File:Football 2018 Railroaders from the Frederick News Post August 26, 2018.jpg

Summary

Brunswick Sports: Brunswick High School Football 2018

High school football preview: Big lines, bigger expectations for Railroaders By John Cannon for The Frederick News Post, August 28, 2018

Being a solid 200-pounder, Brunswick senior offensive guard Ryan Schaffer isn’t any lightweight destined to be pushed around in the trenches.

Still, in a way, he is distinctly diminutive.

“I’m the smallest guy out there,” Schaffer said of the Railroaders’ offensive line.

That’s good news for Brunswick. Nothing like a big line, especially for a football team with expectations considerably bigger than they were a year ago.

Gone are the days when Brunswick was just looking to eke out a few wins.

Remember, Brunswick entered last season coming off back-to-back 0-10 years. The Railroaders snapped their losing streak at 22 with a 40-8 win over Clear Spring in Week 2. They finished 5-5 for their first non-losing season since 2012.

With a slew of returners from last year’s team, including eight starters on offense and nine on defense, the Railroaders enter this season with momentum from the turnaround 2017 season.

“Last year was just a big lift,” senior offensive lineman Ryan Blackwood said. “To come back 5-5, I started enjoying football again. It made me happy to play football.”

It also made Brunswick coaches raise the bar for this year’s team.

“We need to be able to work toward our expectations,” second-year Brunswick coach Jerry Smith said. “We may not always reach it, but you have to set the bar high and find a way to work towards it. And that’s what they’re doing now.”

Players like senior quarterback Brady Snoots are thinking big.

“We’re focused on states. Playoffs and above,” he said.

One of Brunswick’s most striking features is its size on the offensive and defensive lines. The Railroaders’ roster includes shirt sizes, and three of them are XXXL, along with a bunch of XXLs.

Three of Brunswick’s offensive linemen weigh more than 250 pounds, and Smith said the other starters are in the 200-215 range. Also, tight end Jack Gonzalez is 6-foot-2, 245 pounds. Also, only one lineman graduated from last year’s team.

“We’re big up front, so we want to try to pound the ball and milk the clock and play good defense,” Smith said. “We don’t need as many smoke and mirrors as we used to.”

Tailback Layne Harich and fullback Jake Remsburg return as proven backs.

Harich, a former quarterback and wide receiver, found himself playing running back for the first time in high school after the Railroaders lost Andrew Schaffer, their top rusher, to a season-ending knee injury. In just six games, Harich ran for 723 yards and eight touchdowns on 101 carries to rank among the county’s rushing leaders.

“We have a couple guys behind them that we feel can be explosive with the ball,” Smith said. “For us, it’s just about putting them in the right positions and giving them the ball at the right times and let the line do their job.”

Brady Snoots, who played wide receiver last year, takes over at quarterback after Kadin Roberts, last year’s starter, graduated. Snoots is not a novice at football’s most crucial position, playing there when he was a seventh-grader.

“So I’m switching again,” he said. “Nothing I can’t handle.”

He made a good impression during the preseason while running Brunswick’s multiple-set offense.

“Playing wide receiver, he has an idea of what we want to do. He understands the concepts that we teach,” Smith said. “For me, he’s good because he’s always kind of level, there’s no down, there’s no up. That’s good.”

When Snoots throws, he’ll have a pair of proven targets in Jaedan Spriggs, who ranked among county leaders with 20 catches for 365 yards and six touchdowns, and Blake Carey.

Smith also felt good about the team’s defense. Again, a large line serves as the centerpiece, and it includes Ben Nedrow (6-2, 260), Terrance Jackson (5-10, 255) and Gonzalez. Newcomer Michael Yongbi, a senior defensive end, has also impressed Smith with his strength.

The linebacker corps includes Jake Remsburg, Eston Connor and Anthony Pecora.

Smith said the defense doesn’t try to do too much. Players know their roles and just focus on making plays.

Brunswick is looking for its first playoff berth since 2012. Its numbers are solid, with 32 players, including 14 seniors.

“I think we have the makings of a good team,” Smith said.

Fact Sheet

Region: Class 1A West League: Independent Postseason Appearances: 10

Last Playoff Appearance: 2012

State Championships: 0

Coach and Record With Team: Jerry Smith, 5-5

2017 Record: 5-5

2017 Review: In Week Two, the Railroaders got their first win in nearly three years, 40-8 over Clear Spring, snapping a 22-game losing streak and setting the tone for a turnaround season. Brunswick got off to a 3-2 start, and it won two of its final three games to avoid suffering its fifth straight losing season. Playing an independent schedule, which didn't require the Railroaders to face bigger schools and Frederick County powers like Walkersville, Linganore and Oakdale, allowed Brunswick to be more competitive. Senior quarterback Kadin Roberts ranked among the county's passing leaders, throwing for 1,462 yards and 12 touchdowns. The Railroaders lost their top rusher, Andrew Schaffer, to a season-ending knee injury. But Layne Harrich, a former wide receiver and quarterback who had never played running back in high school, helped fill the void by rushing for 723 yards and eight touchdowns in just six games at his new position.

Returning starters: 8 offense, 9 defense