The Jena Giants enter the 2026 football season with a chip on their shoulder, a battle-tested roster and two words echoing across every practice rep.

Dome Reps.

Eight months removed from a 34-20 state championship loss to Sterlington at the Caesars Superdome, head coach Jay Roark and the Giants are rebuilding around a nucleus of returning starters on both sides of the ball, adding a dynamic new weapon at quarterback and pointing every drill, every rep and every workout toward one destination: New Orleans.

THE OFFENSE

The Giants return several key pieces on offense, headlined by halfback Daniel Hatcher and offensive linemen Malik Wilson, a guard, and Zy Harrison, a tackle who completed his first full offseason without injury.

“This is the first time he’s made it through the entire offseason without some sort of injury,” Roark said of Harrison. “We’re excited about that.”

Hatcher is certainly one of the key players for the Giants’ offense. Last year, he rushed for 1,887 yards in Jena’s dual-threat backfield, which also featured Sedrick Wilson, who rushed for 2,151 yards. Together, they accounted for 4,038 of Jena’s rushing yards.

This year, Hatcher will have the spotlight all to himself and expectations are that he could potentially break the Giants’ single season rushing record, currently held by Zerrick Jones at 2,248. As he enters his senior campaign, Hatcher is bigger, stronger and faster and will be a nightmare for opposing teams.

Continuing with the key to the run game, the offensive line, Cruz Humphries, a returning lineman, has moved to tight end, a shift Roark said adds a new dimension to the Giants’ ground attack. Nolan Williams will also see time at tight end.

“We can go two tight ends and run to either C gap, make those defenses even up on us,” Roark said. “It makes it a lot more potent.”

Levi Hammock returns at guard, and sophomore Hunter Poole has emerged as the starting left tackle after a standout summer.

“He’s the biggest kid that we’ve had come through this program since I’ve been here, and he’s getting better every day,” Roark said. “We’re really excited about him.”

Wide receiver Brittain Johnson, who saw limited action last season, is expected to play a significantly expanded role in 2026.

The most anticipated development on offense is the emergence of junior Jonas Jenkins at quarterback. Jenkins, who was the team’s top cornerback a season ago, brings a skill set Roark said the program has not seen in years, specifically, elite speed combined with a developing arm.

“He kind of gives us some things that we haven’t been able to do in about five or six years since Jordan Jackson was our quarterback,” Roark said. “He’s throwing the ball really well, but he’s probably the fastest kid that’s come through our program since I’ve been here. If he gets to the second level, nobody is going to catch him.”

Roark said Jenkins is also developing the intangible qualities that define elite quarterbacks.

“He’s super quiet, but he’s starting to figure that part out,” Roark said. “If he figures that part out, I don’t see anybody taking his job.”

Sophomore Bentley Feheley backs up Jenkins and could see action in specific situations. The Giants return with a 78 percent two-point conversion rate from last season, a figure Roark said he would gladly accept again given current uncertainty at the kicking position.

“As far as kicking extra points and field goals right now, that’s a question mark,” Roark said. “But we were about 78 percent on two-point conversions last year. I’ll take that.”

THE DEFENSE

The Giants return a core of experienced defenders led by inside linebackers Kayson Dean and Hayden Deville, along with outside linebackers Brian Evans and Cash Richardson.

Evans, who Roark called one of the program’s most passionate leaders, is the voice behind the daily “Dome Reps” battle cry that has defined the Giants’ offseason culture.

“Brian was one of the leaders last year to come up out of nowhere, and he’s going to be a great leader this year,” Roark said. “He loves it. He’s truly passionate about it.”

Up front, Trent Tingle will man the tackle position and Parker Durham will play defensive end, with Eli Estes at nose guard.

The secondary features safeties Logan Thompson and Carter Nichols, whom Roark identified as one of the defensive leaders alongside Evans.

“Carter Nichols is probably the leader of the defense, along with Brian,” Roark said. “Really hard worker. Expecting a good year from him.”

The cornerback positions remain unsettled heading into the season, with Jonathan Willis, Daeyshawn Stewart and Terry Bowie all receiving reps. Roark said the defense as a whole should be further along than it was a year ago.

“It took us probably eight weeks to gel as a defense last year,” he said. “I think we’re going to be a lot better going into the season this year.”

THE CULTURE BEHIND THE PROGRAM

The roster Roark is working with this season is the product of 15 years of deliberate culture building, a process he said began with simply getting players to show up.

With an overall record of 118-46, eight district championships and back-to-back semifinal appearances before last season’s state runner-up finish, the program Roark inherited bears no resemblance to what it has become.

Much of the credit, he said, belongs to a coaching staff that has stayed together when it did not have to.

Defensive coordinator Rob Faircloth, offensive coordinator and strength/conditioning coach Whitney McCartney and Russell Dorton, who has been with the program since Roark’s first day, form the core of a staff Roark called the program’s single greatest competitive advantage.

“That’s the biggest difference between now and the previous three decades,” Roark said. “It was a revolving door, and you can’t be successful like that. Coach McCartney obviously plays probably the biggest role in this program in what he does in the weight room and the motivation he gives the kids. Rob Faircloth could go just about anywhere. But I think having a great administration that supports us, kids that work really hard, and parents that understand how much time goes into it — that’s what’s helped guys want to stay here when they can make more money in just about any direction.”

The goal for all of it, Roark said, has never been more clearly defined.

“To get back and win it,” he said. “That’s the goal, and it’s a realistic goal. Our kids believe, our community believes, and the biggest thing is the belief that the kids have that that’s where they belong.”

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