Lloyd Memorial was one of the last three teams standing in Northern Kentucky last season, making it all the way to the semifinals before coming up short to Murray for a trip to Kroger Field in Lexington for the Class 3A state title game.
While the Juggernauts may have come up a win shy of Lexington, their outlook for 2026 might be even brighter. They return a good chunk of players from last year’s 13-1 campaign in hopes of taking things one step further.
Here’s five things to know about the Juggernauts as they approach the 2026 season:
The Big Boys Are Back
Lloyd Memorial head coach Kyle Niederman has heard plenty this offseason about how many players the Juggernauts return.
It’s also true.
While the skill-position players grab much of the attention, one of Lloyd’s biggest strengths may be in the trenches. The Juggs return all five starting offensive linemen from a unit that paved the way for more than 4,500 total yards and over 2,000 rushing yards last season.
“Our entire line takes pride in that,” senior and NKY Top 28 selection Aiden Dolan said. “Our line coach, Mac Cooley, and offensive coordinator David Brossart always talk about the line surge. Those are our tone-setting plays. When we fire off the ball, you can see the defensive line’s heads pop back. That’s when we know we’ve set the tone.”
Dolan is joined up front by Brandon Carter, Stone Eickhoff, Trevor Larison, David Dobbs and Evan West.
The Lion’s Den
Lloyd Memorial places a major emphasis on culture, which serves as the foundation of the program.
Graduation left a void in that area with the departure of quarterback Kaleb Evans, who was one of the Juggernauts’ top leaders.
“It’s always difficult trying to find a quality of leader that Kaleb was, but we have a lot of guys who are stepping up and showing a lot of promising leadership characteristics,” head coach Kyle Niederman said.
Several of those leaders are part of Lloyd’s “Lion’s Den,” a leadership group that includes Dolan.
“It’s the guys who always show up, always trying to get better, and holding themselves and others accountable,” Dolan said. “On Fridays, the Lion’s Den goes to the library, and it’s kind of a special thing. That’s our group of leadership guys, and I love it. It gets me pumped up every time.”
Pick your Poison
Key on Avery Conrad and Lincoln Tomlinson can make you pay. Focus on Tomlinson, and Conrad is waiting.
The senior-junior duo gives Lloyd Memorial one of Northern Kentucky’s most dangerous backfields while also anchoring the Juggernauts’ defense at linebacker.
Last season, they combined for 194 carries, 1,462 rushing yards and 30 rushing touchdowns while adding 31 receptions for 337 yards and three scores. They accounted for 212 of Lloyd’s 560 points. Defensively, they totaled 265 tackles, 21 tackles for loss, four sacks, two interceptions, two forced fumbles and one fumble recovery.
“It’s great,” Conrad said. “If I’m not having a good game and he’s having a good one and vice versa, there’s not any selfishness. We both want to win and that’s what makes it so hard for other teams, because no team can stop both of us. If they stop one of us, the other’s there.”
Relationships = Results
Talent can win games. Lloyd Memorial believes relationships build programs.
Part of the Juggernauts’ success starts with the chemistry among players and between players and coaches and that foundation hasn’t changed this season.
“We put a huge emphasis on that in our program,” Niederman said. “Our program is based on relationships. We like to say that we coach kids the game of football, we don’t coach football to kids.”
That philosophy has translated into results.
Since the current senior and junior classes first stepped onto the varsity field as freshmen and sophomores, Lloyd has won 22 of its last 25 games. That bond between those players stretches back much farther than that.
“The chemistry is great, especially with this class now,” Conrad said. “We grew up together, we all went to the same middle school, same elementary. It’s not just a football team, it’s a family. We’re brothers.”
Mr. Do-It-All
In the fall, he totaled 1,164 yards and 17 touchdowns while adding 70 tackles, three interceptions, two forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries on defense.
During basketball season, he scored 148 points, made 19 three-pointers and grabbed 62 rebounds in 27 games.
Then came the spring, when he collected 39 hits in 97 at-bats with 23 RBIs, 10 doubles, three home runs, three triples and 25 stolen bases. On the mound, he logged 60 innings and struck out 64 batters.
That’s Lloyd Memorial’s Colten Barger.
“He’s pretty darn good at all of those,” Niederman said. “He’s just a gifted athlete, but what separates him is his work ethic and his attitude.”
The junior isn’t just a multi-sport standout, he’s a Swiss Army knife on the football field.
Last season, Barger threw a pass, rushed nine times, caught 47 passes, converted two two-point conversions and starred on defense.
