Stroud Tigers OK 2026 Team Preview

Get 25% Off Your Subscription By Entering Knight25 In The Coupon Code Area. Enjoy!   It's the month of July and that means it's preview time! Throughout the month of July and even into August, we are publishing well over 100 of the most in-depth team previews that you'll find anywhere to get you completely ready for the 2026 football season. This is something that began for us at PRZ-Oklahoma in 2021 and it continues to get bigger and better every single year. We're looking forward to diving deep into the top teams across the state in every class. From defending champions, to the top contenders and plenty of dark horses and other teams to know, we'll have complete coverage every single day. There will be multiple previews dropping every single day! In this post, we take a look at the Stroud Tigers!   RELATED   <a href="https://youtu.be/gJ2DzI0jTYk" data-type="link" data-id="https://youtu.be/gJ2DzI0jTYk">- Stroud Video Preview With HC Josh Presley</a>   Stroud Tigers   Preseason Prep Redzone Ranking: #7 In Class 2A-2   Head Coach: Josh Presley - 7th Season - 50-23 Record At Stroud   2025 RESULTS (11-2 Record - Lost In Class 2A-2 Semifinals)   Sept. 5th - Lost To Chandler 13-8 Sept. 12th - Beat Pawnee 42-34 Sept. 19th - Beat Tonkawa 18-13 Sept. 26th - Beat Kellyville 54-0 Oct. 3rd - Beat Meeker 54-8 Oct. 10th - Beat Alva 39-14 Oct. 16th - Beat Newkirk 70-0 Oct. 24th - Beat Casady 42-0 Oct. 31st - Beat Hennessey 52-3 Nov. 7th - Beat Luther 63-8 1st Round - Beat Beggs 49-21 Quarterfinals - Beat Wyandotte 49-14 Semifinals - Lost To Adair 42-40 (OT)   2025 Offensive Scoring Average: 44.8 Points Per Game 2025 Defensive Scoring Average: 12.9 Points Per Game   The Stroud Tigers came into the 2025 season as a top ten team but came off a heartbreaking semifinal loss to eventual state champion Davis in 2024. The Tigers would battle through injuries to once again be one of the top teams in Class 2A-2. Like plenty of other small schools, the Tigers also dealt with small numbers and a lack of depth that they had to overcome. They opened the season with a rivalry loss to Chandler but didn't lose again in the regular season. That included wins over A-1 contenders Pawnee and Tonkawa in district play. Once the Tigers entered district play, they reached another level and decimated everyone standing in their way of another district championship. Stroud's closest game in district play was a 25-point win over Alva in week six. They ran away with the district title and kept that momentum going in the playoffs. They beat up Beggs in the first round before there was a 35-point win over Wyandotte in the quarterfinals. Then came a semifinal showdown with Adair and the game would go to overtime. Ultimately, the Warriors prevailed by two points and went on to beat Vian for the 2A-2 state championship. For the second straight year, Stroud's season came to an end in the semifinals against the eventual state champion. Now, they turn the page and will set their sights on a 2026 campaign that will see plenty of new faces but there's a lot of reason to be optimistic about the upcoming year.    2026 OUTLOOK   Stroud comes into this season as a top ten team once again and the 2026 Tigers will be a unique blend of talented upperclassmen and very promising underclassmen. Only four starters return for Stroud on the offensive side of the ball. They averaged nearly 45 points per game last fall but there's a chance that things look a little different this season with all the new faces. They will once again rely on their ground and pound game and they will have one of the better running backs in Class 2A-2 this season. Defensively, the Tigers also bring back four starters. They gave up around 13 points per game last season and this will be a defense that is certainly tested more when the 2026 season kicks off. Talking with their coaches this summer, one thing is certain. The future is very bright. Stroud has a sophomore class coming up that will see quite a few players crack the starting lineup and play meaningful roles on this year's team. But with sophomores and new starters in general, there will be some growing pains along the way.  While they are excited about the new names that are coming through the program, there will be some hurdles they have to overcome along the way. And it will start with a non-district slate that will be very challenging. And the district got harder after the redistricting shuffle this spring. Stroud's closest district game was a 25-point win in 2025. That's not going to be the case in 2026. But this team has the potential to go on another run and be right there in the mix in late November and early December.    KEY LOSSES TO GRADUATION   Jacob Beck - Running Back/Defensive Back Trystan Baker - Running Back/Linebacker   PLAYERS TO WATCH    You have to start the conversation of Stroud's returning standouts at 2027 running back and defensive back [player_tooltip player_id='1836368' first='Aiden' last='Collins'] coming into this season. Collins did a little bit of everything for Stroud last season and he produced at a very high level. He's going to come into this season as one of the top two-way players in Class 2A-2 and he's a player that can lead a team on a run to a potential state title. Last year, he accounted for over 1,200 yards and 21 touchdowns on offense. Then he turned around and had nearly 60 tackles and six interceptions on defense. Collins is a twitchy athlete that can break a game wide open and he's a true difference maker for the Tigers.     The Tigers are very excited about what they have in the run game heading into this season. But it all starts up front with the play on the line of scrimmage. 2028 offensive lineman [player_tooltip player_id='1828336' first='Brandon' last='McNeill'] returns to be the anchor of this offensive line and pave the way for guys like Collins and others to have a successful season in the ground game. But we can't overlook what McNeill can do on the defensive side of the ball. Last season, he finished with over 40 tackles and a handful of sacks as a sophomore. The Tigers are expecting him to take a major step forward and be the foundational piece of both sides of the line of scrimmage when they take the field this fall.     While Collins might be the featured back in this Stroud offense, there are a couple other names in the Stroud backfield to keep an eye on this season. 2029 running back and defensive back [player_tooltip player_id='2254349' first='Gage' last='Bailey'] is the first of several sophomores to keep an eye on this season. Last year, Bailey burst onto the scene as a freshman and earned valuable playing time on both sides of the ball. This year, they are expecting him to take another step and be a valuable part of what they do on offense and then turn around and produce at a high level on the defensive side of the ball. Stroud's coaches were very impressed with what he was able to do on offense last season.     It looks like Stroud is going to hand the keys to this offense to 2029 quarterback [player_tooltip player_id='2254351' first='Gideon' last='Smalley'] and see what he can do with it. The Tigers are going to do what they do and that's run the football but Smalley does possess a rocket arm and the ability to push the ball downfield when they need to do that. Smalley is another sophomore that has a very bright future and it's going to be interesting to see how he looks in this offense. It should be an easier transition than some others considering all of the firepower and playmaking ability he's going to have around him in the backfield. And with a decent number back on the line of scrimmage, he should stay protected.     2029 running back and linebacker [player_tooltip player_id='1834730' first='Kadom' last='Young'] is a player that we are very excited to see when the Tigers take the field this season. Young checks a lot of boxes from a physical standpoint and it's going to be interesting to watch how the Tigers utilize him on both sides of the ball. Offensively, he provides another weapon for Stroud to use in their run game and much more. Then on defense, he'll be a hard-hitting linebacker that could end up being very productive on that side of the ball this season. A common theme in this preview has been how special Stroud's sophomore class could be and Young has the potential to be the best of the bunch.    MORE NAMES TO KNOW   [player_tooltip player_id='1838969' first='Chalin' last='Morris'] - 2028 Offensive Lineman [player_tooltip player_id='1836369' first='Kacin' last='Martinez'] - 2027 Wide Receiver/Defensive Back Leelyn Neuman - 2029 Tight End Zane Abbey - Offensive Lineman [player_tooltip player_id='1830076' first='Zane' last='Charkowski'] - 2027 Offensive Lineman   2026 SCHEDULE   Sept. 4th - Pawhuska - The 2026 season kicks off with a home game against a Pawhuska team that comes into this season as a top ten team in Class A-1. Pawhuska is in a similar position to Stroud where their 2025 season came to an end in the semifinals against the eventual champion. This is a rematch of a 2019 playoff meeting that Pawhuska won.  Sept. 11th - AT Okemah - The first road game takes place in week two as the Tigers will travel to Okemah. These two teams didn't play the last two seasons after meeting every year from 2010-2023 in district play or non-district action. But Okemah is back on the schedule and this is a series that has been favorable to the Tigers. They won the last two meetings and six of the last eight.  Sept. 18th - AT Chandler - The non-district slate wraps up with the annual rivalry game against Chandler. This series has been heavily slanted towards Chandler during this decade. The Lions have won five of the last six, including last year's 13-8 victory. The Tigers will come into this season looking to turn things around in the series and have more success like we saw a decade ago. Sept. 25th - AT Wilburton - The district slate opens with Stroud's third consecutive road game when they travel to Wilburton in week four. We mentioned earlier how the Tigers are in a new district and Wilburton is a new district opponent. These two haven't met on the gridiron since they squared off in the 2010 playoffs. Stroud took care of business that night.  Oct. 2nd - Hartshorne - The Tigers return home for their first home game since week one when they host Hartshorne. These two used to be district opponents when they were both in Class A. Then they moved up to 2A-2 and found themselves in the same district. They played in 2022 and 2023 and the Tigers swept that series, winning both games by 20+ points.  Oct. 9th - AT Beggs - The Tigers go back on the road to face Beggs in week six. These two are now district opponents for the first time in two decades. 2005 was the last time they were in the same district. But both teams will be familiar with one another going into this season. Stroud beat Beggs 49-21 in the first round of the playoffs a year ago.  Oct. 15th - Holdenville - On a Fall Break Thursday night in week seven, Stroud hosts Holdenville in a game that could ultimately decide the district championship. Both of these teams have been dominant since the 2A split started in 2024 and both expect to contend for the district title this year. They were district opponents from 2010-2015 and Stroud was 6-0 during that stretch.  Oct. 23rd - Atoka - Following the showdown with Holdenville, Stroud hosts Atoka in week eight and this is another new opponent on the schedule. As far as we're aware, this will be the first time these two teams go head to head on the gridiron. The Tigers will be looking to kick it into that next gear with the playoffs looming and right around the corner.  Oct. 30th - AT Morris - The Tigers go back on the road in week nine to face Morris for the first time since 2011. Morris is another new district opponent on the schedule for the Tigers. These two were district foes in 2010 and 2011 and that's the only time they've met in this century. They split that series, with Morris winning in 2010 and the Tigers winning in 2011.  Nov. 6th - Kellyville - The regular season wraps up with a home game against Kellyville in week ten. These two became district opponents when the 2A split happened in 2024. Prior to that, they hadn't played in three decades. In each of the last two meetings, the Tigers have been dominant. They won 55-21 in 2024 and followed that up with a 54-0 win last year.    NOTABLE   It's been fun to see the emergence of Stroud football over the last four seasons. There's no arguing that they've been one of the best small school programs during that stretch, going 43-9 in the last four seasons alone. And it's an interesting dynamic as they moved up to Class 2A in 2024 and at the perfect time for the newly formed 2A-2 after the splits in 2A, A and B. The 2A split has been very kind to the Tigers as they have made back to back semifinal appearances. They continue to win at a high level and despite being relatively young this year, the expectation is to see the Tigers continue to win at a high level. Now, because of this young roster, there is a chance that we see Stroud in the mix for the state championship for several years in a row. They have been knocking on the door in each of the last two years. They lost a low-scoring affair to eventual state champion Davis in 2024 and then lost an overtime heartbreaker to eventual state champion Adair last year. They have been right there with the teams that go on to win the state title. In 2026, they look to finish the job and if they do, they might not let go of that crown anytime soon.    LAST FIVE SEASONS   2025 - 11-2 - Lost In Class 2A-2 Semifinals 2024 - 12-1 - Lost In Class 2A-2 Semifinals 2023 - 10-3 - Lost In Class A Quarterfinals 2022 - 10-3 - Lost In Class A Quarterfinals 2021 - 6-6 - Lost In Class A 2nd Round   CHAMPIONSHIP HISTORY   4 State Championships   1981 - Beat Vian 20-7 1974 - Beat Millwood 28-0 1970 - Beat Vian 32-6 1969 - Beat Bixby 32-12

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