McGill-Toolen enters 2026 with veteran trenches, quarterback battle and new championship opportunity

McGill-Toolen enters 2026 with veteran trenches, quarterback battle and new championship opportunity McGill-Toolen returns a veteran offensive line and experienced defense in 2026 while a quarterback battle headlines the Yellow Jackets' new Private Double-A season.

) - McGill-Toolen enters the 2026 football season with something every coach covets: experience where games are often won.

The Yellow Jackets return four starters on the offensive line and a veteran defensive front, giving head coach David Faulkner a foundation to build around.

But as McGill begins its first season in Alabamas new Private Double-A classification, one major question remains:That competition between senior Davis Fisher and Bayside Academy transfer Bo Miller headlines fall camp, as McGill works to replace quarterback Blane Barre, leading receiver Jack Lenaghan and several experienced skill players from last years 6-5 team.

Despite those departures, Faulkner believes this years roster is built differently than any hes coached at McGill.Well be young.

Were kind of different than what we have been in the past, Faulkner said.Weve got four O-linemen back.

Weve never had more than one.

The issue is weve lost a ton of our skill players, so weve got a lot of new faces.

Were just trying to figure out what our formula is this year and how to get our best 11 out there.Faulkner says neither Fisher nor Miller has separated himself in the race for the starting job, making quarterback one of the biggest storylines to watch heading into Week 1.Weve got Davis Fisher and Bo Miller.

Theyre battling it out, Faulkner said.Its a pretty even contest right now.

They both have come in and really improved from the spring until now, and well just battle that out until we figure it out.

Senior running back Ladarien Miller returns after rushing for 754 yards and 17 touchdowns last season while adding another 136 receiving yards.

Junior Seth Demouey also returns after rushing for 341 yards and two touchdowns, giving the Yellow Jackets an experienced backfield.On the outside, senior Kaden Thrash returns after totaling 261 receiving yards and five touchdowns, while senior Marc-Anthony Cousins enters the season with growing college interest after picking up multiple scholarship offers during the offseason.

For Ladarien Miller, the focus this summer has been less about individual production and more about helping a younger group of skill players grow into larger roles.Im really just telling the younger guys to keep working..

just keep working and youre going to get to the top, Miller said.

Weve got something good coming.

Were just out here getting better.

While the offense continues searching for its identity, the defense enters the season with considerably more certainty.McGill returns one of its most experienced defensive fronts in recent years, led by Alabama commit Avrian Pauley.

Pauley is joined by seniors Jamon Jones Hunter, Princeton Taliaferro, Anderson Miles and Marcine Crawford along the defensive line, while senior Brandon Murillo returns after recording 76 tackles, five tackles for loss and two sacks last season.

Behind them, seniors Micah Johnson and Nalan Whitney, along with junior Carter Logan, provide experience in the secondary.I think up front in our defensive line, thatll be our strength, Faulkner said.

Weve got four starters back.

Three of them have been starting for three years with Avrian Pauley at the end, the Alabama commit.

Hell kind of anchor the D-line along with Anderson Miles.Those guys have really been cogs to our defense, so were excited about them and where theyll take us.

I stepped into that leadership role by creating team goals rather than individual goals, Pauley said.Were all working toward the same thing.

We break it down on state every day.

Thats the main goal.

Just keeping the main thing the main thing.Man, weve got some dogs on defense, Miller said.That D-line..

theyre hard to get past.

The biggest change surrounding McGill-Toolen this season isnt on the depth chart.

The Yellow Jackets are entering the inaugural Private Double-A classification following Alabamas public-private split, creating a different postseason path than the program has experienced in recent years.Initially, I was not in favor of it, Faulkner said.

McGill-Toolen has been a member of the AHSAA for 100 years.

Were one of the charter members, so that was kind of difficult to get that news.

But I think it does create some opportunities, especially for the larger private schools, to have an opportunity to compete for a championship, which is something none of us have done in a while.

That opportunity carries even more meaning with the state championship games coming to Mobile for the first time.Its definitely extra motivation, Pauley said.

Since its right here in Mobile, now weve got to make state.

Mobile is a special place, so I really want to play down here.

I feel like a lot of people look down on McGill.They dont really count us in, but were going to show everybody.

McGill-Toolen enters the season with one of the better foundations in the new Private Double-A classification.

The Yellow Jackets have experience where it matters most along both lines of scrimmage a proven running game led by Ladarien Miller and a defense capable of controlling football games.If either Davis Fisher or Bo Miller can provide consistency while the offense develops around a veteran offensive line, McGill-Toolen has the pieces to contend throughout the inaugural Private Double-A season.

, beginning what they hope ends with an opportunity to compete for a state championship in their hometown of Mobile.