South Pittsburg Eyes Historic Repeat But Must Replace Key Playmakers

With its third football title in five years, South Pittsburg’s grip on Tennessee's Class 1A tightened as the Pirates rolled to a dominant 2025 season. After a Week 1 loss to Silverdale Academy, the Pirates ripped off 14 straight wins en route to the eighth state championship in program history.

State of the Program: South Pittsburg Pirates

South Pittsburg is a small-town football juggernaut that doesn’t rebuild so much as it reloads. And 2026 won’t deviate from that pattern, as the Pirates return a veteran roster that knows how to win.

Why They Matter

The road to a Class 1A championship in Tennessee runs through South Pittsburg. SPHS is more than a “good team”; it is an elite program. This sustained success elevates the program to one of the best in the state, regardless of classification.

Sixth-year head coach and SPHS alum Wes Stone said, “It’s a long line of history. When you combine great players with a community that is completely invested in Friday night football, you get results.”

What They Lost

Senior Core

South Pittsburg loses significant contributors and veteran leadership on both sides of the ball, as seven all-state selections depart from the Class of 2025. Those departures leave a major void on the field and in the locker room that won’t be easy to replace.

Offensive Skill Production

Leading rusher Ja'mychal Buckner departs along with starting quarterback Caden Jones. Buckner, a three-year starter at running back and MVP of the Class 1A championship game, rushed for more than 1,000 yards in each of those three seasons, while Jones passed for 1,700 yards and 20 TDs in 2025.

“You don’t replace those guys with one person,” Stone said. “It’s replacement by committee.”

Offensive and Defensive Lines

The core of this program lies in its physicality. For all the attention given to the skill players, the offensive line is where this program separates itself from the competition. Multi-year starters on both sides of the interior line in CJ Francis and Logan Sisk must be replaced. Along the defensive line
Clemson signee JR Hardrick and Carson-Newman signee Xavier Reviere depart as leaders of a unit that allowed just 72 points the entire season..

Key Returnees

All-purpose threat Dayon Cooper, the state’s reigning Mr. Football winner in class 1A returns for his final season. Cooper’s star continues to rise, as he has received significant attention from a number of Power 4 programs, including Florida State, Louisville, Tennessee and Vanderbilt.

Last season, Cooper had 29 receptions for 681 yards and 10 touchdowns, while rushing for 421 yards and five scores. He also returned three kickoffs for touchdowns.

Chris Gonzalez, a veteran starter at center, returns for his final season in orange and black. Gonzalez is the unquestioned levader up front and brings a physical presence and veteran leadership to a unit breaking in several new faces.

Experience and Leadership Bolster Strong Defense

The strength of this team heading into 2026 is a trio of senior linebackers — Anthony Gibbs Jr., Kaden Baker and Kemejiah Harris — who have started since their sophomore seasons.

The return of all-state defensive back Brandon Goldsmith whom Stone describes as a “phenomenal defensive back and big, physical receiver,” should ease some of the growing pains on both sides of the ball.

Spring Storylines

Next Man Up

SPHS will break in four new starters up front and must replace experienced production at the skill positions.

Identity Check

The Pirates’ formula is simple: run the football, control the line of scrimmage and play suffocating defense. Spring will determine how quickly this group reestablishes that identity.

Youth Movement

Senior DB/WR Martavius Smith and Taedyn Bibbs are “guys to watch,” according to Stone. Stone also expects big things from sophomore DB/WR Kaveon Sutton and junior DB/WR Nicholi Burton.

Early Outlook

As long as South Pittsburg lines up, it is a factor — it’s that simple. The pieces may look different, but the formula hasn’t changed. In Class 1A, the road to a championship still runs through South Pittsburg.