Bishop Kelley Comets OK 2026 Team Preview

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em><strong>Get 25% Off Your Subscription By Entering Knight25 In The Coupon Code Area. Enjoy!</strong></em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Throughout the month of July and now into August, we are publishing 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 Bishop Kelley Comets!</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>RELATED</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em><strong><a href="https://youtu.be/OvzUhUt4XgI" data-type="link" data-id="https://youtu.be/OvzUhUt4XgI">- Bishop Kelley Video Preview With HC JJ Tappana</a></strong></em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>Bishop Kelley Comets</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em><strong>Preseason Prep Redzone Ranking: UR In Class 5A</strong></em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Head Coach: JJ Tappana - 22nd Season - (146-80) Record AT Bishop Kelley</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>2025 RESULTS (5-6 Record - Lost In Class 5A 1st Round)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Sept. 5th - Lost To Bishop McGuinness 22-17<br>Sept. 12th - Beat Springdale, AR. 24-14<br>Sept. 19th - Lost To Sand Springs 35-0<br>Sept. 26th - Beat Edison 53-7<br>Oct. 3rd - Lost To Coweta 22-20<br>Oct. 9th - Lost To Booker T Washington 42-14<br>Oct. 17th - Lost To McAlester 31-23<br>Oct. 23rd - Beat East Central 42-6<br>Oct. 31st - Beat Shawnee 30-27<br>Nov. 7th - Beat Durant 38-8<br>1st Round - Lost To Pryor 46-36</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><em>2025 Offensive Scoring Average: 27 Points Per Game<br>2025 Defensive Scoring Average: 23.6 Points Per Game</em></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Bishop Kelley Comets came into the 2025 season looking to make it back to the playoffs and get back to winning football in a loaded Class 5A. The 2025 campaign would be as rocky as it gets for the Comets. They opened the season with a 2-2 record, alternating wins and losses. They would then drop three straight games to Coweta, Booker T Washington and McAlester. Two of those losses were by a possession. They went into week eight with a 2-5 record and the Comets were in danger of missing the playoffs for the first time in over a decade. The Comets rallied, winning three straight down the stretch, including a 30-27 win over Shawnee that ended up being the “win and you're in” game for the Comets. Bishop Kelley finished the regular season with a 5-5 record but they had some momentum with the way they finished the regular season. But they also finished fourth in the district so they had to go on the road to face district champion Pryor in the first round. The season came to an end for the second straight year with a first round loss to Pryor, losing to the Tigers 46-36. But the Comets continue to be that program that's hard to kill. They always find a way to get to the playoffs and they'll need that same mentality going into 2026. The Comets expect to make it back but the road to get there is harder than ever.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>2026 OUTLOOK</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Comets come into the 2026 season finding themselves in arguably the toughest district in Class 5A. They will lean on their senior leadership and some of the underclassmen talent they have coming up to make some noise this season. Offensively, the Comets bring back six starters from last year's team. It's going to start with the backfield as they will have one of the better QB/RB duos in Class 5A. The Comets will have a new offensive coordinator as Zach Stephens comes over from Bixby. He will have several weapons to work with immediately and it wouldn't be surprising to see the Comets emerge as one of the better offenses in the class. Defensively, the Comets also bring back six starters. This is a unit that plays well together and could end up forcing a lot of turnovers this fall. Now, the schedule is going to be the biggest hurdle for the Comets to overcome. Bishop Kelley always plays a tough non-district schedule and this year is no different. But the district got much harder. There are legitimately five teams that all have a legitimate shot to make a run at the district title. There are only four playoff spots, let alone one spot for that district champion. This district is going to be a gauntlet from start to finish. But Bishop Kelley always seems to find a way. It would be unwise to think they'll fall short in 2025.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>KEY LOSSES TO GRADUATION</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Beckett Jackson - Linebacker<br>Gavin Nichols - Athlete<br>RJ Woody - Wide Receiver</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>PLAYERS TO WATCH</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1830383"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6a73438c4e9aa"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">2027 offensive and defensive lineman [player_tooltip player_id='2104962' first='Lars' last='Frette'] is definitely one of those players that the Comets will lean on for their senior leadership this season. Frette will start for the Comets on both sides of the ball. Offensively, Frette will anchor the offensive line and they'll have some new names that they'll need to bring along quickly. Frette will help pave the way for what could be one of the better backfields in 5A football. But he'll also turn around and set the tone for a defense that could end up being pretty nasty. Everything will start with Frette on the line of scrimmage. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1829539"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6a73438c4ea4a"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">2027 wide receiver and defensive back [player_tooltip player_id='1829539' first='Lucas' last='Goodman'] comes into this season as Bishop Kelley's possible breakout star. Goodman will play on both sides of the ball but look for him to turn into that star on the defensive side of the ball specifically. Bishop Kelley's coaches were raving about Goodman and the offseason he has had. He took his game up a notch in the last eight months, specifically in the summer. All signs are pointing to him having a breakout season for the Comets this fall. And if that happens, this defense just got a little bit stingier for the 2026 season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1741351"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6a73438c4ead8"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">2027 quarterback [player_tooltip player_id='1741351' first='Max' last='Gipson'] returns as QB1 of the Comets and we're really looking forward to seeing what kind of growth he's had as a passer in the last nine months. At this time last year, Gipson was getting ready to start for the Comets for the first time. He had a solid first season, throwing for nearly 2,000 yards as a junior. Now, he's looking to elevate Bishop Kelley's offense up a notch or two. Gipson is known around campus as a terrific baseball prospect and that might be what his future holds. But he has the potential to be one of the better quarterbacks in the Tulsa area.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1828411"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6a73438c4eb63"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">All signs point to 2028 running back and defensive back [player_tooltip player_id='1828411' first='Wesley' last='Woody'] being Bishop Kelley's next two way star. We're not going to compare him to Owen Henicke but last year's production looked very similar. Offensively, Woody was a 1,000-yard runner in this Comet offense. Defensively, he also finished with over 100 tackles from the secondary. Wherever Woody is on the football field, he finds a way to be one of the best players on that field. We saw that first hand back in May at our showcase event. Woody was lights out, taking a ton of reps on defense. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>MORE NAMES TO KNOW</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1830382' first='Caleb' last='Auschwitz'] - 2027 Linebacker<br>[player_tooltip player_id='1830381' first='Carsen' last='Thompson'] - 2027 Wide Receiver/Defensive Back<br>[player_tooltip player_id='1830380' first='Ethan' last='Pickard'] - 2027 Wide Receiver/Defensive Back<br>[player_tooltip player_id='1659008' first='Malcolm' last='Davie'] - 2027 Linebacker</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>2026 SCHEDULE</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Aug. 28th - AT Southmoore</strong><br>- The 2026 season kicks off with a trip to the OKC area to face Southmoore in week zero. The Comets didn't know this at the time, but the Sabercats have moved back up to Class 6A-1 for the next two years. They'll also have a first year head coach this season. But when they face off in week zero, this will be the first meeting between these two teams.<br><strong>Sept. 4th - Bishop McGuinness</strong><br>- In week one, the Comets have their home opener against rival Bishop McGuinness. The Comets are hungrier than ever to turn things around in the rivalry. The Irish have won the last two meetings and five of the last six. But as we always say when these two teams square off, throw the record books out because they typically play very close games.<br><strong>Sept. 18th - Wagoner</strong><br>- After a week off, the Comets will wrap up non-district play in week three against Wagoner. The Bulldogs will head to Tulsa to face the Comets and this will actually be the first meeting between these two teams. Bishop Kelley and Wagoner have squared off in junior high games for a while but this will be the first match-up with the varsity teams.&nbsp;<br><strong>Sept. 25th - AT W. Rogers</strong><br>- Tulsa Rogers is back on the schedule as Bishop Kelley opens the district schedule with a short trip over to face the Ropers in week four. These two teams were district opponents from 2020-2023 but haven't played the last two years. During that stretch from 2020-2023, the Comets were 4-0, winning every game by 21 points or more.&nbsp;<br><strong>Oct. 2nd - Sapulpa</strong><br>- The Comets host Sapulpa in week five and it's the first time these two have met in nearly a decade. They were non-district opponents from 2016-2017 and the Comets won both meetings. But both teams will be familiar with one another. They scrimmaged with each other last season as the Chieftains drop back down to Class 5A from 6A-2.&nbsp;<br><strong>Oct. 9th - AT Coweta</strong><br>- The Comets go back on the road to face Coweta in week six and this will be a game they have circled. Bishop Kelley narrowly missed a field goal that could have won the game last year. They lost 22-20 and Coweta ended up winning the district while the Comets finished fourth. Bishop Kelley will certainly be ready to go when this week rolls around.<br><strong>Oct. 15th - Glenpool</strong><br>- On a Fall Break Thursday night, Bishop Kelley hosts Glenpool. This match-up is sandwiched right in the middle of Bishop Kelley's four toughest district games. This will also be the first time these two have played since 2018 and 2019. They were district opponents then and the Comets won both match-ups by 28 points or more.&nbsp;<br><strong>Oct. 23rd - Del City</strong><br>- Bishop Kelley hosts Del City in week eight as the Eagles are a new district opponent for the Comets. And it seems crazy to think considering how often these two teams are 5A playoff teams. But they've only met one time before. That came in the 2022 playoffs and Del City won. This is another massive district game for the Comets.&nbsp;<br><strong>Oct. 30th - AT McAlester</strong><br>- Right after hosting Del City, the Comets play another heavy hitter in this district, traveling to McAlester in week nine. These two teams are very familiar with one another, playing 14 times since 2010. Whether it's been in district play or the regular season. McAlester has had the series edge recently. They won 31-23 last year and have taken three of the last four.<br><strong>Nov. 6th - AT East Central</strong><br>- The regular season comes to an end with another road game, this time they head to east Tulsa to face East Central in week ten. These two have been district foes in each of the last two years and the Comets have rolled each time. Overall, Bishop Kelley has won four straight against the Cardinals but East Central has a new head coach this fall.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>NOTABLE</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>We mentioned earlier in the preview how Bishop Kelley is one of those programs that “always finds a way” and makes it back to the playoffs. Look no further than the head coach as one of the main reasons why. JJ Tappana is going into his 22nd season as head coach of the Comets and he hit a major milestone last season with the Comets. He won his 150th career game with Bishop Kelley. He was once an assistant coach with the Comets and admitted to us this summer that he didn't think he'd be at Bishop Kelley this long but it has truly been a place he has called home. He's helped lead the Comets to the playoffs every single season, with the exception of the 2014 season. We are of the belief that Tappana is one of the more underrated coaches in the state of Oklahoma, not just in the Tulsa area. We're not the only ones to say this about Tappana but it feels like year after year, he gets the absolute most out of the roster he has. This year won't be any different. The schedule might be challenging, but they'll find a way.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>LAST FIVE SEASONS</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>2025 - 5-6 - Lost In Class 5A 1st Round<br>2024 - 5-6 - Lost In Class 5A 1st Round<br>2023 - 9-3 - Lost In Class 5A Quarterfinals<br>2022 - 5-6 - Lost In Class 5A 1st Round<br>2021 - 5-6 - Lost In Class 5A 1st Round</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>CHAMPIONSHIP HISTORY</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><em>1 State Championship</em></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>1981 - Beat El Reno 33-6</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->