Irmo’s football team has been on the rise since head coach Aaron Brand took over.

The Yellow Jackets reached new heights last season when they advanced to the state championship game after a one-loss regular season, coming against crosstown rival Dutch Fork.

Irmo fell in last season’s 5A Division II final after a last-second field goal from Northwestern. It was a thrilling match, and while Irmo lost in the end, they gave a great effort all year long.

This season, the team will look a bit different and have to prove itself as one of the top teams in the state. While there is plenty of returning talent, there are also big shoes to fill.

The team was projected to be the second-best team in the region by multiple pollsters this preseason. The Yellow Jackets are expected to finish behind Dutch Fork and just above White Knoll.

To do this, the team will need its returners to step up and play a larger role, while also relying on fresh faces to fill certain voids.

Offense

Irmo lost its top two playmakers from last season. Quarterback A.J. Brand and receiver Donovan Murph both graduated last school year and are off preparing for their first season of Division I football.

Brand is gearing up for the Virginia Tech Hokies in 2025 and Murph is playing for the hometown Gamecocks. The pair will briefly reunite in week one of the college football season when South Carolina and Virginia Tech open the season in Atlanta.

With Brand and Murph out of the picture, it will be up to some of the team’s other playmakers to step up.

Junior Maleek Miller is set to have an exciting junior season after a solid sophomore outing. He took snaps as a receiver and halfback, recording 1,758 all-purpose yards and 13 touchdowns.

Miller will play halfback alongside Amire White. He came close to a 1,000-yard season last year as a sophomore, ending the year with 942 yards and seven touchdowns. He was the team’s second-leading rusher behind Brand, who had over 2,000 ground yards.

On the offensive line, Nate Carson is receiving interest from multiple Division I schools, including South Carolina, Alabama and Ohio State. Bryson Moore is another name to watch and is committed to play at Charleston Southern.

The team will have multiple options at quarterback, including Brookland-Cayce transfer Dre Dopson, Airport transfer Jay Eady and transfer from North Carolina Britton Davis.

Defense

The Yellow Jackets return a fair amount of production from last year’s squad, including the leading tackler and rising junior Jaiden Bryant. He is a top-100 recruit nationally and has many college offers already.

Major Taylor is back on the defensive line for his senior season. He recently committed to Yale and will look to end his Irmo career on a high note.

Tyrone Jennings transferred in from White Knoll and will make an immediate impact on the defensive line as well.

Jamar Grissett is the player to watch in the secondary. He is also a junior and was second on the team in interceptions last year.

Irmo will open its 2025 season with a road test against Oceanside Collegiate.

2025 Irmo Schedule

Week 0 - at Oceanside Collegiate - Aug. 22

Week 1 - at Byrnes - Aug. 29

Week 2 - vs. Butler - Sept. 5

Week 3 - vs. Carolina Forest - Sept. 12

Week 4 - at Myrtle Beach - Sept. 19

Week 5 - BYE

Week 6 - vs. Lexington* - Oct. 3

Week 7 - at River Bluff*- Oct. 10

Week 8 - vs. White Knoll* - Oct. 17

Week 9 - at Chapin* - Oct. 24

Week 10 - vs. Dutch Fork* - Oct. 31

Note: (*) indicates a game against a region opponent