POPLARVILLE — Pearl River Community College doesn’t need anyone to remind it how difficult the 2025 season was.
The Wildcats finished 1-8, losing their final seven games after a 48-42 victory over Itawamba in early September. They were competitive at times, particularly late in the year when they went into Ellisville and pushed Jones to the final minutes of a 21-16 loss, but the bottom line was still a season that never gained any real traction. Pearl River averaged 22.6 points and 335.9 yards per game while allowing 40.3 points and nearly 413 yards per contest.
The good news is that several freshmen got legitimate college experience in 2025, and some of those players are now being asked to become the foundation of the next team.
One of the names to watch at quarterback is Austin Jones, who saw action late in the season, including the finale against Jones College.
Pearl River’s offense under coordinator David Boykin is designed to play fast. When Boykin arrived in Poplarville, he described the system as a no-huddle, up-tempo spread built around being “fast, physical and explosive.” That philosophy hasn’t changed.
The Wildcats showed flashes of exactly that last season. They put up 48 points on Itawamba and produced 401 yards against Southwest, 370 at East Mississippi and 411 yards in the finale at Jones. The problem was consistency. Pearl River scored seven points against Co-Lin, 13 against Hinds and went through stretches when drives simply disappeared.
Whoever wins the quarterback job won’t necessarily need to throw for 300 yards every Thursday. He does need to give the offense stability.
That was missing too often last fall.
One of the most intriguing returning skill players is former Oak Grove standout Kylin Champagne. Champagne was used in a limited role as a freshman but showed some burst when opportunities arrived. Against Hinds, he carried four times for 26 yards, including a 16-yard run, and he continued seeing snaps late in the season.
He was also one of the players who stood out during Pearl River’s spring work before the 2025 season, when Smith specifically mentioned the speed he brought to the offense.
The Wildcats lost significant backfield production from a year ago. Keenan Franks was the most consistent runner and scored both Pearl River touchdowns against Hinds. Jacobi Jefferson also handled a significant number of carries. That creates an opportunity.
Champagne doesn’t have to replace every carry immediately, but he is exactly the kind of sophomore who could make a big Year 1-to-Year 2 jump. And in the MACCC, that jump can happen quickly.
Pearl River also returns young athletes who got a taste of the college game at receiver and on special teams.
Cory Jackson appeared as a freshman receiver last season and was active in the late-season rotation. Kesler Jenkins, another freshman, contributed in several areas and handled kickoff-return responsibilities against Hinds, returning one kick 18 yards. Jenkins also saw defensive snaps in that game, breaking up passing opportunities against a talented Hinds offense.
Those kinds of players matter for a team rebuilding. Pearl River lost experienced receivers such as Howard Kinchen and Henry Lee Jr., so somebody from last year’s freshman group has to become more than a rotational piece. The question is who becomes the receiver the quarterback trusts when Pearl River needs a first down.
That role is wide open.
If there is one returning defender I would circle going into the season, it is Jonivan Edwards. The former West Lowndes standout arrived in Poplarville as a 6-foot-2 cornerback specifically looking to develop his one-on-one coverage skills. He chose Pearl River because of the opportunity to improve at corner and showed enough as a freshman to earn meaningful snaps throughout the season.
His size immediately makes him interesting.
At 6-foot-2, Edwards has the length four-year coaches want at corner, and he already owns a full season of MACCC experience. His public recruiting profile now lists him as a December graduate with a 4.47 forty and a 3.4 GPA. If Pearl River’s defense improves significantly in 2026, Edwards feels like one of the players who could be at the center of it.
The secondary won’t be starting completely from scratch. Tre’von Deans was another freshman defensive back who played meaningful snaps last season. Against Hinds, Deans recorded four solo tackles and was involved near the goal line and in coverage.
He and Edwards represent exactly what Pearl River needs this fall: sophomores who already know how fast the MACCC game moves. The Wildcats gave up 157 passing yards per game last season, which actually wasn’t the biggest issue defensively.
The real problem was stopping the run. Opponents averaged 255.4 rushing yards per game against Pearl River. That number has to change.
The Defensive Line is where Pearl River lost its biggest star. Defensive end Jalen Anderson was one of the best junior college defenders in the country last season. The 6-foot-3 edge rusher finished his sophomore year with 41 tackles, 11.5 tackles for loss and seven sacks after recording 39 tackles, nine tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks as a freshman. Across two seasons in Poplarville, Anderson totaled 80 tackles, 20.5 tackles for loss and 9.5 sacks.
He is now at Florida State. Anderson was rated among the top JUCO players in the country and chose the Seminoles after drawing offers from programs including Arkansas, Arizona State, Colorado, Nebraska, Vanderbilt and West Virginia.
Replacing that production will not be easy. Pearl River also loses veteran linebackers and defensive linemen from last season, meaning players who were depth pieces in 2025 will now have to become every-down contributors.
That may be the single biggest question surrounding this team. It is difficult to improve a defense that allowed more than 40 points per game while simultaneously losing its best pass rusher. But that is exactly what Pearl River has to do.
The Wildcats did have several younger offensive linemen gain experience last season, including Bradley Merchant. The Oak Grove product, was already seeing meaningful action early in his college career and was part of a line that helped Pearl River rush for 249 yards against Jones in the season finale.
That finale might actually be one of the more encouraging things for Pearl River heading into 2026. Despite entering the game on a six-game losing streak, the Wildcats didn’t roll over. They ran the football 59 times, produced 249 rushing yards and 411 total yards, and stayed within one possession of Jones until the end.
A 1-8 team could have mailed that game in. Pearl River didn’t.
That doesn’t erase the season, but it gives the returning players something to build on.
Smith has already shown he can get Pearl River pointed in the right direction. The Wildcats went 4-5 in 2024 but recorded some impressive wins, including a 24-23 road upset of No. 7 Northwest Mississippi in Senatobia and a 32-28 victory over East Mississippi.
That made last season’s regression frustrating. Pearl River didn’t suddenly forget how to recruit or develop players. The Wildcats simply couldn’t sustain drives consistently enough and couldn’t get opponents off the field.
This year feels like a test of how quickly Smith and his staff can reset the program. The pieces aren’t as proven as Gulf Coast’s.
The expectations aren’t as high nationally. But that may work in Pearl River’s favor. There isn’t much pressure coming from preseason rankings. The Wildcats can simply go play football.
The schedule gives Pearl River no place to hide
The MACCC moved to a 10-game regular season with no bye week in 2026, and Pearl River’s official schedule reflects that new setup. One of the early games that immediately jumps out is Sept. 17 at Jones College. Jones lists Pearl River as its Hall of Fame Game in Ellisville.
One week later, Pearl River returns home to face Southwest Mississippi on Sept. 24 Hinds comes to Poplarville on Oct. 8 Those games alone give the Wildcats opportunities to measure progress against teams that handled them last season.
The Jones game may matter the most emotionally. Pearl River closed 2025 with that 21-16 loss in Ellisville. Less than 11 months later, the Wildcats get to go right back.
This time they’ll try to finish it.
2026 Pearl River Wildcats Football Schedule
Thursday, Aug. 27 — vs. Holmes Community College — 7:00 p.m.
Poplarville, Miss.
Thursday, Sept. 3 — at Mississippi Delta Community College — 7:00 p.m.
Moorhead, Miss.
Thursday, Sept. 10 — at East Mississippi Community College — 7:00 p.m.
Scooba, Miss.
Thursday, Sept. 17 — at Jones College — 7:00 p.m.
Ellisville, Miss.
Thursday, Sept. 24 — vs. Southwest Mississippi Community College — 7:00 p.m.
Poplarville, Miss.
Thursday, Oct. 1 — at East Central Community College — 6:30 p.m.
Decatur, Miss.
Thursday, Oct. 8 — vs. Hinds Community College — 7:00 p.m.
Poplarville, Miss. — Homecoming
Thursday, Oct. 15 — vs. Northeast Mississippi Community College — 7:00 p.m.
Poplarville, Miss.
Thursday, Oct. 22 — at Copiah-Lincoln Community College — 6:30 p.m.
Wesson, Miss.
Thursday, Oct. 29 — vs. Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College — 7:00 p.m.
Poplarville, Miss.
What would make 2026 a success?
For Pearl River, success doesn’t have to mean winning the MACCC championship immediately. Start with becoming difficult to play again. Cut down the explosive rushing plays. Get the defense off the field. Find a quarterback who can settle the offense. Turn some of those 400-yard offensive games into wins instead of losses.
And most importantly, avoid the stretches where one loss turns into four or five.
Pearl River was 1-8 last season, but the Wildcats were not devoid of talent. Jalen Anderson is now at Florida State. Several other sophomores moved on.
Jonivan Edwards has a chance to become one of the better young corners in the league. Tre’von Deans has experience beside him. Kylin Champagne has an opportunity in the backfield. Austin Jones has an opening at quarterback. Kesler Jenkins and Cory Jackson have a chance to become bigger pieces of the offense.
That’s the strange beauty of junior college football. A 1-8 team can look completely different twelve months later.
And in Poplarville, different is exactly what Pearl River needs.
From Poplarville to the FBS
One of the best ways to understand what Pearl River can offer a player is to look at where former Wildcats are playing now.
The biggest name from last year’s team is Jalen Anderson, who turned two seasons in Poplarville into an opportunity at Florida State. Anderson was one of the nation’s top JUCO prospects after recording 80 tackles, 20.5 tackles for loss and 9.5 sacks in 18 games at Pearl River. His sophomore season included 41 tackles, 11.5 tackles for loss and seven sacks. Florida State lists Anderson as a 6-foot-2, 242-pound junior defensive lineman entering 2026.
Anderson isn’t the only former Wildcat playing major college football.
Kaleb Patterson has taken one of the more interesting routes. The former Terry High School defensive back began his college career at Pearl River in 2022 before moving to Illinois, where he appeared in 26 games over three seasons and made 15 starts. Patterson transferred again this offseason and is now at Kansas State, which lists the 6-foot-1, 195-pound defensive back as a senior for 2026.
Former Pearl River defensive back Amari Butler is still playing FBS football close to home. The Petal native is a senior at Louisiana Tech in 2026. Tech lists Butler at 5-foot-10 and 186 pounds, with Pearl River identified as his previous school.
There’s another former Wildcat in the Big 12. Kedrick Triplett is currently a redshirt sophomore wide receiver at West Virginia. The Mountaineers list Triplett at 5-foot-11, 205 pounds and identify Pearl River as his previous college.
Former Pearl River defensive back Tradarius Smith has also reached the FBS level. The Port Gibson native is now a junior at Charlotte, where he’s listed at 6-foot-3 and 190 pounds. That size makes Smith another example of the type of athlete who can use a couple of seasons in Poplarville to create a bigger opportunity.
And don’t forget Reese Mooney. Pearl River fans know the former Wildcats quarterback well, and he’s continuing his career at East Texas A&M, which moved to the FBS level as part of Conference USA in 2026. The Lions list Mooney as a 6-foot-1, 205-pound junior quarterback with Pearl River as his previous school.
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