Two-minute drill: What to know about BHRA football in 2026
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Aug. 19—With the exception of a few seasons earlier this decade, Bismarck-Henning/Rossville-Alvin football sticks to its identity.
Run the ball, run the ball and run the ball some more.
It's a philosophy that has worked well for veteran coach , who will begin his 20th season in charge of the Blue Devils on Saturday night when BHRA travels to play at Oakwood at 7 p.m. in an early Vermilion Valley Conference showdown.
"We're a ground and pound type of team," Dodd said. "That's just where we're going to have to live with."
The Blue Devils return their top two rushers from a season ago in seniors and . Parish rushed for 1,425 yards and 16 touchdowns, while Cahill supplied 816 rushing yards and 14 touchdowns out of BHRA's wing-T offense. The Blue Devils finished 6-4 last season for their 16th consecutive winning season.
When the Blue Devils decide to pass, they'll count on junior quarterback .
"He throws it pretty well, and he took a big jump this summer," Dodd said. "We've seen a lot of maturity out of him."
Here are three more items to know about the Blue Devils before Saturday night's season opener.
➜ Parish. He emerged from the shadow of his older brother Evan, a former BHRA standout, during his breakout 2025 season. Liam will also contribute in the secondary, but his main role is to keep the BHRA offense humming along like he did last season.
"I like knowing that Coach Dodd can count on me in any situation and that I can be there for my teammates," Liam said. "It was a big jump coming into last season and a lot of expectations with what my brother did. I thought it matured me and helped me be a better leader."
Despite the success both Liam and Evan, who is about to start his redshirt freshman season as a defensive back at NAIA program St. Francis in Joliet, have had running the ball, they have different styles.
"Liam has probably better breakaway straight-ahead speed," Dodd said. "Evan had lateral quickness that was unparalleled with anything I've ever coached. You watched him play linebacker, and he could cover sideline to sideline."
➜ is senior center and middle linebacker He is a three-year starter along the offensive line whom the Blue Devils will also depend upon significantly on the defensive side of the ball.
"Lucas has been one of our steadier players and is one of those kids you don't really notice, but we certainly do," Dodd said. "He's going to be a key player for us."
Just like fellow senior , a starter at left guard and at defensive end. A trio of juniors in at right guard, at right tackle and at left tackle are slated to make up the rest of the BHRA offensive line responsible in creating running lanes for Liam Parish, Cahill, Schmit and sophomore .
"It's great having a lot of my teammates back from last year," Lane said, "and what we love about playing on the offensive line is hitting people."
➜ could happen soon. The first three teams the Blue Devils play — at Oakwood on Saturday, at Clifton Central on Aug. 28 and host Westville on Sept. 4 in their home opener at Payton-Moss Field — went a combined 27-6 last season.
"Not a lot of margin for error in those three games," Dodd said. "Obviously, it's a big challenge with Oakwood in Week 1."
The same is likely true for early October when BHRA makes its longest trip of the regular season to play at Roxana on Oct. 2. The Shells, led by former Oakwood coach , have made four straight playoff trips in 3A and are 33-11 since the 2022 season.
The nonconference game against Roxana is happening because Watseka won't field a varsity football team this year, leaving the VVC with only nine teams this season.
"Roxana was a team that had an opening," Dodd said. "I'll treat that like a playoff game. You've got to go on a long road trip where we're going to go face someone really, really good. Hopefully, win or lose, it'll benefit us come playoff time."
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