PLYMOUTH — Eight-man football is new to Richland County, and new to Plymouth High School.
When participation numbers dipped into the teens this summer, the school was forced to drop down to an eight-man version of the sport.
In order to compete this season, the Big Red have joined the Northern 8 Football Conference. This is not an Ohio High School Athletic Association-sanction sport.
Another challenge is the vast distances the squad will travel to compete.
Graham Auto Mall is proud to back our area’s local athletes and help Richland Source provide fans in-depth coverage of the upcoming high school football season.
Plymouth Big Red 2026 Preview
Conference: Northern 8
Coach: John Gillum
Last year: 1-9
Playoff Appearances: 3 (2021, 2020, 2014)
Playoff Record: 1-3
PLAYER TO WATCH 👀
Isaiah Miller: A senior running back and linebacker, Miller rushed for 750 yards and six touchdowns on 137 carries, averaging 5.5 yards per attempt. Defensively he made 58 tackles, including seven tackles for loss. Miller was an All-Firelands Conference second-team pick.
BY THE NUMBERS 📊
2
Returning All-Firelands Conference selections. Seniors Isaiah Miller and Lincoln Distl were both second-teamers last year. Honorable mention picks Grant Anderson, Casey Bailey and Ben Trimmer graduated.
4
Seniors lost to graduation. There were seven juniors, three juniors and 10 freshmen on last year’s roster.
20
Number of Plymouth athletes who took part in summer workouts. The Big Red had a 24-man roster last fall.
43
Years since Plymouth’s first and only Firelands Conference championship. The Big Red tied for sixth last year at 1-6, but won’t be playing in the Firelands Conference this season.
2025 RESULTS
Lucas 51, Plymouth 0
Willard 50, Plymouth 28
Wellington 22, Plymouth 6
St. Paul 57, Plymouth 0
Mapleton 30, Plymouth 28
Crestview 42, Plymouth 0
Plymouth 20, New London 12
Monroeville 55, Plymouth 0
Western Reserve 40, Plymouth 0
South Central 20, Plymouth 6
2026 SCHEDULE 📅
Aug. 21 — at Windham
Aug. 28 — LITCHFIELD (Michigan)
Sept. 5 — at Sandusky St. Mary’s
Sept. 12 — at Fremont St. Joseph’s
Sept. 18 — at Sebring McKinley
Sept. 25 — CHALKER
Oct. 2 — HOLGATE
Oct. 9 — DANBURY
Oct. 17 — at Stryker
Oct. 23 — KENNEDY CATHOLIC
TWO MINUTE DRILL ⏱️
The Big Red announced their transition to the Northern 8 Football Conference nine days before their season opener. The Big Red went 1-9 last season with a 24-player roster. They returned 20 for summer workouts. Now, the challenge for Plymouth lies in learning a new eight-man rulebook and their travel schedule. The closest opponent in their new conference is Sandusky St. Mary Central Catholic – a 52-minute drive. Several drives exceed two hours and cross state borders into Michigan and Pennsylvania.
Love high school football? So do we! 🏈
Stay ahead of the game with exclusive updates, behind-the-scenes coverage, and expert analysis from veteran sports reporter Curt Conrad.
