Red and Black Game Recap & Gearing up for the Kick-off Classic!

Red vs Black...West Florida football gave Jag Nation its first real look at the 2026 team. The annual Red and Black Game delivered exactly what the coaching staff was hoping for: meaningful reps, key evaluations, and a glimpse of a team ready to compete.

Live Reps, Real Answers

For a program building depth and experience, there's no substitute for game speed. The scrimmage gave coaches the chance to see who's ready to step into a bigger role and how the younger players respond when the lights come on. "The Red and Black Game provided our players with some game speed reps," Coach Summerford said. "This allowed our players to be in top gear ... It allowed us to look at some spots where we feel like we have some people to step in and also provide evaluation on the young players." Special teams and defense were the units that jumped off the film.

"I think special teams had some standout moments," Summerford states, "and our defense performed well: especially in the varsity section."

Confidence in the Depth Chart

Beyond the highlight plays, the scrimmage confirmed something the staff had been building toward all offseason: this roster has depth, and it has players who won't blink under pressure. "The takeaway from the Red and Black Game solidified some ideas we had to build some depth, but also showed that our young players can perform under pressure," Coach said. That kind of confidence doesn't happen by accident, it's the product of a senior class that set the tone from day one.

"The senior leadership has been awesome. I thought they really stepped up during the ... week and were great influences on the intensity, seriousness, and competitiveness of our program during game time."

Now the Real Work Begins

With the scrimmage behind them, the coaching staff wasted no time turning their attention to the week ahead. Position coaches spent time evaluating their players performance on the field, and then came together as a staff to spend hours breaking down what they saw. That work translates directly into the game plan, and into preparing these young men for their next challenge.

Next Up: The Kickoff Classic

Now it's time to fully kick-off the 2026 season. The Jags will take the field at Pace High School on Thursday, August 13 at 7:00 PM.

Jag Nation ... come out and pack the stands for our first game of the season! Tickets are available for purchase through the S2Pass App starting Wednesday, August 12 at 6:00 am.

See you Thursday night. Go Jags!