltime varsity players. The rest of the line depth is comprised of freshmen, including Jacob Ruley (5-8, 135), Trevor Bates (5-8, 145), Skylar Chaffins (5-6, 170), Landon Murphy (5-7, 190), Moses Tamama (6-0, 310) and Scotch Medina (5-8, 145).
Most of the offensive starters will also play on the defensive side of the ball. The offensive linemen, along with Conner, will rotate along the front. Snider, who led the Blues with 104 tackles last fall, is listed as one of the linebackers, along with Coleman and Smals. Rosser will be one of the cornerbacks, with Gilbert most likely taking the other spot, while Fleming and Julian are penciled in at the two safety slots. Jordan Brockenbrough will rove all over the field and see reps at any number of spots. Seniors Josh McDaniel (5-6, 125) and Gabriel Martinez (5-10, 160), along with junior Eddie Robinson (5-11, 160), could also work their way into the defensive backfield.
“We want to be downhill and meet at the point of attack,” Brockenbrough said when asked about his team’s defensive scheme. “We have to make sure we make the plays we are supposed to make and keep everybody in front of us to live to play another down. We can’t give up the big play. We’ve implemented a few new things on defense this year.”
In addition to this Friday’s opener at Rockbridge County, the Blues will face five other nondistrict opponents. The first home game of the year is slated for Sept. 11 against longtime rival James River, while the first Pioneer District contest will be Oct. 9 against Narrows. Last fall, the Blues went 2-2 in the district. Brockenbrough thinks the Pioneer title is up for grabs, and almost any of the five teams in the league could win it.
“It’s kind of odd,” he said, noting that defending champion Narrows has a new head coach in charge of almost a completely new roster, and Craig County has a number of returning players. “You never know. We’re just going to take it one quarter at a time.
“It’s exciting,” Brockenbrough continued. “We have to play as a team and take one play at a time. We have to be disciplined. We must pick each other up. If your buddy does something wrong, pick him up and get back to it. We want to be hard-nosed because that’s what we’ve always been. We’re looking to do that week one.”
Kickoff for Friday’s opener at Rockbridge County’s recently renovated field is scheduled for 7 p.m.
