2026 Preview: Newton-Conover Red Devils

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Several of those key contributors are back this season, and I think this year's preview will be a bit more optimistic.   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Newton-Conover Red Devils 2026 Season Preview</h2>   <h3 class="wp-block-heading">Key Info</h3>   Head Coach: Matt Wilson   2025 Record: 9-3   2026 Conference: Western Foothills 4A/5A   Key Games: vs. East Lincoln (9/5), @ Hickory (9/12), @ Maiden 9/30   <h3 class="wp-block-heading">Key Storyline</h3>   Last year, the Red Devils' offense While the Red Devils found a star in the running game, they'll lose their quarterback and top receiver. Part of what made [player_tooltip player_id='1715220' first='Jeremiah' last='Pope'] so electric as a back is that the offense was just balanced enough to stop defenses from selling out to stop the run.   The Red Devils are high on incoming starter [player_tooltip player_id='2155735' first='Weston' last='Norris'] at quarterback, so I think the passing game could actually take a step forward. There are multiple proven receivers, but I think one more guy could step up to truly balance the attack. I also think we'll know fairly early on what this staff thinks their run-pass split will be. If they can get just a bit more out of the passing attack, the offense could be one of the best units in 4A.   <h3 class="wp-block-heading">Potential Stars</h3>    Pope exploded onto the scene last year, as Newton-Conover's offense under the new coaching staff looked far different than it had in the past. After spreading touches around in 2024, the Red Devils made Pope their top offensive skill player. Pope responded with five 100-yard outings in nine games, showcasing smart cuts and homerun speed. Expect him to continue to rack up touches on an offense that largely goes through him.     Robinson is a speedster who returns for his senior year after finishing second on the team with 22 catches and 376 yards last season. He has the acceleration and top speed to stretch the defense vertically, and I expect he'll do that a bit more this season, opening up space underneath.     Leach played almost exclusively on the defensive side of the ball last season, but there's a thought that the long athlete could play both ways this upcoming season. He has excellent ball skills, and his speed and body type make him an excellent breakout candidate at receiver.     Coulter's significance to the offense will go a bit understated if you're only focused on catches and yards. He's an excellent blocker, and this offseason, he's transformed his body. He was almost unrecognizable when I saw him at our Prep Redzone Exposure Camp. He's bigger, faster, stronger, and more polished than he was as a sophomore. Expect a fuller route tree and larger role in 2026.    <h3 class="wp-block-heading">Biggest Losses</h3>   Cameron Ezzard | QB- Actually a wide receiver to start his career, Ezzard stepped in as the starter at quarterback as a senior and gave an anemic offense new life in 2025. The Red Devils will miss his legs (1,000 rushing yards), but should be able to take a step forward in the dropback passing game.   Timothy Mehalic | WR/DB- Mehalic provided much-needed size and speed to both the receiver and defensive back rooms. He was a team leader, too, so he'll be missed. He was the leading receiver for the Red Devils last season, but there's plenty of young talent at receiver.   Kaleb Barker | DL- Barker led the Red Devils in tackles, tackles for loss, and sacks last season. Newton-Conover has some talented underclassmen on the defensive line, but Barker was a productive, versatile veteran presence.   <h3 class="wp-block-heading">Breakout Candidates</h3>    Hefner was quietly one of the better two-way players in the 4A class last season. A starting offensive lineman, he leads a veteran unit up front. Defensively, he's a powerful run-stuffer who began to flourish as a pass-rusher last season, with three sacks to his credit. I've seen him this offseason, and he looks ready to take another step forward in his development.     Norris' time is finally here after patiently waiting his turn for two seasons. He has excellent size and a strong arm. He's a timing-based passer who can get into a rhythm as the game progresses, so I'm interested to see if the Red Devils run more tempo with elements of the West Coast scheme this season to match his skill set. He's not a pure runner, but he has some escapability. How he plays in his first year as a starter could go a long way toward determining Newton-Conover's ceiling.     Hardy is a powerful blocker with some versatility to play multiple positions on the offensive line. While the Red Devils lose some key pieces at the skill positions, they're a veteran group on the offensive line. Expect the coaching staff to ask a lot out of the experienced leaders up front, and Hardy's could be a name we hear more in 2026.     Forney isn't the biggest guy, but a wrestling background gives him the strength and hand usage to succeed as a defensive lineman. He's the leading returner in terms of sacks, and he should be a key part of a veteran defensive line in 2026.    <h3 class="wp-block-heading">Other Guys To Monitor</h3>   Sincere James | OL   Amos Hardy | Ath.   Tyler Hardy | LB   AJ Thomas | RB   Alonzo Cunningham | RB/LB   Quincey Rice | TE/DL   <h3 class="wp-block-heading">The Verdict</h3>   A year after I successfully predicted the Newton-Conover would have its <a href="https://prepredzone.com/2025/07/newton-conover-red-devils-2025-season-preview/">first winning season since 2029</a>, I'm even more bullish on the Red Devils. There are some question marks, though.   The offensive and defensive lines should be excellent, and there's plenty of returning talent at the skill positions. But the Red Devils will go as far as the passing game allows. They just aren't big enough across the lines to bully the top teams in the classification, so they'll need a consistent passing attack to compete at that level.   That said, they should be one of the better teams in the huge Western Foothills Conference once again. Key games early against East Lincoln and Hickory will set the tone for the conference slate, and the top-to-bottom strength of the conference should set them up for a strong seed in the playoffs.   I also think there will be some growing pains in turning one winning season into consistency year after year. All that said, the Red Devils are in a strong position, and I'm excited to watch the offensive line unit and what could be an exciting offense as a whole.   A special thanks to Newton-Conover head coach Matt Wilson for sharing his prospect sheet and thoughts on his team.

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