Pioneer Position Previews: Backs
Huck Damon looks for room to run in the Pioneers’ scrimmage against Spring Hill.
As the 2026 football season approaches, the Warren County Way will be breaking down the Pioneer roster position-by-position. We’ll take a closer look at the quarterbacks, running backs/B-backs, wide receivers/tight ends, offensive line, defensive line, linebackers, secondary and special teams before Warren County kicks off the season at DeKalb County.
Running backs/B-backs
If Warren County is going to establish the physical running game coach Eric Belew wants this fall, the Pioneers appear to have plenty of options to make it happen.
The backfield features experience at the top, intriguing young depth behind it and another weapon defenses will have to account for every snap with AJ Whitman now taking over at quarterback.
Senior Dylan Aguilar enters the season as the starter at tailback after starting basically the entire 2025 season. Belew has seen noticeable growth from Aguilar since last fall, particularly from the work he put in during the offseason.
“Dylan started basically the entire year last year and saw tremendous growth in the weight room over the offseason,” said Belew. “He will be our starter but Huck has showed promise as well.”
Huck Damon gives Warren County another experienced option at tailback, while freshman James Mietling is making an early push for carries. Mietling had a strong showing against Spring Hill in Warren County’s first preseason scrimmage and has put himself in position to potentially earn touches on Friday nights.
There may be even more experience at what Warren County is now calling its B-back position.
Colton Gater returns as a starter, while Colton Wood has moved from guard into the backfield. Sophomore Cameron Redmore brings an explosive element to the group and freshman Isaac Sain has shown enough maturity during the preseason to potentially work his way onto the field as well.
Having options is nice. Having one of the most dependable players Belew has coached leading the group is even better.
“Gater is probably the most consistent fullback I have ever coached,” said Belew. “He believes in what coach Jaythan Marsh teaches him to do scheme and technique wise and also coaches the younger players when he gets the chance to as well.”
Gater's impact was on display against Spring Hill. He ripped off a long run during Warren County's first scoring possession, then delivered a punishing lead block to help spring Whitman into the end zone.
With experience in the backfield, four returning starters along the offensive line and a running threat at quarterback, Warren County suddenly has a lot of different ways to make its rushing attack look complicated without making it complicated for the Pioneers themselves.
Brent Carden photo - Dylan Aguilar (22) and Colton Gater (33) bring back plenty of experience in the backfield for the Pioneers.
3-2-1 Breakdown - Three Questions
Is Aguilar ready to become the featured back?
There isn't a mystery about who will start.
Belew has already established Aguilar as Warren County's No. 1 tailback entering the season, and there's plenty of experience behind the decision. Aguilar spent essentially all of last season in the starting lineup and now enters his senior year stronger after an offseason dedicated to the weight room.
He’s been a little bit banged up in the preseason already, but all indications are he’ll be good to go by the first game against DeKalb County. While Warren County has a stable of backs to depend on, there’s hope Aguilar can set the tone and handle th workload.
If he develops into a runner other teams have to game plan for, it’ll make every other ball carrier that much more dangerous.
How many backs can Warren County actually use?
It may be one of the better problems Belew has entering the season.
Aguilar and Damon provide experience at tailback and the B-back room may be even deeper.
Gater and Wood give Warren County two intelligent, experienced players capable of moving throughout Belew's formations. Redmore adds explosiveness and freshmen are making pushes at both spots.
Coach Belew will find ways to share the wealth, because there’s so many guys already showing they need the rock and can deliver when called upon.
How much does Whitman change the equation?
Every defender committed to accounting for Whitman is one less defender completely focused on Aguilar, Gater or another Pioneer back. That's what makes this year's backfield so interesting.
“Having a running quarterback allows you to be so much more creative in formation and plays,” said Belew. “With our experience up front and in the backfield, we can do a lot of different things before the snap to get our athletes the ball in space.”
The Pioneers call it a “complicated but simple” style: complicated for an opponent to prepare for, but simple for Warren County to execute.
With Whitman’s ability to move the chains with his legs, defensive coordinators may not find it nearly as simple.
Two Observations
Gater may be the glue that holds it together
It's easy to notice the guy who breaks a 50-yard run - they’re the ones celebrating in the endzone and being picked up by teammates. It's harder to appreciate the player who consistently makes sure somebody else has room to do it.
That's where Gater comes in.
Calling somebody the most consistent fullback you've ever coached isn't faint praise, particularly coming from a coach who has made the running game such a central part of his offensive identity. Gater isn't simply experienced - he understands what Warren County is trying to accomplish.
His mental game is there and Warren County has already gotten a glimpse of what he can do physically. Spring Hill got a glimpse too when Gater became both runner and battering ram during Warren County's first scoring drive.
The freshmen aren't waiting around
There are plenty of veterans in the backfield, but the freshmen have already made it difficult to ignore them.
Mietling has made plays throughout the preseason and took another step with a strong performance against Spring Hill. It’s probably not much of a surprise to many who thought he was going to break out for WCMS last year, only to see most of his season cut short due to injuries. Add Sain impressing Belew with his maturity at B-back and you got two young guys who can play a role.
And that’s the big thing - neither needs to become a featured player for Warren County this fall. If they can earn enough trust to handle meaningful snaps, it gives Belew more depth immediately and starts developing the next wave of runners for Warren County.
One Simmons Says Prediction
Warren County entered last season believing Adrian Harris could provide the home-run threat in the backfield, only to lose him to a knee injury on the third offensive possession of the year. The Pioneers enter 2026 looking much less dependent on one player producing all the big plays.
With all the options in the backfield, I think Warren County will have at least four different players rush for 300 yards this season.
There may not be one back putting up monster numbers every Friday - and there may not need to be. With an experienced offensive line in front of them and enough versatility to make the same concepts look completely different from one formation to the next, Warren County has the personnel to make defenses worry about where the football is going on every snap.
The Pioneers have plenty of backs and Belew is going to have fun figuring out how many ways to use them.
