COALGATE WILDCATS
Coach: ZAC CATER
2-8
Coalgate enters the 2026 season with a more seasoned roster and cautious optimism after fielding a young team a year ago under third-year head coach Zac Cater. “We were a younger team last year and have a lot of returning starters coming back,” the staff notes, adding that they have “added some coaches to the staff and have some key pieces coming up.” That combination of returning experience and fresh voices on the headset has the program believing it can make a jump in both consistency and competitiveness. With eight starters back on offense and seven on defense, Coalgate expects to benefit from improved continuity, better communication and a deeper understanding of the schemes on both sides of the ball.
The offense will again operate out of a spread look built around a versatile skill group and a sizeable front. Senior quarterback Colby Brown (6-0, 170) returns to direct the attack, while junior dual-threat option Davis Grant (6-1, 175) brings flexibility as a QB/RB who can stress defenses as both a runner and passer. On the perimeter, sophomore receiver Weston Lackey (6-4, 210) and junior receiver Easton Loudermilk (6-3, 225) provide big, rangy targets who can create matchup problems down the field. The line features sophomore guard Lucas Franklin (6-3, 285) and senior tackle Walker Weston (6-2, 220), giving Coalgate size and experience up front to protect the quarterbacks and open lanes in the run game. Grant is also the program’s VYPE Top 100 nominee, with coaches calling him “an explosive athlete that has a chance to score every time he touches the ball,” which underscores how central he will be to the offensive game plan.
Defensively, Coalgate lines up in a multiple 3-4 that leans on length and physicality in the front seven. Grant anchors the back end at free safety, where his range and instincts give him “a nose for the ball” as a playmaker in coverage and run support. Loudermilk slides down to defensive end at 6-3, 225, while Franklin (listed at 6-4, 285 on defense) plugs the middle at tackle, forming a sturdy core on the line. Senior defensive end Ethan Nelson (6-3, 220) adds more size and experience on the edge, and senior outside linebacker Jase Burris (6-0, 195) and sophomore inside linebacker Reid Ables (5-10, 180) round out a group expected to be active and aggressive. The staff also highlights Lackey as “very tall and rangey” who “can go up and get the ball over anybody and will come down hill and hit you,” a profile that should impact both sides as he continues to develop.
8-28 – at Dickson
9-4 – at Antlers
9-11 – vs. Atoka
9-25 – vs. Warner
10-2 – at Okemah
10-9 – vs. Pocola
10-15 – at Panama
10-23 – at Vian
10-30 – vs. Hulbert
11-6 – vs. Haskell
