2026 local high school football previews: Cartersville Purple Hurricanes

Aug 1
3 min read

August 1, 2026

Charles Wilson / BartowSportsZone.com

Bartow Sports Zone is featuring each of the four local high school football programs with previews of the 2026 teams. Each local head coach responded to a questionnaire.

Head Coach Conor Foster

Conor Foster begins his eighth season as head coach at Cartersville after stints as an assistant at Carrollton and as defensive coordinator with the Hurricanes. As head coach, Foster is 83-9 with five region titles and state playoff appearances in all seven prior seasons. Cartersville was state runner-up in 2020, a semifinalist in 2022 and 2023, a quarterfinalist in 2019, 2024, and 2025, and fell in the second round in 2021. The Canes were 12-1 last season with their only loss coming at Kell (48-21) in the state quarterfinals. Cartersville had a 10-0 regular season and state playoff wins over Maynard Jackson (53-0) and Warner Robins (64-0).

The Hurricanes this summer:

July was dedicated to weight room training, conditioning, and on-field work.

What are your expected numbers for the 2026 season?

120 Players

Have you added any new coaches for 2026? What are their primary responsibilities?

None

Have the position assignments/coaching roles changed for any staff members retained from last year’s staff?

Brent Rickman - Assistant Head Coach

Dawson Mitchell - Co-Defensive Coordinator

Dan Mullins - ILB / Strength Coordinator

When is your official preseason scrimmage with another school?

We will play McEachern at home on August 7.

As head coach at Cartersville, what accomplishment for the program or development within the program makes you most proud?

I am proud of how our program serves our community. We are using football as a tool to invest in the lives of our young men who will lead our community forward.

Who are the Hurricanes to watch on offense in 2026?

— Madoxx Davis - 5 Star / three-way player / WR-DB-KR— Tyon Coe - three-way player / RB-DB-KR / multiple D1 offers

— Jorian Bailey - three-year starter on the offensive line

— Carter Levstek - an offensive lineman with multiple offers

Who are your defensive players to watch in 2026?

— Cole Crawford - a linebacker and a Georgia Tech commit.

— Grayson Warmack - a safety and a Georgia State commit.

— Elijah Peeks - defensive lineman with multiple D1 offers.

— Grayson Villar - defensive lineman with an offer from Samford.

Which players are competing to be your specialists? (kickoffs, punting, PAT, FG, kick returners, punt returners)

— Punter - Wyatt Earwood

— Kicker - Jayden Navarez

What do you see as the strengths of this year’s team?

Our culture, continuity with the coaching staff, and our players’ willingness to work and improve.

What are the primary challenges for this year’s team?

We are replacing four multi-year starters on the offensive line and a three-year starter at quarterback.

Briefly, share your thoughts on the non-region portion of your schedule.

We have a tough non-region schedule that will present different schematic challenges and should prepare us for region play.

Based on your knowledge of returning players, etc, which teams are your region’s top contenders for playoff berths?

Dalton has several returning starters and a great coaching staff that is now in Year 2 together. Cass is young, but very talented. Villa Rica is always very talented, and its new staff should inject some energy into that program.

What are your general expectations for 2026, and any other thoughts you would like to share?

Our vision is to be a championship program in every aspect - on the field, in the classroom, and within the community.

2026 schedule (Home games in CAPS)

Friday, August 7 — McEACHERN (scrimmage)

Friday, August 14 — open —

Friday, August 21 — at Hiram

Friday, August 28 — MT. ZION-JONESBORO

Friday, September 4 — at Woodstock

Friday, September 11 — WEST FORSYTH

Friday, September 18 — open —

Friday, September 25 — VILLA RICA

Friday, October 2 — at Cass