2025 Outlook

Head Coach: Mike Kohl (15th season)

Career Record: 82-57

Conference: SWVC Green

Last Playoff: Class 7A Quarterfinals, 2024

Best Playoff: Class 7A Semifinalist, 2015

2024 Record: 9-3

Since their trip to the 2022 IHSA Class 7A Playoffs gave them their first appearance in four postseasons, the Bradley-Bourbonnais football team has continued to see progress. The Boilermakers made a first-round exit that season, won a playoff game in 2023 and made their first quarterfinal appearance in nine seasons last fall.

In 2025, the Boilermakers are as enthused as ever about their season prospects.

With nine starters back defensively and seven back offensively, including the two-way trio of seniors Lyzale Edmon (WR/DB) and Calvin Kohl (TE/LB) and junior Rontez Smith (WR/DB), the Boilers roster and coaching staff alike know that the talent is there for a run that could at least match the 2015 team’s trip to the semifinals. But they also know that they have to prove it first, especially through a tricky SouthWest Valley Conference Green Division and beefed up nonconference schedule that includes Crete-Monee at home in Week 2 and a neutral-site meeting with St. Mary’s Southside Catholic Prep (St. Louis) at Millikin University in Decatur.

“They do (have special potential), but the challenge is making sure they know it’s not going to just happen,” head coach Mike Kohl said. “We have to make the playoffs first, and that starts Week 1 against TF North at home.”

Edmon, the lone junior on last year’s Illinois High School Football Coaches Association Class 7A All-State first team, will be the top target for senior quarterback Ellis Johnson. Johnson’s starting experience is light, but as the backup to 2025 graduate Gavin Kohl the past two seasons, he’s gotten to see some snaps. Last year, he completed 13 of 22 passes for 206 yards and a pair of touchdowns.

“He has all the attributes: he can run, he’s fast, he’s a student of the game and he’s a senior,” Mike Kohl said. “Any time you’ve got a senior back there you’ve got a shot.”

The backfield returns a pair of last year’s three-headed monster, sophomore sensation Ky’ren Edmon and speedy senior Isaac Allison. Ky’ren Edmon, a top-notch recruit with an offer from Ole Miss already, led the team with nine rushing scores a year ago and tallied 620 yards on 91 carries while Allsion had 263 yards and four scores on 43 attempts. Mike Kohl said the pair reminds him of the backfield duo of Noah Fritz and Donnie Ringo that helped them to the 2015 semifinals, their furthest postseason run to date.

“They both can fly speedwise, they both have great vision, they’re both great teammates and they can both play receiver,” Mike Kohl said. “You’ll see that this year with them both on the field at the same time, one in the backfield and one in the slot.”

Out wide, Lyzale Edmon, Smith and junior Keshawn Tucker will be the primary receivers, with senior tight end Calvin Kohl once again providing pass-catching and blocking ability as a Daily Journal All-Area and All-SWVC tight end, with exciting junior Clark Six providing tight end depth.

“I don’t know if we’ve had a team in the 15 years I’ve been here that’s had so many weapons,” Mike Kohl said. “ … The ball is going to go a lot of ways and it will be hard for a defense to stop us just because the ball can go in so many directions.”

Senior right tackle Joel Morrical is back for his third year in the starting lineup, joined in the trenches by seniors Donovan Prude at left tackle and Austin Snyder at center, with junior guards Tyrell Berry and Colton Byrne filling the line out.

They return a quartet of defensive linemen, speedy seniors Tye Thurmond and Dareon Warren at end, senior Khalan Clemons at nose guard and Braden O’Connor at tackle. There’s some freshness to the linebacker spot, where Calvin Kohl will be a more permanent fixture after playing end/outside linebacker last year.

“He’s a great, honorable kid who will end up at the Air Force Academy or somewhere like that,” Mike Kohl said. “He’s just a phenomenal football player but we have to make sure we pace ourselves with him going both ways.”

The secondary returns all three members of the starting rotation last year, Smith, Lyzale Edmon and Seth Teague, as well as senior safety Jordan Fitch, with the group perhaps the most evident example of the team speed that has the coaching staff ecstatic.

With so much talent and excitement around the program, the Boilers are looking to improve off of last year and make it to at least their second-ever state semifinal. But despite their uptick in recent years, Mike Kohl knows that prior results don’t add any wins to this year’s record.

“I think the ultimate thing is, who are we this year?” Mike Kohl said. “It’s a different group of kids, we don’t know each other yet. We have to care about each other first, and if we can’t figure that out we won’t win many games. The kids and staff have to care about everyone first and we’ll go from there.”