Red Bay looks to build on turnaround 2025 season, improve ‘day by day’ in 2026
The 2025 campaign was a turnaround one for the Red Bay High School varsity football team.
The Tigers, coming off a two-win season and three straight years without a win in the playoffs, went off for nine wins last year, secured a first region title since 2019, were ranked in the top 10 in Class 2A and made an appearance in the second round of the AHSAA playoffs.
The question heading into 2026 is, can RBHS head coach Tyler Jeffreys, now entering his second season in charge, and his Tigers repeat or improve on their standard-setting success from last season?
There have been some big changes since the Tigers last walked off the field in November.
The biggest of these has been the AHSAA’s reclassification and realignment, a process which split public and private schools and dropped Red Bay from Class 2A to Class 1A. For the next two seasons the Tigers will play in 1A Region 7 with Addison, Belgreen, Cherokee, Hackleburg, Phillips, Meek and Waterloo. On paper, this shift would appear to give Red Bay, the program with the largest school population among that group, an advantage. However, Jeffreys isn’t taking anything for granted when it comes to his team’s new region opponents.
“There are a lot of good teams in 1A, especially in our region,” he said. “Hackleburg, if I’m not mistaken, has beaten Red Bay in the last five years. Addison and Red Bay, over the years, have had several knock-down drag-outs and good games. You have those two teams along with a Meek team that’s getting better each year.
“At the end of the day I think the only way to be able to beat those guys is to try to get better each day and not worry about the outcome of things and just take it day by day,” he added.
Another big change for the Tigers will be in personnel, especially offensively.
Last year RBHS averaged 37.3 points per game. That offense was led by senior quarterback Jeremiah Thorne, who threw for nearly 1,300 yards and 10 touchdowns; senior tight end Ayden Pruitt; and, most impactful of all, senior running back Jaxon Vinson, an ASWA All-State First Team selection, who rushed for 2,038 yards (the most in Class 2A last season, according to MaxPreps.com), averaged nine yards per carry, and scored 26 rushing touchdowns.
In order for Red Bay to be successful again this year production at those key positions will need to be replaced. To do that the Tigers will look to sophomore Sawyer Humphries at quarterback.
“(Humphries) played a little bit last year, and I think he actually played in the first round playoff game, so he’s got some experience,” Jeffreys said. “We’re going to root around him and be supportive of him, and he’s going to be just fine.”
And at the running back position the Tigers will be handing off to junior Joshua “JoJo” Thorne, who spelled Vinson and received plenty of reps last campaign. He ended his sophomore campaign with 66 carries for 420 yards and four touchdowns.
“He played several games for us there at the end of the season when Jaxon was hurt, and we have full confidence in him,” Jeffreys said.
But not every face is new. The Tigers have several key skill players returning on offense such as senior receiver Jaxson Swann and junior receiver Davian Colburn. Swann had over 300 yards receiving and three touchdowns in 2025; Colburn led the team with 625 yards receiving, six receiving touchdowns and also added 208 yards rushing.
Along the offensive line, senior Carson McGee and junior Colton Patterson return—both guys were Franklin Free Press All-County selections last season.
On the defensive side, senior defensive lineman Jamyce Anderson and junior linebacker Hayden Sartin return, as well.
Taking a look at this year’s schedule, the Tigers begin the 2026 regular season at home against the same team with which they finished the 2025 regular season: rival Phil Campbell.
Last season’s meeting between the two sides was a barnburner, the Bobcats coming out on top, 46-38, thanks to a touchdown heave in the final seconds of the game.
Starting this campaign off against a rival and a good team, Jeffreys said, will be a good early measuring stick for the Tigers.
“I think it’s a really good test for us,” he said. “There’s no question they (PCHS) return a lot of starters. They’re going to be pretty good.
“I wanted to play against someone really good first and just kind of see where we’re at, you know, and kind of have a good baseline to say, ‘hey, this is what we need to work on’ or ‘this isn’t going to work’ and stuff like that,” he added.
“I think it’s going to be a good atmosphere, and I think it’ll be a good game and definitely let us know where we’re at.”
After Phil Campbell the Tigers will remain at home for their next three games. RBHS will get one more home non-region contest before region play kicks off against Phillips, followed by Belgreen on September 11.
Starting September 18, Red Bay will go on a four-game road stretch and play at Cherokee, Mississippi rival Belmont, Hackleburg, and Waterloo before returning to Fred Bostick Jr. Stadium on October 16 for what could be a massive region showdown against Addison. The Tigers will then wrap up their regular season with a final road game at Meek the following Friday.
Of course, players’ performances on the field will be the most important factor in determining how Red Bay’s season pans out—whether the Tigers can hit that baseline standard they set last season. But fan and community support, players and head coach both have said, is also a massive motivator and morale booster.
“The fans have always been there for us,” said senior defensive back Landon Petree. “All of our families—dads, moms, grandparents and everyone else; they’ve always been there—the city and our school—it’s a really great atmosphere.
“The fans are really loud; they help us out a lot,” senior Jamyce Anderson added.
“Come out, be loud, and be supportive of the kids,” Jeffreys said. “It was a great atmosphere there towards the end (of last season). It was loud, it was fun. We just hope to get to that same (level of) game and get past it. That’s one of our goals.”