Fresh off North Greenville’s first Division II playoff appearance since 2016, Head Coach Nate Garner is gearing up for another remarkable run.
Last season, the Trailblazers went undefeated in Conference Carolinas’ play and decisively won the conference’s first sponsored championship since 1974. North Greenville now has elevated expectations entering its second season in the conference.
“(My expectations are) we’re going to be a competitive team in every single game, we’re going to go out and there and try to dominate whatever is in front of us,” Garner said at the Conference Carolinas Media Day. “Just excited to get rolling with year two.”
Being competitive this season requires addressing and healing old wounds. The Trailblazers have plenty of opportunities to heal during their four-game out of conference schedule. Catawba, University of Charleston, West Alabama and Valdosta State have all beaten North Greenville at least twice in a row, with the Blazers winning all seven series matchups since 2017.
A new quarterback is the focus of Garner and Co. ahead of the daunting schedule. Both QBs on the roster are redshirt Junior’s with minimal experience at best. Aidan Byrd last played in 2024 when he made just 19 pass attempts over five games. Brendan Mansinne has made just 13 pass attempts over five games in the two seasons since he transferred in from Duquesne.
One of these inexperienced passers will be tasked with replacing four-year starter Dylan Ramirez who threw for a career high of 3,036 yards and earned first-team all-conference honors last season. Despite the QB optics, the Trailblazers were selected to repeat as conference champions in the preseason poll.
Quarterback isn’t the only under-experienced position group on the roster. North Greenville boasts 14 redshirt freshmen and 21 sophomores with just 14 juniors, eight seniors and two graduate students. New faces will start in nearly every group after a mass exodus of graduates this past offseason.
The senior trio of OL Ethan Lett, Sr., DB R. J. Glawgow and WR Sam Washam are notable names returning, who will be relied upon heavily. Lett was named to the 2025 All-Conference Carolinas first team but has been a staple on the offensive line over his last 31 games and three seasons. He’s one of the most experienced players on the roster and will continue to become that veteran leader the team needs to duplicate last season’s success.
“The goal for everybody is to win games, and get to the conference championship,” Lett said.
Glasgow finally became a full-time starter in the secondary and capitalized last year. He knocked down five passes, recorded a pick-six and 2.5 tackles for loss. With 31 games under his belt, Glasgow is ready for a breakout campaign and will have no shortage of opportunities. When he was asked the mindset entering the season, Glasgow was clear:
“(We need to) focus on one week at a time instead of getting so far ahead. That’s how much teams really set themselves back,” Glasgow said
In the wide receiver room, Washman has big shoes to fill as he replaces the Trailblazers leading receiver, and First-team All-Conference from last year, Eric Rasheed. Washam posted 407 receiving yards and three touchdowns last season, both were second on the team. After a mostly middling season, he broke out for eleven catches, 192 yards and a touchdown through the final two games of the season, which solidified him as a breakout candidate.
Out of the top five receiving leaders last season, Washman is the only one returning. Junior Taivon Derisma joins him as the other lone upper-classman receiver on the roster. Derisma caught 15 passes for 206 yards and a touchdown in his first season since transferring from Limestone University last year.
The offense has plenty of new faces, but the defense is even newer. The top three pressure producing defensive linemen and defensive backs have all aged out of the program. To help replace the distraught defensive line, Redshirt Senior Johnerio Holt Jr. must step up. The former Samford transfer recorded 16 tackles and 0.5 tackles in his first season in Tigerville last year.
Redshirt senior Tony Harris II is on breakout watch in the secondary this season. The Redshirt Senior recorded 10 tackles, including three tackles for loss last year, and a forced fumble.
Kaliber Hoey completes the trio of senior defensive backs entering the starting rotation this season. Through just six games, Hoey tied the team lead with two interceptions, and recorded four break ups.
Garner will be challenged with a young core this season, but his pedigree proves he can be successful. North Greenville opens the season at Shuford Stadium on September 5 against Catawba College.
