Fort Mill head football coach Rob McNeely said he has appreciated people saying what a good season the Jackets had last year, but it is time to move on.
Fort Mill finished spring practice recently and now turn their attention to their summer schedule. The Jackets finished the season at 5-6 last year losing to Catawba Ridge in the first round of the playoffs. The Jackets started off last season going 4-0, before finishing 1-6.
Because of other sports like lacrosse, track, and soccer, Fort Mill didn’t have a full team out at spring practice.
“We have had some people banged up,” McNeely said. “Because of that some of the younger guys got some experience this spring.”
McNeely said the goal heading into the summer is to continue to build off the positives from last year. While Fort Mill struggled with their finish, they did lose four games by just one score each.
“We have to build off the positives and get better,” he said. “All that stuff is in the past. I was kind of getting tired of people congratulating us on a 5-5 (regular season) because that is not the goal. We are going to build and get some encouragement from it, but we have to leave it in the past.”
Like their crosstown counterparts, Fort Mill has two people they are looking at when it comes to playing quarterback after they lost Quinn Kelly to graduation. Those two players looking to be the Fort Mill starting quarterback are Harper Love and Brody Ranucci.
“When we get to the first week of June, they will still probably be splitting reps, but that is what the summer process is for,” McNeely said.
Fort Mill will move out of Region 3-5A and will be in Region 2-5A for the next two seasons after realignment. With that being said, there will be some new region teams they aren’t as used to playing. The region will include Northwestern and Rock Hill, to go with a Spartanburg County trio of Boiling Springs, Spartanburg High and Dorman.
The Jackets will host Catawba Ridge and then travel to York, Nation Ford and Westwood in non-region action. They open their region schedule hosting Dorman, before heading to Spartanburg. The Jackets will host Rock Hill and Northwestern before finishing the regular season at Boiling Springs.
Fort Mill will open their 2026 season against former region foe Clover on Aug. 21 at home.
2026 Fort Mill football schedule (*= region games)
Aug. 21 vs. Clover
Aug. 28 vs. Catawba Ridge
Sept. 4 Bye
Sept. 11 at York
Sept. 18 at Nation Ford
Sept. 25 at Westwood
Oct. 2 vs. Dorman*
Oct. 9 at Spartanburg*
Oct. 16 vs. Rock Hill*
Oct. 23 vs. Northwestern*
Oct. 30 at Boiling Springs*
Mac Banks: mac@fortmillprepsports.com, @fortprep
