2026 Preview: Gilbert Indians

It would be easy to say Gilbert had a down year last season and a lot of factors went into the Indians finishing with a 6-6 record. One of the big items on that list is they ended up playing a quarterback that began the season sitting in the stands and watching.   Coach Ozzie Exume also used his best two defensive players at the quarterback position. Gilbert will have a new signal caller again in 2026 but building depth in that room is something they're looking to build upon.   Junior Jack McQuikin and freshman [player_tooltip player_id='1816657' first='Jayden' last='Jones'] will likely battle through the summer and early preseason camp before a starter is determined. Veteran receiver [player_tooltip player_id='1809066' first='Chandler' last='Guthrie'] likes what he's seeing in the early going.   “We have some talent in the two younger guys,” Guthrie said at the recent Prep RedZone Media Day at Gilbert. “The ability of Jayden to read the defense is getting better and Jack has gotten way bigger and knows the offense really well. They both bring something different to the table and I'm excited about what they can do for us.”   Gilbert must replace 23 graduates from last year but will again have a big senior class with 21 players.     The offense is obviously going to have to be better than the one that averaged 21 points per game but was held to 14 points or less six times. Whoever ends up taking the most snaps will have an experienced offensive line with starters [player_tooltip player_id='1819910' first='Mason' last='Huppertz'] [player_tooltip player_id='1819911' first='Hudson' last='Smith'] and [player_tooltip player_id='1822424' first='Justice' last='Corley'] returning.   Add in Guthrie and a talented tight end room led by [player_tooltip player_id='1822422' first='Ethan' last='Collins'] to go along with running back [player_tooltip player_id='1823421' first='Jaylen' last='Brost'] and Exume believes the offense can be better.   “This is the third straight year with a new starter at QB,” Exume said. “But we're building depth there and hopefully we can stay away from injuries. We look at where we are this spring and summer and we feel like we can be better on offense. Now on defense, we're going to be experienced but we have three guys from last season playing college ball right now.”   Army defensive back commitment [player_tooltip player_id='1664620' first='Gavin' last='Elliott'] said even though they lost a lot of talent on the defensive side of the ball, the expectations haven't changed.   “We set a standard over the last few years with Coach (Chad) Leaphart leaving and Coach Oz taking over,” Elliott said. “We've continued to build the program and bring in great coaches that help us show a lot of different things offensively and defensively. Our football IQ is better than it used to be and that's translated over to the field.”   “We practice and train as well as anyone and our expectations are to compete with the best.”   STARS SET TO SHINE   [player_tooltip player_id='1809066' first='Chandler' last='Guthrie'] WR/DB, 2027 (pictured) – Guthrie is a tall, sure-handed receiver that should give the new quarterback a solid comfort level when the ball heads his direction. The senior plays with an edge and doesn't back down from any challenge. That fearless attitude translates over to the rest of the team and it's that type of demeanor that has become the norm with Gilbert over the last four years that has produced 35 wins.   [player_tooltip player_id='1819910' first='Mason' last='Huppertz'] OL, 2027 – The Indians are going to have to run the football and protect whoever wins the quarterback spot. That's where Huppertz and his offensive line mates come into play. He's not the biggest lineman at 6-foot-1, 240 pounds but he's a fighter and gives every ounce of effort on each play. He's going to create lanes and protect the passer to give Gilbert a chance to work things out at the skill positions early in the season.   K'Mari Brown LB, 2027 – You could almost call Brown as being the quiet leader of the defense. He knows what everyone is supposed to be doing and is rarely out of place on his own assignment. He moves sideline-to-sideline well and his reaction time pops off the charts when watching film. He's going to help quarterback the defense and that's fine since he's an extension of the coaching staff while on the field.   [player_tooltip player_id='1822423' first='AJ' last='Doria'] DL, 2028 – The players and coaches became very excited when they started to talk about Doria and his potential. He was set to start last season, but a leg injury limited him to two games. He's back at full strength and his attitude and personality sets the tone up front. He's physical and a high-level competitor that brings energy to every play with an uncanny knack to get to the ball. He played a full baseball season so he should be ready to go the rest of the summer and into the fall.     FILM REVIEW   [player_tooltip player_id='1664620' first='Gavin' last='Elliott'] DB, 2027 – There is a reason that Elliott has already firmed up his college decision by committing to Army a few weeks ago. He finished last year with 95 total tackles, eight tackles for loss, two interceptions, two pass breakups and two sacks. He is one of only five returning starters on defense so he will have to provide leadership along with production this season. He reads the play and reacts quickly. His biggest strength is he can play close to the line of scrimmage or out in space.    BIGGEST LOSSES   Grayson Gunter LB/QB – Gunter is one of the departures on defense and he was a three-year mainstay for the Indians. He will be playing at Newberry College this fall. He also filled in at quarterback last season.     Wynn Meetze DB/QB – Meetze was a proven tackler that quickly gained a reputation as a big-hitter in the secondary. He showed his versatility by filling in at quarterback last season. He will play at The Citadel in 2026.   UP-AND-COMING POTENTIAL   [player_tooltip player_id='1816657' first='Jayden' last='Jones'] QB, 2030 – We know the quarterback battle will likely not be settled until late in preseason camp but there is no denying what Jones brings to the position. He's heady, athletic and has sort of a gunslinger mentality that the coaching staff really likes. He's likely going to factor in the offensive plans in some capacity, it's just figuring out what that looks like.     [player_tooltip player_id='1823421' first='Jaylen' last='Brost'] RB, 2029 – The Indians have for the most part had a really good running back over the past several seasons and Brost could be in line to be the next good one. He has good vision and great cutting ability that's going to leave some defenders tackling air. Plus he gets to run behind an experienced offensive line so he should be able to become a household name as the season progresses.      All three players at the Media Day mentioned the tight end room and what they brought to the table.   All three are going to play but the one with the most potential could be the 6-foot-3, 205 pound McLauchlin. He has all the tools and has already shown he can catch passes in traffic or block edge rushers on the move.   He's a quick learner and might team with Guthrie to provide Gilbert with big targets in the passing game. He's going to play a prominent role in whatever the Indians do.

It would be easy to say Gilbert had a down year last season and a lot of factors went into the Indians finishing with a 6-6 record. One of the big items on that list is they ended up playing a quarterback that began the season sitting in the stands and watching.