Article V: The Program Strikes Back
Schools that will Bounce Back in 2026
Each season many programs fade into the deep space unable to make a playoff appearance, yet alone a bowl game. The final week of college football, week 14, ends up being the end for their season. On the other hand, some programs do get lucky enough to get a bowl bid, yet that final game ends with the outcome not wanted. A loss. Luckily, for those programs eventually a new season begins, a fresh start. This new opportunity allows them to regain control of their identity, to sharpen their techniques back to competitive levels, and a chance to strike back after a disappointing season. In this next article in our Prospect Galaxy series the 3 programs discussed are ones that have what it takes to strike back. This is Article V: The Program Strikes Back.
University of Florida
Head Coach: Jon Sumrall
After finishing 4-8 in 2025, the Florida Gators enter the 2026 season with a new discipline and mindset under new leadership. Former Tulane head coach, Jon Sumrall, will seek out a winning record as the new head coach at Florida. Sumrall arrives in Gainesville being no stranger to winning. He currently holds the fifth highest winning percentage among active FBS head coaches. Most recently, he guided Tulane to a College Football Playoff appearance, proving he is more than capable of elevating a program to national relevance. His arrival should restore the discipline, toughness, and competitive culture that the Gators lost in 2025.
One of the most immediate and impactful changes Sumrall is expected to bring is a renewed identity built around physicality on both sides of the ball. Sumrall will prioritize building a powerful offensive line that can physically wear down opposing defenses throughout the course of a game. In fact, in 2 of his past 3 seasons, Sumrall has had a running back with over 200 attempts and at least 5.3 yards per carry. This fits perfectly, for running back Jadan Baugh who is a strong, physical ball carrier that embodies the kind of punishing style Sumrall loves to deploy. Duke Clark will look to gain more opportunity after having a redshirt freshman year. Cincinnati transfer, Evan Pryor, offers solid depth as change-of-pace back to keep defenses off balance. While the quarterback competition between redshirt freshman Tramell Jones Jr. and redshirt sophomore Aaron Philo remains ongoing heading into summer, early spring signs point to Jones Jr. gaining the edge. The wide receiver room adds plenty of excitement with Eric Singleton Jr., Vernell Brown III, Micah Mays Jr., and Bailey Stockton all pushing for meaningful playing time. Singleton transfers in from Auburn offering a versatile receiver that is agile and able to exceed inside and out. Vernell Brown III led the team in receptions and receiving yards in 2025. Micah Mays Jr. and Bailey Stockton both transfer in from ACC schools hoping to carve out larger roles than their prior programs. Plus, a healthy Dallas Wilson immediately upgrades the position as a smart, physical presence on the outside.
“Sumrall has consistently built winning environments at every stop in his career…”
Defensively, Sumrall is expected to install a fast and aggressive attack-minded unit that swarms to the football creating chaos for opposing offenses. The defensive line already has impressive versatility, which should allow defensive coordinator, Brad White, to deploy multiple packages that will keep opposing offenses constantly guessing and adjusting. Jayden Woods is poised to be the anchor of the trenches. The linebacker corps featuring Aaron Chiles, Jaden Robinson, and Myles Graham may be one of the most well-rounded units on the roster. Each of those linebackers brings a unique blend of speed and power, capable of attacking ball carriers with both aggression and technique. Pairing them with the versatility in the trenches should make life very difficult for opposing rushing attacks. In the secondary, cornerbacks Dijon Johnson and Cormani McClain return as the potential starters. However, Ben Hanks III, has made enough of an impression in spring camp to enter the conversation. UCLA transfer Kanye Clark is expected to bring a physical edge at the nickel position. Safety, Bryce Thornton, returns as one of the most reliable and impactful players in the entire defensive unit. The development of second-year players Drake Stubbs and Lagonza Hayward will be something to monitor closely as the season approaches. Their growth could provide much-needed depth and upside for a defense looking to take a significant step forward.
The cultural reset that Sumrall brings may ultimately prove to be just as important as the on-field changes he makes. Florida’s 2025 season was a signal that something needed to change at the foundation of the program. Sumrall has consistently built winning environments at every stop in his career by demanding accountability, instilling daily competitive habits, and fostering a team-first mentality that translates directly into performance on game day. That kind of leadership trickles down through a roster and transforms how players prepare, practice, and respond to adversity. Florida had a talented roster that underperformed its potential last season. Now, led by Sumrall, they have a proven culture-builder at the helm ready to lead the Gators back into SEC glory.
The road back to relevance in the SEC is never easy, but the Florida Gators have the pieces and the leadership in place to make 2026 a true bounce-back season. Sumrall’s track record as a winner is no fluke. He will bring clear vision towards a physical and disciplined brand of football. However, for that winning culture to find a place in the SEC a few things will need to happen. The quarterback competition needs to be resolved cleanly and definitively. Development of the offensive line needs to be precise to become the force Sumrall envisions. On the defensive side of the ball, they need to play with the same aggression and versatility they showed in spring camp. If these boxes are all checked off by the time September 5th rolls around then Florida could surprise plenty of people in a competitive SEC. A return to bowl eligibility feels like the floor. But with the right development and momentum, a playoff birth is not out of the question.
Oklahoma State University
Head Coach: Eric Morris
When Eric Morris left North Texas for Oklahoma State, he carried more than a playbook. He brought the engine of one of the most explosive offenses in the country. Quarterback Drew Mestemaker headlines the movement. After leading the nation in passing yards with 4,379 and throwing 34 TDs, Mestemaker arrives as one of the most productive players in college football. His command of Morris’ system eliminates the typical learning curve that comes with a coaching change. RB Caleb Hawkins follows after a historic freshman season, totaling 1,800+ yards from scrimmage and a nation-leading 29 TDs. WR Wyatt Young completes the trio, coming off a 1,264-yard season as Mestemaker’s top target.
“Oklahoma State essentially imported the core of a North Texas offense that ranked among the nation’s best…”
The biggest advantage for Oklahoma State in 2026 isn’t just talent. Mestemaker, Hawkins, and Young thrived together. That familiarity is rare in the portal era, where most teams are still figuring out timing and trust by midseason. Instead, Oklahoma State enters Week 1 with a quarterback who knows the system inside and out, a running back who understands spacing and tempo, and a receiver who already has elite timing with his QB. In fact, Oklahoma State essentially imported the core of a North Texas offense that ranked among the nation’s best, leading some analysts to call this experiment a potential shortcut to contention in the Big 12.
While Mestemaker will get the headlines, Hawkins might be the piece that raises the ceiling. Load the box, and Mestemaker will exploit matchups outside. Play light, and Hawkins can control the game on the ground. In a conference known for offense, balance like that is what separates good teams from dangerous ones. Young brings a true number one receiver presence. He’s already proven he can win downfield and in high-volume roles. More importantly, he fits perfectly in Morris’ aggressive passing scheme. Expect heavy vertical concepts, quick tempo, and constant pressure on secondaries. If defenses key in on Hawkins, Young becomes the breakout star of this offense.
Louisiana State University
Head Coach: Lane Kiffin
On the surface, LSU was not that bad last year. 7-6 is disappointing, but they were even worse in conference play at 3-5. The downward trend carried over from a still disappointing 2024-2025 season but 9-4 with a bowl game win, it could have been worse? This is not a program that hangs it hat on “could have been worse” though, and that is where the sting feels so much more real. Brian Kelly, who started to show signs of life after Coach O left the program, was fired midseason. The offense, the calling card of LSU football, was 103rd in points per game. Simply put: it was an ugly season for a blue chip program. How do they rebound in an always competitive SEC? Easy. Follow their formula of the past: Fire everyone, bring in the most coveted head coach available, abuse the transfer portal to create a whole new look team, and dominate. So far, only the last step is left.
Let’s start with the head coach. Lane Kiffin. America’s villain. His flip over to LSU, leaving Ole Miss in the midst of a playoff run, and turning the whole thing into a social media meme fest is one of the least classy departures in modern CFB but it is arguably not a top 3 least classy Lane Kiffin departures. NFL arbitrators determined he was a liar, Al Davis absolutely obliterating him, USC firing him while on the Tarmac after a loss… the list is longer than it should be. Kiffin is undoubtedly a character who just seems to bring drama with him. I mean without him we never had the famous Jamarcus Russell story where coaches gave him blank tape because they suspected he wasn’t watching games back. Yeah, that was Kiffin. He keeps getting hired though because he is a proven winner. He remains the only FAU head coach ever to have a winning record, carries a career .686 winning percentage and turned Ole Miss into a consistent bowl team removing the stain of the Hugh Freeze vacated seasons from the ledger. This is a guy you bring in to drag all the attention to him and win. The National Championship remains elusive though. I think that could change this year.
Now a head coach does not make or break a team on his own. Well, maybe he can break a team, but he does not make it. The players, the foundation ultimately make a team win or lose. Fortunately LSU is in the right spot to bounce back here as well.
“This year the winds of change are on the horizon.”
Offensively, last season was a nightmare: their leading receiver was Barion Brown who had 532 receiving yards. Zavion Thomas was second with only 488. Just brutal for a team that not long ago produced Malik Nabers and Brian Thomas Jr. each well over 1000 yards. Kyren Lacy as the third receiver in that offense in 2023 would have led the team in 2025. That is how bad things were through the air. All that falls back on Garrett Nussmeier, now departed as well, who just could not get anything moving. Whether you’re a never believer like myself or a blame it on the injuries, either way him and Michael Van Buren could not get the ball moving at all. The quarterbacks were stuck in check downs, putting the ball in harms way, and taking sacks. The bad news is the running game was also subpar last year. The two leading rushers: Caden Durham and Harlem Berry, each tallied just around 500 yards and averaged 4.6 YPC between the two of them. This might be solid if they had massive volume, or were in the NFL, but in the SEC with both at low volume it will not play. It also was a stark downgrade from Durham’s 5.4 the year prior. As a team they barely cracked 100 rushing yards per game getting outran by opponents. This is just unacceptable. The O-Line was not exactly doing any favors either finishing 75th in pass blocking, and near bottom 124th in run blocking. It’s a miracle they could run at all.
This year the winds of change are on the horizon. Sam Leavitt and Husan Longstreet step into the quarterback room to rehaul the captain of the passing offense. Leavitt is currently hurt, but Longstreet, a 5* quarterback from a year ago who showed really good promise in early action is more than capable of helping this offense. Leavitt when healthy should be the starter and brings a level of dynamism to the quarterback room that was lacking with Nussmeier. Kiffin has shown a strong ability to use quarterbacks like Leavitt before as he compares comfortably to Dart and Matt Corrall in terms of mobility plus first read accuracy. Leavitt or Longstreet won’t be throwing to nobodies either. Kiffin also brought in Jayce Brown, the former Kansas State receiver we love here at the Devy Planet. Florida receiver Eugene Wilson, we love much less at the Devy Planet. Winston Watkins from Ole Miss was great as a true freshman last year. Tre Brown III was a very productive player at Ole Dominion. Plus, Jackson Harris was extremely productive at Hawaii. This doesn’t include high end returning tight end Trey’Dez Green who is a John Mackie favorite this year. Nor does it include Corey Barber a high end 4 star recruit, Jabari Mack another 4 star recruit, and Brayden Allen, also a 4 star receiver recruit. Kiffin single handedly built a brand new receiver room overnight down in Baton Rouge. The O-Line saw reinforcements come in as well with coveted transfer Jordan Seaton coming in to shore up tackle, Devin Harper following from Ole Miss on the interior O-Line on top of a few other key names. If Lamar Brown ultimately goes the O-Line route over Defense he will also provide a boost as the highest graded recruit in LSU history. In sum, this was the best transfer class on talent by every major service, and also the best recruiting class on a whole by in large. The reinforcements are here.
On the other side of the ball not much needed to change as LSU had a strong defense last year. They added a few key players to the mix but by in large this unit is expected to be great again. With the offense this team has it might not even matter. Kiffin is bringing his coaching mind and offensive philosophy which should help the run game find it’s legs again with Berry and Durham, the passing game should be head and shoulders above last year, and the line shouldn’t hold them back. For a program like LSU a bounce back doesn’t just mean making and winning a bowl game, it means a deep playoff run and real natty contention. This team feels like just that as all the pieces of the puzzle merge together. America’s Villain is here to stay and he now rules the kingdom of death valley. This should be a very fun team to watch and follow.
Thank you for reading our fifth article in our Prospect Galaxy series. If you enjoyed this read then subscribe to our substack to get notified when Article VI: Return of the Devy Elite releases on April 30, 2026.
This article was put together by the members of the High Council, SC Romero (The Devy Prime), Tom Harvey (The Devy Titan), Spencer (The Devy Oracle).