BISHOP KELLEY COMETS
Coach: JJ TAPPANA
5-6
Bishop Kelley High School approaches the 2026 season with confidence in a veteran core and high-level skill talent under longtime head coach JJ Tappana, who enters his 22nd year at the school. The staff feels particularly good about the offense, writing, “We feel like we have one of the top QB’s in the state,” referring to senior signal-caller Max Gipson. They describe Gipson as “a standout baseball player and football player” and last year’s district Quarterback of the Year, praising a “football IQ [that] is off the charts.” Overall, Tappana says that with proven pieces returning at quarterback, running back, receiver and along the line, plus encouraging signs on defense, “we feel really good about the upcoming year.”
The offense returns five starters and will operate out of multiple personnel groupings, moving seamlessly between spread looks and heavier packages. “Multiple personnel with spread and heavier packages,” is how the staff defines the approach, noting they “can be in empty and in heavy TE packages” with gap-scheme runs forming the foundation. Gipson (6-0, 190) is back after completing 138 of 223 passes for 1,800 yards as a junior and remains a threat as a runner as well. Junior running back Wes Woody (5-10, 180) is another centerpiece after rushing 137 times for 900 yards last season, and the staff notes he also posted 95 tackles from his safety spot, highlighting his two-way value. On the perimeter, seniors Ethan Pickard (5-10, 170) and Carsen Thompson (5-10, 175) return as top receiving options, while senior lineman Lars Frette (6-3, 245) and junior tackle Jack Rehm (6-4, 295) anchor the offensive front. In discussing their Top 100 dilemma, coaches say, “Max is a fantastic QB and was our District QB of the year as a Junior. He is humble and should run the show for us. But Wes was a dynamic sophomore that will gain D1 looks by the time he is a senior. I am stuck on which one to nominate,” underscoring how critical both are to the offense.
Defensively, Bishop Kelley brings back five starters in a multiple front that stems from a 3-4 base but can morph into four- and five-man looks. “Multiple, base from a 3-4 but can transition into 4 and 5-man fronts,” the staff explains, pairing that with zone coverage and “some man mixed in” to adjust to matchups. Woody returns at strong safety after piling up 94 tackles as a sophomore, and junior free safety Lucas Goodman (6-0, 185) is coming off a 65-tackle season that coaches say had “a huge impact” on the team. Thompson contributes on defense as well, and up front, Frette and fellow senior lineman Lexy Suazo (5-11, 230) provide size and experience along the line. With that nucleus, plus a largely intact secondary and emerging defenders around them, the Comets expect to be more consistent defensively as they push to improve on last year’s 5-6 mark.
