The Tigers had a solid 4-win season in year one under Jaybo Shaw. There were several close contests, and some young players who took a great step in the right direction. Year two for coach Shaw has the chance to net some special results.

Head Coach: Jaybo Shaw (2nd Season)
2025 Record: 4-6; Region 5th; No Playoffs

“Our expectations for the 2026 season start with representing Dawson County the right way and making our school and community proud,” says Shaw. “We want to be a team that people are proud to support not just because of how we perform on Friday nights, but because of the way we work, compete, and carry ourselves every day. We expect to play with relentless effort while being extremely physical. We also expect our program to have an unwavering sense of belief in themselves, belief in their teammates, and a belief in what we are building as a program. While we certainly have team goals that we want to accomplish, our primary focus is staying present and being process-driven. We talk often about having a ‘How do we get better today?’ mindset. Rather than looking too far ahead, we want our players focused on maximizing each day, winning the moment, and trusting our process. If we can maintain that relentless effort and physicality, continue to believe in one another, and commit to getting better every day, we will give ourselves an opportunity to have a successful season.”

2026 SCHEDULE – DAWSON COUNTY

PERSONNEL & SCHEMES

Key Departures: Dylan Edwards, Jacob Felkai, Jadyn Mattie, Owen Wooten, Paxton Phillips

Returning Starters: 7 on offense; 6 on defense

Key Returning Players: Cody McBrayer, Brody Sorensen, Josiah Holtzclaw, Gunnar Weaver, Jayden Cohen, Landon Curry,

Up & Coming Players: Zeke Dotson (SO WR), Bentley Ferry (FR ATH), Benn Tippins (SO DB), Ronan O’Keefe (SR DL), Logan White (SR OL)

Offense: Spread/Multiple
Brody Sorensen will be QB 1 for the Tigers, and SR Cody McBrayer is set for yet another fantastic season as the bell-cow back. Former QB-turned receiver Gunnar Weaver is poised to be the go-to option there.

Defense: 3-4
Avery Martin (CB), Aden Bannister (OLB), Josiah Holtzclaw (ILB), and Charles Yarborough (DL) are some of the top names you’ll see called on defense.

Trenches: “I feel much better about our depth up front than I did a year ago,” adds Shaw. “On the offensive line, having two experienced players like Cadin Sasser and Landon Curry returning has been extremely valuable. Those guys have done a great job leading the group and helping bring along some of our less experienced players. While we will have some new faces up front, several of those players gained meaningful game experience last season, and we’ve also added a couple of pieces that should help strengthen the unit. Overall, there’s a lot more confidence and competition within that group than there was a year ago. On the defensive line, we’ve made a significant stride in creating depth. We’ve moved some personnel around to put players in positions where they can be successful, and our guys have really bought into what we’re trying to accomplish defensively. I’m excited about the potential of that group, and I believe players like Ronan O’Keefe and Charles Yarbrough are poised to have very productive seasons. Their experience, combined with the improved depth around them, should allow us to be much more effective up front this year.”

STRENGTHS & AREAS OF FOCUS

Strengths: “I believe one of our biggest strengths is the leadership of our senior class,” states Shaw. “They have done an outstanding job setting the standard for how we work, compete, and represent our program. Their commitment and consistency have helped create a culture where players understand what is expected of them every day. We also return a great deal of experience and production on both sides of the ball. Having a strong group of returning starters gives us valuable game experience, and many of those players have played significant snaps on a Friday Night. Another strength is the comfort and confidence that comes with being in year two of our program. Our players have a much better understanding of our expectations, our culture, and how we want to play the game. There is a level of trust and belief throughout the program that comes from having a full year invested in what we are building. While we still have plenty of work to do, I believe we have begun to set a solid foundation that we can continue to build on.”

Focusing On: “One of the biggest areas of emphasis for us heading into this season has been developing depth across our roster,” says Shaw. “You can never have enough depth, but we’ve worked hard to create competition and build confidence at every position. We are not there yet, but we’re certainly in a much better spot than we were a year ago in terms of the number of players we feel can contribute on Friday nights. Another major focus has been getting stronger and preparing our bodies for the demands of the season. Our players have done a tremendous job in the weight room and throughout our offseason conditioning program. We’ve also spent a great deal of time focusing on our “Plan to Win” and making sure our players understand what it takes to be successful each week. We want our players to clearly understand the key factors that give us the best chance to win football games and how their individual role contributes to those goals.”

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