Nitro football coach James “Boom†McKinney decided to take a vacation prior to the start of August practices that would lead to the start of the 2025 season.
And why not?
McKinney, the fourth-year coach of the Wildcats, has less to worry about on the field than he ever has before with 24 returning seniors, the arrival of offensive lineman Da’Ron Parks this summer and an influx of other transfers from Cabell Midland, Capital, George Washington, Hurricane and Winfield.
It’s enough to forget, at least for a moment, that Nitro graduated quarterback Josh Moody, who passed for 3,846 yards and 40 touchdowns in 2024, plus three other players who took snaps in the high-powered Wildcats offense.
The 6-5, 330-pound Parks, who played at Hurricane as a sophomore before moving to Florida, returned to West Virginia in July. Now a senior, Parks also announced he would play college football at Florida State, picking the Seminoles over Auburn, Ohio State and Kentucky.
Parks joined a team that already had wide receiver and WVU commit Malachi Thompson as well as defensive end Xavier Patterson, who McKinney said could also be headed to a Division I FBS program after he graduates this year.
No wonder McKinney took his first vacation in five years.
The coach said Parks will be joining an offensive line that will also feature senior Mason Martin, who arrived at Nitro from Hurricane. Martin and Parks are friends, McKinney said, and this was an opportunity for them to play together one last time.
They’re joined by fourth-year starter Dillon Casto. Jayven Hill is another returning starter on the offensive front returning for his senior year. Landen Hamilton, a senior, returns as well, along with underclassmen Lucas Kirk, Steven Kinney and Aiden Thomas.
Kinney and Thomas, a 6-foot-4, 315-pounder, are both returning starters who are sophomores.
“We definitely have got some size,†McKinney said.
To replace Moody, McKinney said he’s looking at a pair of options, beginning with senior Eian Duffy, who arrived in the Kanawha Valley this season after playing at Cabell Midland last season. The coach said Duffy was impressive this summer in 7-on-7 competitions.
“He’s quick,†McKinney said. “He can run or pass. When the pressure comes, he can get out. We were pleased with what we’ve seen.â€
The other quarterback option is one for which Nitro didn’t have to look far. McKinney said after previous attempts to talk Wildcats basketball star Ty Stephens into playing football failed, Stephens relented and will take the gridiron this year.
McKinney said Stephens will mostly be on the field as a receiver but could see snaps at quarterback in the fall.
Former Winfield running back Chris Radcliffe will play that position for the Wildcats in his senior season. McKinney said the 5-9, 190-pound Radcliffe, who can bench press more than 300 pounds and squat 400-plus, might be an FBS prospect as well.
“He catches the ball well out of the backfield,†McKinney said. “He’s fast. He runs a 4.5 40[-yard dash]. He can run between the tackles, and once he gets on the edge, he’s gone. He doesn’t have offers yet, but he’s a grown man.â€
Takye Porter, a junior who caught 28 passes for 263 yards and three TDs, will play at running back behind Radcliffe this season.
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Thompson led all Nitro wide receivers with 74 catches for 1,593 yards and 18 TDs in 2024 leading the West Virginia Sports Writers Association to name the junior its Randy Moss Award winner.
As a senior, Thompson will again be the featured star in a corps of talented returning receivers.
“That’s another stud right there,†McKinney said of Thompson.
Fellow senior Luke Shafer, who caught 58 passes for 933 yards and seven scores, also returns, with Ty’lil Mills, who McKinney called “quick as lightning." He will line up as a slot receiver.
Mills will be a senior moving to the receiver position after playing as a running back last season.
Ja'lei Burnette, a senior transfer from Hurricane, figures to be a factor in the Wildcats offense, too.
As good as Nitro’s offense is, the Wildcats’ defense might be even better.
Four of the top five tacklers last year return this season, led by senior inside linebacker Wyatt Sowards, who led the Wildcats with 126 total tackles last season.
Junior Braylon Price (92 tackles) will be the other outside linebacker. Senior Antonio Lerose (91 tackles) will play inside linebacker.
Patterson (96 tackles) returns on the defensive line. McKinney said Patterson has drawn interest at the FBS level from WVU, Marshall and Cincinnati, as well as the FCS level at Morehead State.
“He wants to be somewhere he’s wanted,†McKinney said. “Plus, he wants to go to a good academic program. He’s a smart guy.â€
Senior Kaidyn McCallister will play at the other defensive end spot. Senior Bryce Snyder will play along the interior defensive line.
Returning starters David Hill, a junior, and Malik Brown, a senior, will play cornerback for Nitro. Coltyn Lycans, a senior who is a fourth-year starter, will play safety.
The defense will have its share of newcomers as well.
On the defensive line, Shamar Smith arrived to play his senior year at defensive end for Nitro. Hurricane transfer Cohen Lusher will see time on the defensive line as well.Â
Landon Taylor is another Cabell Midland transfer who will play one of the outside linebacker positions. GW transfer Brody McCallister, a junior, and Dawson Hill, a 6-3, 180-pound senior transfer from Florida, will be safeties.
Who will start and who will be rotating in is a “work in progress,†McKinney said.
Nitro will kick off Week 1 against Hedgesville on Aug. 29 at the former campus of Alderson Broaddus.
