New Look Cougars Ready For New Year Challenge: 2026 Nimitz Cougars Football Preview

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The 2026 Nimitz High School football team will have a different look.

District standouts Albert Brown, District MVP Malachai Augustus and Sincere Williams have graduated and moved on to the collegiate level, leaving a younger roster behind. Still, fifth-year head coach Cornelius Harmon said youth will not become an excuse, and winning remains the standard.

That standard has been established. Since taking over in 2022, Harmon has led Nimitz to a 29-15 record and four consecutive playoff appearances, building a program with sustained success.

“It’s going to look different,” Harmon said of replacing the production lost to graduation. “Even though faces have changed, the expectations are the same. We have a really strong non-district schedule to get these young players ready for district competition.”

The offense will feature several new faces. Only two returning offensive players scored a touchdown last season, and the Cougars have four new offensive linemen and four new receivers. The unit is expected to lean on junior quarterback Edwin Brown, the younger brother of Albert Brown, who started three games in 2025.

Harmon said the program’s four-year continuity has helped prepare younger players to step into larger roles when their time arrives.

The coaching staff is also encouraged by the quarterback room, where Brown and sophomore Jepreston Johnson are expected to receive early-season reps.

Brown, a strong-armed and athletic quarterback, has embraced the challenge of replacing his older brother. He spent the summer focused on his footwork, film study and leadership development.

“I’ve been working on my footwork and getting better at watching film,” Brown said. “I’m more confident this year, and I’m learning to be a better decision-maker and a more vocal leader, while holding myself to a higher standard in the classroom and the weight room.”

Brown, wide receiver Jayden Kimble and running back Da’kari Franklin are among the offensive players to watch this fall.

While the offense is young20262026, the defense returns a strong core. The Cougars allowed 10 points or fewer in five games last season and surrendered just 16.4 points per game during the regular season. Senior linebackers Elijah Taylor and Jamari Bondi, both all-district selections, return to anchor the unit and help pursue a fifth straight playoff berth.

Harmon said the team must get “comfortable being uncomfortable” as it navigates a younger roster and asked the Nimitz community for patience during the transition.

The Cougars open the season Aug. 28 against Barbers Hill High School and begin district play Sept. 24 against Spring High School.