Brooklyn Koressel is an ASU Cronkite School of Journalism student assigned to cover Raymond S. Kellis for AZPreps365.com.

GLENDALE, Ariz.— The Cougar’s starting quarterback of three years, Brodee Lermon, is a “hometown kid,” according to his head coach Chris Miranda.

Lermon dealt with a tough season of losses, ending with a 3-7 record, and spraining his ankle in 2026. Despite it all, his coaching staff and teammates helped him keep his eye on the game.

“It’s a game I love to play,” Lermon said. “I’m playing it with my brothers and I feel like that's the reason it’s all worth it. I go out there every Friday night and play with all my brothers.” 

From as early as he can remember, he’s woken up to football games playing on the TV and it became a bonding time with his family.

Lermon has grown up in Arizona and started playing flag football at four years old. He’s been dedicated to his sport ever since, leveling up to tackle football.

He shared that his relationship with Kellis started while he was playing football and attending camps in middle school. The bond with the coaches grew from there as he became a high schooler, where he made varsity his freshman year.

Head coach Chris Miranda didn’t coach at Kellis in 2024, when Lermon was a freshman, but by the 2025 season, Miranda understood why he was a star.

“Brodee being so young as a sophomore when I first met him had a lot on his plate,” Miranda said. “We were new coaches. It’s a big program and we’re in one of the toughest schedules in 5A. We believed in him and trusted him and he was always up for the challenge. He never wavered .”

Although the Cougars’ record hasn’t prospered the way he hoped during his tenure, 1-9 in 2025 and 3-7 in 2026, Miranda credits Lermon as a true team leader.

Even after getting injured during the game against Ironwood, he stuck by his team and played as long as it was safe to do because he knew his teammates needed him.

Lermon’s quarterback coach Conner Cordts reflected a similar message to Miranda. Lermon’s leadership extends throughout his school and he has a character college recruiters will admire.

“He’s a high character young man,” Cordts said. “Working with his mom and getting to hear his background, like winning homecoming prince and things like that shows that the school respects him. The teachers think he’s a high character young man and he has a high grade point average. I think he’s doing things off the field to be the person that a college coach wants to recruit.”

Lermon’s dream is to play for the NFL, but he’ll be happy as long as he is sticking with his sport. Being only in his junior year, he is focusing on making it to college first.

His Kellis coaches are hopeful for his senior year and know that no matter what he’ll make a big impression.

“I just hope he has an incredible senior campaign and starts getting the recognition he deserves,” Cordts said.