GLENVILLE, W.Va. – The Jake Casteel Era will officially begin tomorrow (Aug. 27) night when the Pioneer Football team takes on Division 1 Elon at 7 p.m. inside Rhodes Stadium. Casteel was introduced as the program's 26^th head coach in December of 2025 and will march his new squad into North Carolina to begin the season.
 
THE JAKE CASTEEL SHOW
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SERIES HISTORY

• First meeting ever between the Pioneers and Phoenix

GAME INFORMATION
Thursday, August 27 | 7 p.m. | Rhodes Stadium
Glenville State at Elon
Watch Live on FloCollege ($) | Live Stats | Live Audio | Tickets
 
THE OPPONENT
ELON
2025 Season
The Phoenix went (6-6) overall and (4-4) in Coastal Athletic Association (CAA) play last season, winning three of their five home games as well. Elon started the season (4-2) before a four-game losing streak after the midpoint of the season derailed their campaign.
 
Head Coach
Tony Trisciani is in his eighth season leading Elon, putting together .500 or better seasons five times. Trisciani led the Phoenix to the FCS Playoffs in 2022, finishing the campaign (8-4) and ranked 17^th in the country. He's made stops at Villanova, Lehigh, New Hampshire and a pair of high schools on his way to N.C.
 
Phoenix Offense
The Phoenix are led at quarterback by Samford transfer Brady Strober, as Strober takes over for an offense that lost Landen Clark to LSU in the off-season. Strober appeared in 10 games last year with five starts for the Bulldogs, throwing for 1,240 yards and seven touchdowns while completing 62% of his passes. They're expected to run three backs at the Pioneers, with 2025 All-CAA Honorable Mention selection Jimmyll Williams leading the charge.
 
At receiver, redshirt junior Kanez McMillian brings back the most production from a year ago, where he caught 22 passes for 235 yards. Redshirt senior Landyn Backey has also returned after catching 26 passes for 457 yards and four TDs, but Backey is not listed on Elon's two deep. The offensive line is headlined by Preseason All-American Tim Hogan, who has made 18 career starts for the Phoenix. It's a veteran group, with a graduate student, three redshirt juniors and one sophomore making up the trenches.
 
Phoenix Defense
Elon's defense looks complete on paper, with two Preseason All-Americans (LB Brodie Carroll & DB Tony Hart III) returning and defensive lineman Dillon Perdue receiving Preseason All-CAA Third Team honors. Carroll had over 100 tackles and 9.5 tackles for loss in 2025 while Hart had 82 tackles, two interceptions, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery. The Phoenix' defense features size on the outside as well, with both cornerbacks standing at 6-foot-1 and both defensive linemen nearing 300 pounds.
 
Phoenix Special Teams
One of the more decorated players in the preseason on this year's roster is kicker Luke Barnes, who was a Phil Steele Preseason All-American after going 14-for-15 on field goal attempts inside 50 yards and making all 40 of his extra-point attempts. Carter Stimson will start at punter for Elon, with McMillian and Hart III taking turns in the return game.
 
THE PIONEERS
GLENVILLE STATE
2025 Season
The Pioneers went (6-5) overall and (5-3) in MEC play in 2025, finishing tied for 3^rd in the conference. It was the second straight season that the Pioneers finished in the top three of the league.
 
Head Coach
Jake Casteel is in his first season leading the Pioneers, coming to Glenville State after spending the last six seasons as an assistant coach at the Division 1 level. Casteel worked for Rich Rodriguez in 2025, as Rodriguez won four league titles in seven seasons as the Pioneers head coach in the 1990s.
 
Pioneers Offense
It's a brand-new look for the Pioneers in 2026, and that starts at the quarterback position. The Pioneers will either send out Southeast Missouri State transfer JD Sherrod or junior Maddox Bowers to man the offense, with Sherrod having experience at a pair of D1 schools and Bowers spending the past two seasons as a backup to All-Conference QB Anthony Garrett. Transfers Jamir Fox (Lenoir-Rhyne) and Amir Simmons (Valparaiso) are expected to take the bulk of the carriers at running back, with returners Zavione Wood and Graylan Holland available as well.
 
The wide receiver core looks the most brand-new, with UTEP transfer Caden Harris, Shippensburg transfer Joziah Gonzalez, UVA Wise transfer Rico Thomas and freshmen Kashez Gedeon and Kyree Bunny looking to make immediate impacts in Offensive Coordinator Nate Mullen's offense. VMI transfer Nathan Lhotsky had a good career with the Keydets and the 6-foot-5 tight end will be a valuable target for GSU.
 
Glenville State's offensive line returns four players with starts under their belt, including All-Conference selections Michael Hogan and Benjamin Kilgore. West Virginia transfer Wyatt Minor joins the mix in 2026 at left tackle, as the former in-state standout and 6-foot-5, 308-pounder is set to make an immediate impact on the veteran o-line.
 
Pioneers Defense
A lot of new faces are in the fold for Casteel's defense, and there was a complete re-tool of the defensive line. Saint Francis transfer Wesley Brown Jr. will clog the middle while the 6-foot-8, 280-pound transfer David Chukwuemeka and returning Maddox Gillespie will come off both ends.
 
After a strong freshman season, Donovan Williams will share the linebacking space with William & Mary transfer Tyson Garrett and veteran Anthony Bachinksi. South Dakota transfer Jacob Clark is back in Pioneer blue and is looking replicate his 2023 All-Conference season from the middle linebacker spot.
 
Braden Boggs, who had over 50 tackles a year ago, will start at strong safety this season after playing all of '25 at middle linebacker. Emory & Henry transfer Bryson Oliver and Navy transfer Knowel Smith are predicted to start at safety as well, with Charleston transfer Ty Wickliffe and former Bridgeport HS standout Alex Moses to roam the backend of the defense as well. Khaliq Johnson, an Idaho State transfer who stands at 6-foot-1, will start at cornerback with sophomore Sean Williams, who played much of last season in a backup role for the Pioneers.
 
Pioneers Special Teams
Brody Layman finished near the top of all kicking categories in the MEC last season and will share kicking duties with transfer Francisco Gamboa while Braiden Haught takes over the punter role following a redshirt season. Caden Harris and Joziah Gonzalez are expected to do much of the returning for GSU to open up the season.
 
MEDIA
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