Returning the Core: 5A Teams Bringing Back Most Firepower

<p>Part one focused on the extremes — teams bringing back almost everything and looking ready-made to make noise. Part two is a little more grounded, but just as important. </p>   <p>Returning over 60 percent of your offense and bringing back the quarterback doesn't guarantee anything, but it does give you a real foundation. It means timing is already there, terminology (likely) isn't new, and the early weeks don't have to be spent figuring out who you are. In 5A, that kind of continuity often shows up quietly at first, then starts to matter once the season settles in. </p>   <p>These are the programs that may not grab headlines all summer, but have enough familiarity and stability to turn close games into wins when it counts.</p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Notre Dame Prep (74% Returning Production)</h2>    <p class="text-gray-700">[player_tooltip player_id='1152295' first='Luke' last='Jacobs'] plays quarterback like he's got a veteran's internal clock. The first thing that stands out on film is how rarely he looks panicked — even when the pocket isn't perfect, he keeps his base under him, stays on his read, and throws like he expects to complete it. The “mature” label really fits because he's not living on backyard-ball chaos; he's reading it out, using his eyes to pull defenders, and ripping throws into tight windows with real anticipation. Stat-wise, he wasn't asked to be a 40-attempt guy in NDP's offense (the Saints leaned heavily on the run game all season), but he still put up over 1,000 passing yards in 2025. There's no doubt he has the tools to be more efficient than he showed this season. The best part is how repeatable it all feels: quick decisions, controlled feet, and a calm presence that makes the whole unit play faster.</p>     <p class="text-gray-700">[player_tooltip player_id='884074' first='Jace' last='Wright'] is the type of “get him the ball and let him go to work” receiver that gives DCs headaches all week. He's got legit track speed and you see it immediately in the screen game and quick hitters — one crease, one missed tackle, and now everyone's taking bad angles. Incredibly slippery after the catch because he doesn't just run fast; he's hard to square up in space, and he's got that suddenness that makes defenders look like they're tackling air. The production backs it up: he caught 49 balls for 508 yards and four scores in 2025. His measurables line up with what you're seeing — the kind of speed where coaches don't have to overthink it: bubble, glance, quick out, now make somebody tackle him. When an offense has a guy like that, the easy stuff stops being “easy” and starts being explosive.</p>     <p class="text-gray-700">Decker Haskins-Smith is built like a headache. He's not a real burner, but he's the guy who turns good defense into second-and-short anyway, because he stays upright through contact and keeps finding daylight like he's got a sixth sense for leverage. The contact-balance is impressive — if you don't wrap him clean, you're just volunteering to be on the highlight clip where he bounces off and keeps churning. He ran for 1,177 yards in 12 games in 2025, finished with 10 total touchdowns, and had multiple nights where defenses just couldn't get him on the ground. The funniest part is he'll hurt you in other ways too: he's a two-way athlete who racks up tackles on defense, and he even had a 95-yard kick return TD — so if you're late with your lanes, he'll punish you there as well. He's the kind of back whose vision + balance combo makes every run feel like it has a little extra life.</p>    <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Chaparral (67%)</h2>    <p class="text-gray-700">[player_tooltip player_id='1941178' first='Ryan' last='Trocki'] is one of those “remember this name” guys because he's doing varsity QB things way before most kids even get a snap. He's a big-framed freshman with real arm talent. You can see, when he's throwing with rhythm — outs, quick game, underneath stuff — the feet are calm, the motion is smooth, and the ball comes out clean. When he tries to really let it rip downfield, the mechanics can get a little jumpy (rushed feet, head pulling out early), which is honestly the most normal freshman-quarterback problem imaginable. Even with that, he threw for 912 yards and 11 touchdowns in seven games in 2025, and people are already starting to notice. The exciting part is the runway: if the deep-ball mechanics catch up to the short-game consistency, he's not just a strong thrower — he's a quarterback who can stress a defense at every level.</p>     <p class="text-gray-700">[player_tooltip player_id='883384' first='Jayce' last='Wilson'] is the kind of athlete offenses build their week around, because every touch has the chance to turn into something big. He lines up as a running back on paper, but his role is much bigger than that — he's a true all-purpose weapon who gets carries, catches, returns, and even the occasional gadget look designed to put stress on a defense horizontally and vertically. In 2025, that showed up in the numbers with 918 total yards split between rushing, receiving, and passing, along with 10 total touchdowns, while also leading Chaparral in both receiving yards per game and rushing yards per game. What really separates him is the speed and agility combination: get him the ball in space, and he doesn't need much of a crease before he's gone. He's dangerous on quick hitters, tough to track in the open field, and just as much of a threat flipping field position in the return game. He's the definition of a spark plug — not just producing, but changing how defenses have to align and tackle.</p>    <h2 class="wp-block-heading">ALA Gilbert-North (65%)</h2>    <p class="text-gray-700">[player_tooltip player_id='1896130' first='Ben' last='Livingston'] looks comfortable running an offense that asks a lot of its quarterback, and the production reflects that. He threw for 2,570 yards with 35 touchdowns in 2025 while keeping mistakes to a minimum, then added over 300 yards on the ground when plays broke down. He's got more than enough arm strength to attack the full field, but what really stands out is how accurate he stays when things get messy. When he's forced off his spot, he keeps his eyes up, squares his shoulders, and delivers the ball with confidence into tight windows instead of settling for a bailout run. There are moments that show the growing pains of carrying a high-volume passing attack, but the overall picture is a quarterback who consistently puts pressure on defenses because he can win from the pocket and still hurt you when protection breaks down. In a system that values structure and decision-making, he's been a steady leader for this  ALA-Gilbert North offense.</p>     <p class="text-gray-700">Weston Powell runs with a physical edge that jumps out, especially when you consider how quickly he gets up to speed. He hits the hole decisively, gets north in a hurry, and doesn't shy away from contact once he's through the line of scrimmage. That downhill style translated into 866 rushing yards at 6.7 yards per carry and 11 rushing touchdowns in 2025, and he added value as a receiver as well, finding the end zone three more times through the air. What makes his game interesting is the blend of power and athleticism — he's strong enough to finish runs, but quick enough that there are opportunities for even more explosive plays when he trusts his feet and instincts in traffic. Right now, he's a clean, reliable fit for what ALA-GN wants from its run game: decisive, physical, and efficient, with room to unlock another gear as he continues to grow.</p>     <p class="text-gray-700">[player_tooltip player_id='1190648' first='Isaac' last='Massey'] has a way of taking control of a game without ever looking rushed or frantic. As a receiver, he glides through his routes with smooth acceleration and sharp breaks, creating separation that's tough to match in man coverage. He finished 2025 with 68 catches for 1,021 yards and 17 touchdowns. The production alone is impressive, but it's how and when it comes that really defines him — big moments, key downs, playoff situations where the ball keeps finding him. He's just as impactful on the other side of the ball too, picking off six passes and contributing in the return game, which speaks to his overall feel for the game. Massey doesn't rely on one flashy trait; it's the combination of polish, body control, and instincts that make him so difficult to deal with.</p>    <p></p>

Part one focused on the extremes — teams bringing back almost everything and looking ready-made to make noise. Part two is a little more grounded, but just as important.