South Pittsburg Football 2026 Preview, Players and Schedule | Top 25 Public HSFB
Series
2026 Teams to Know Season Preview: South Pittsburg (TN)
Tennessee commit Dayon Cooper and a defense that allowed 72 points give the defending Class 1A champion time to rebuild its offense.
Top 25 Public HSFB8/20/20265 min read
South Pittsburg did not ease into last season's championship. The Pirates lost their opener to Silverdale, won the next 14 games and finished the run with a 42-14 victory over McKenzie in the Class 1A title game.
That makes the 2026 question unusually clear. South Pittsburg still has championship talent, but the offense has to replace a 1,700-yard passer, a three-time 1,000-yard rusher and four starting linemen. Dayon Cooper and a veteran defense give the new group time to find its footing.
Team Snapshot
School: South Pittsburg Pirates
Location: South Pittsburg, Tennessee
Head Coach: Wes Stone
Classification: TSSAA Class 1A
Region: Region 3
2025 Record: 14-1
2025 Finish: TSSAA Class 1A state champion
Returning Starters: Five starters on offense and six on defense
2026 Outlook
The shape of this title defense starts on the defensive side. South Pittsburg allowed 72 points in 15 games last season, and its first four playoff wins came by a combined score of 187-7. Three of those postseason victories were shutouts.
Six defensive starters return from that group. Anthony Gibbs, Kaden Baker and Kemijah Harris have each been starting at linebacker since their sophomore seasons, while Brandon Goldsmith returns after an all-state season in the secondary. Martavius Smith, Taedyn Bibbs, Nicholi Burton and Kaveon Sutton give the Pirates more experienced options on the back end.
Your team. Your state. Your T25PS.
Make the national coverage more personal.
Save your home state and favorite team, then choose whether to receive major rankings and coverage updates. The account is free.
That defense matters because the offense will look different. Quarterback Caden Jones graduated after passing for 1,700 yards and 20 touchdowns. Championship-game MVP Ja'Mychal Buckner leaves after three straight 1,000-yard rushing seasons. Center Chris Gonzalez is the only returning starter on an offensive line that must replace four pieces at once.
Cooper is the reason I am not treating that turnover like a full rebuild. The reigning Class 1A Mr. Football winner caught 29 passes for 681 yards and 10 touchdowns, rushed for 421 yards and five more scores and returned three kickoffs for touchdowns. He is committed to Tennessee, but his value to South Pittsburg is much bigger than a recruiting label. Wes Stone can move him until the new quarterback and backfield settle into roles they can handle.
Goldsmith gives the new quarterback another experienced target, and Anthony Gibbs adds a returning option in the backfield. The Pirates do not need to recreate last year's offense by August. They need enough balance to keep opponents from loading every important snap toward Cooper.
The first six games will tell us how quickly that happens. Silverdale is the immediate measuring stick after handing South Pittsburg its only loss last season, and the Sept. 25 trip to Red Bank is another road test before the Pirates turn fully toward Region 3 play. After an open week, South Pittsburg closes with four straight region games.
Players to Know
Dayon Cooper, ATH, Class of 2027
Cooper is the centerpiece of the repeat bid. His 1,102 yards from scrimmage, 15 offensive touchdowns and three kickoff-return scores show why South Pittsburg can use him at receiver, running back and returner without forcing the offense into one identity. The Tennessee commit also has experience in the secondary.
Brandon Goldsmith, DB/LB, Class of 2027
Goldsmith is committed to Austin Peay and gives the Pirates an all-state defender who can work in the secondary or closer to the box. His two-way experience also matters to a passing game replacing its quarterback.
Anthony Gibbs, RB, Class of 2027
Gibbs is part of the veteran linebacker core and one of the backs who can help replace Buckner's workload. If he can give South Pittsburg dependable carries between the tackles, Cooper can remain the movable matchup piece that makes this offense hardest to defend.
Kaveon Sutton, DB/WR, Class of 2029
Sutton was only a freshman during the 2025 title run, but he already worked into South Pittsburg’s rotation at receiver and cornerback. His speed gives the Pirates another way to stretch the field, and a larger two-way role would add needed depth while the offense replaces several veteran pieces.
Kemijah Harris, LB, Class of 2027
Harris is one of the roster’s most experienced players after starting at linebacker for three seasons. He made seven solo tackles and recorded a tackle for loss in the state championship victory over McKenzie, giving South Pittsburg a proven defender on a unit expected to carry the team early.
Martavius Smith, WR/DB, Class of 2027
Smith gives the Pirates another veteran who can affect games at receiver, cornerback and in the return game. His 75-yard touchdown catch just before halftime in the state championship game showed how quickly he can turn one opportunity into points. That big-play ability should matter even more while South Pittsburg settles on a new quarterback.
Complete 2026 Schedule
Aug. 21: Christian Community
Aug. 28: at Silverdale
Sept. 4: Sequatchie County
Sept. 11: at Brainerd
Sept. 18: Franklin County
Sept. 25: at Red Bank
Oct. 2: Open
Oct. 9: Lookout Valley (Homecoming)
Oct. 16: Sale Creek
Oct. 23: at Copper Basin
Oct. 30: at Whitwell
Biggest Question
Can South Pittsburg build a championship offense around Cooper before the postseason?
The defense should keep the Pirates in control while four new offensive linemen and a new quarterback learn on Friday nights. The real test is whether the offense can become more than a weekly search for ways to get Cooper the ball.
Silverdale and Red Bank come early enough to expose the weak points without deciding the region. If South Pittsburg comes out of September with a dependable line rotation, a quarterback who protects possessions and two or three credible ball carriers, the Pirates will have the balance to make another championship run.
MISTER F00TBALL's National High School Football Composite Rankings, partnered with and powered by Prep Gridiron Logistics, the only rankings to include every national poll and every team receiving a Top 25 vote.
I have South Pittsburg finishing 10-0, winning Region 3-1A and winning the state championship again. Silverdale is the most difficult regular-season matchup, and Red Bank presents another test away from home. The offensive turnover lowers the margin for error early, but Cooper and an experienced defense keep the Pirates at the top of Class 1A.
Want to put your company in front of high school football audiences nationally, in Western Pennsylvania or across Georgia? Email alex@t25ps.com to discuss T25PS sponsorship and advertising opportunities with partnered brands.
