CULLMAN, Ala. – In year one under Trent Walker, the Cullman Bearcats suffered from a slow start that eventually cost the team a playoff spot.
The main takeaway from the season, however, was how they finished. In their last five games, the Bearcats went 4-1 and have carried that momentum into 2026.
“I think the way we finished fueled our offseason. Those guys, they believed in the process the whole time, you know. We’re all human, and we all like to see results from our hard work and effort. So the stretch we had to finish the season I think just created more buy-in for our offseason. Our guys worked their tails off. I couldn’t be more proud of a six month body of work, including summer. So, we’re here, and we want to start faster than last year and we think we put ourselves in position to do that,” Walker said.
Now in his second season leading the charge, Walker credited he and his team’s relative youth to some of their early struggles. Returning for that young offense that averaged just under 22 points per game are all but one starter, which Walker called, “a really special feeling to have as a coach.”
Headlining the Bearcats returners is senior running back Weston Keel, who looks to build off a stellar 2025 campaign where he rushed for over 1200 yards and eight touchdowns.
With Keel’s return, the Bearcats plan to continue to employ a multiple-look offense similar to last season.
“We’re gonna run the ball to set up everything. Obviously with the rush attack we had last year, bringing back four out of five offensive lineman and a 1,300 yard running back- the ground game will set up everything. We do believe our quarterbacks and receivers are older and more mature this year, so when the defense is going to load the box, we’re gonna try to be more vertical down the field and stretch them thinner. We’re gonna be more explosive in the pass game, but still rely heavily on our run game,” Walker said.
Coming back at quarterback is 6-1 junior Colt Colvard, who started last season. Starting last season isn’t a guarantee for ’26, however, with Walker saying, “Every year we reboot, every position is up for grabs, so all our guys are taking pretty much equal reps.” Competing for QB1 is also freshman multi-sport athlete Everett Swindall.
Whoever starts will have no shortage of playmakers on the perimeter. Receiver Nelson Hollingsworth returns, with Walker noting his high-end speed and ability to draw attention as a deep threat. Do-everything gadget player Kolby Holt will also be back in a variety of roles once again.
Adding to the receiving core out of the backfield will be the Bearcats’ duo of 6-foot-3 H-Backs in Morgan Holley and Tucker Screws.
On the defensive side of the ball, the duo of Tucker Willingham and Caleb Hollis return to shut down opposing receivers in the secondary, but in front of them is one of the strongest position groups on the team at linebacker.
“The linebacker core’s all returning. Cooper McSwain, Parker Berry’s our MIKE linebacker and Magnus Mann. Plus, Braxton Brooks has really got it, he could play any of those positions for any other team right now, he’s working himself into the mix,” said Walker.
Unlike the linebackers and secondary, there’s question marks on the defensive line for Cullman. Carson Stancil is back as a pass rusher, but the team is looking for the other bookend to emerge.
At outside linebacker, Walker noted one of the surprise players of camp, saying, “Mason Fuller- he couldn’t really find his consistency last year, but has had a tremendous spring and summer. He’s gonna be our outside linebacker. He’s probably one of our most improved players on defense. It’s exciting to have him as a senior stepping into that role for us.”
Both Stancil and Fuller on the line will be essential to helping establish the identity Walker is trying to establish.
“We want to play a physical brand of football on defense, offense and special teams, with an aggressive mindset. We have to be disciplined, we believe that the best way to win a game is not to lose it first, so we’ve got to be a team that constantly is in the right assignments and right responsibilities and our eyes are in the right spot. We want to reflect the pride that exists in Cullman. We feel like we’re stirring some of that pride in Cullman football with the way we’re playing the game. We think if we put the right product and the right young men on the field, our community will, in turn, buy into what we’re doing and come to support us. We’re looking to keep growing this as a community program. We need the community to be a part of it. These guys appreciate when folks come and watch them on Friday nights and we want to build the environment at Oliver Woodard stadium into something that other teams fear walking into,” Walker said.
