Volunteer aiming for sustained success after historic 2025

For Volunteer, the question is no longer if the Falcons can win. Year one of the Jeremy Wagner era proved they're capable. Now, the question becomes can the Falcons sustain their success on the gridiron. Coming off a 7-4 season, the best in Volunteer's 46-year history, the Falcons don't look to slow down anytime soon. Between nutrition and the team's weight program, with some help from the on-field results, the culture has shifted in Church Hill. And Wagner isn't the least bit surprised to see 15 more players on his roster than at this time last year. "I think hard work and consistency and discipline is what carries over. Our kids have done really good with that," Wagner said. "A lot of people have these cliche words like 'we over me' or what not. I use the word 'sacrifice' quite a bit because you've got to get rid of your old self, look in the mirror and say these are my faults. I'm going to put my teammate, my brother, ahead of me. When we look at people's roles or values, we tend to become better people ourselves." Like last year, the quarterback position is up for grabs again. Jameson Mowell, a senior, started at the position his freshman and sophomore years before an injury sidelined him. Junior transfer Jordan Reed will battle Mowell for the starting spot. Meanwhile, the Falcons boast a deep backfield with junior Bryson Christian back from last fall, along with seniors Owen Fleenor and Bryton Landry. Christian led Volunteer with 629 yards and seven touchdowns on 68 carries, averaging 9.3 yards a touch. Fleenor averaged 8.0 per carry and gained 481, while Landry (360) averaged 6.2. Jon Hale is also back for his junior year. Volunteer is replacing the vast majority of its 2025 receiving corps, though, with Fleenor the top returning target statistically. Halen Mayes, Jansen Arnold and Colton Huff have stood out the most to Wagner in the preseason. "We have four kids running 20 to 21 miles an hour right now," Wagner said. "We have a kid with a 36-inch vertical, which is unheard of in these parts." And be on the lookout for freshman Xavier Shivers, who's expected to make an immediate impact. The 6-foot, 181-pound back last clocked in just shy of 21 mph. The coach did have a good idea who'd start on the offensive line, barring any changes. Carson Griffith and Jacoby Hyatt are expected to line up at tackle, Wyatt Franklin and Jaxson Frost at guard and Sebastian Memis at center. Don't be surprised to see Ryder Hicks, Matthias Reeves or Jayson Harrell in the mix too. Likewise for the Falcons' defensive front, anchored by linemen Gavin Stout and Spencer Crigger. "They're both 700-pound squatters, more than that but we didn't have enough room on the bar," Wagner said. "They're short, stocky mini-fridges who do a really good job playing their positions." Connor Begley will also line up on the D-line, where Wagner indicated he's likely to rotate 11 players. Fleenor, Volunteer's leading tackler with 108 and 25 for loss with seven sacks a year ago, will lead the linebackers. Three players also return to the Volunteer secondary in cornerbacks Huff and Arnold, along with Landry at safety. Eli Garst and Zayden Ramirez are also expected to contribute at defensive backfield. Landry picked off three passes while making 79 tackles his junior year. Only once in school history has Volunteer made the playoffs in back-to-back years — 2006 and 2007. And the 2007 Falcons still hold the lone playoff win in program history. Just another goal for Wagner and his 2026 group. "There's a lot of leadership from the locker room," Wagner said. "When I first got here, it was mashed potatoes and vaseline, dip bottles everywhere, rat droppings everywhere, dead mice, nobody wants to talk about that. Nobody wants to talk about the pride in that locker room now, that fresh paint, the cleaning, the food that's being fed to the kids. Everybody wants to talk about the bad stuff … we have over 50 kids on the roster, probably about 65 when school starts. When I first got here, we had eight. "They love each other. They're going to fight together. They'll take that soldier first mentality."