BEARVILLE — “Fundamentals, fundamentals, fundamentals.”
Throughout the summer Pierce County’s seventh-year head coach Ryan Herring and his coaching staff have drilled fundaments.
The 2025 edition of PCHS is the least experienced team heading into a season under his watch. There are just 15 seniors on the 2025 PCHS squad.
“This year, more than any year since I've been here we’re going to have to play a lot of inexperienced guys,” said Herring. “So, June and July has been ultra important. They (players) have got to be taught the ABC’s of their position. They've got to be taught a skill set of what their job entails, of their position.”
The Bears officially donned pads Monday, July 28 with the first day of full contact following the five-day acclimation period last week.
Herring will find out the progress of his squad Friday night, August 1 when the Bears play host to Groves in the first of two scrimmages. Glynn Academy visits Friday, August 8 for a 7:30 p.m. scrimmage.
The regular season begins two weeks later (Friday, August 22) when Coosa Christian School of Gasden, Ala., comes calling at 7:30 p.m.
With six consecutive 11-plus win seasons, four region titles and two state championships in the Herring era, the scrimmages and an open date will give the coaching staff time to make corrections before the Conquerors arrive.
“We’re not an old, experienced team in any way,” Herring said. “We’ve got two seniors (Nigel Brown, Johnny Stone) who played in varsity games last year. I don’t know if I’ve ever been that low in my coaching career.”
There is one full-time starter returning on the offensive side of the ball and three on the defensive side. Many being thrust into starting positions were role players a year ago.
Junior offensive lineman Trenton Kennedy is the one full-time starter returning. There is experience in the backfield and at the receiver slots with senior Marquez Leggett, junior Jae’Veon Williams and sophomore Dylan Johnson. Brown and junior Chance Williams are the most experienced receivers.
Defensively, junior Logan Spivey is back to lineup on the defensive front.
Stone, Brown and Williams also have experience.
“A lot of these guys haven’t taken any varsity reps in the game and they are starting,” Herring said. “I’ve got no complaints because they are working ... I’m happy with how they work. It’s been a lot to learn but, I think they understand it’s their time now. I’ve got to embrace it.
“The whole thing is the team concepts and that’s got to be number one. People talk about culture of pride, dedication, commitment and effort. Our culture is our locker room.
“I think we’ve got a good locker room ... I think we’ve got good kids. We’re going to have a lot of young players out there this year. There’s a lot of potential there.”
