Can Buford (GA) repeat? New faces look to keep national champion Wolves on top
· Yahoo Sports
When No. 11 Buford (Ga.) steps onto the field to open up its 2026 campaign against Gainesville on Saturday, Aug. 22, something will be different.
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It’s not the fact that the Wolves are facing off against fellow Georgia powerhouse Gainesville for the first time in 14 years, nor that the game is a part of ESPN High School Football Kickoff weekend.
It’s all of the new faces.
“The biggest goal is being able to reset from last year with us being national champions,” said DJ Hunter, Buford’s starting quarterback and James Madison commit. “We want to create our own team instead of living off of the success from last year.”
Following Buford’s undefeated season that ended with a 28-21 win over Carrollton in the GHSA Class 6A state championship, the Wolves lost a lot of talent.
From starting quarterback Dayton Raiola and four-star safety and running back Tyriq “Ty Boogie” Green to leading rusher in three-star Dylan McCoy, the 2025 roster was experienced to say the least.
But that hasn’t stopped the Wolves from creating an identity of their own this year.
“They're doing a good job of not making it all about what we did last year, because last year is not going to help us right now,” said head coach Bryant Appling. “So, I'm excited for the fact that they're trying to be their own entity within the realm of beautiful football and start this campaign off the right way.”
Buford, however, does have some key returners in their roster.
For starters, Hunter experienced time at the helm last year. In eight appearances, he completed 16-of-24 passes for 230 yards and three touchdowns. He also added 40 yards on the ground and three more touchdowns.
“He's an even-keeled type of kid,” Appling said. “You don't want a quarterback that's too high or too low at any given time. If he's made a mistake, he comes back and fixes it.”
Seniors Jameer Cantrell and Silas Nuckles bring some experience in the ground game. Cantrell, an Arkansas commit, had 43 carries for 303 yards and three touchdowns, while he also had 41 tackles as a defensive back.
On the receiving end, junior receiver Braylon Williams is expected to play a bigger role for the Wolves this year and will be a top target for Hunter. He had 199 yards and four receiving touchdowns in seven games last year before missing the rest of the season due to injury.
“I’ve always been like the little brother my whole life,” Williams said. “So just taking the younger guys under my wing – even the people my age − they look at me because I’m one of the leaders on this team. I’ve been waiting to do this a long time, so I’m just excited to finally step into that leadership role.”
Last year, Buford’s defense only allowed 10.5 points per game, and several players from that group will return, including 4-star edge Luke Nabors, Middle Tennessee commit Joshua Echols and Brady Wagner.
Gainesville, which reached the GHSA Class 5A state championship last year, will be the first of many tests for Buford, which has one of the toughest schedules in the country.
The Red Elephants enter the season with a new coach at the helm – former Grayson coach Santavious Bryant – and plenty of talent. Hunter will be matched up against 3-star Clemson commit Kharim Hughley.
“I feel like we can prepare our players for any other players in the country,” Hunter said. “We have a very good roster – top to bottom – we have really good guys and we brought back a lot of really good pieces.”
After they face the Red Elephants, Buford hits the road to play Mallard Creek before facing Miami Central and Grayson in the next two games.
“It seems like our schedule gets harder and harder every year,” Appling said. “Playing national games on a game-to-game basis early in the season – it just makes you better overall because it reveals some weaknesses you have, and it makes you go back to the drawing board.”
As for now, the Wolves are ready to begin a new season and write a story of their own.
“The goal is to run it back,” Cantrell said.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Can Buford (GA) repeat? New faces look to keep national champion Wolves on top