The 2026 Ohio high school football season officially begins Aug. 1 with the start of preseason practice, but summer practice days and other assorted business mean teams are getting a jump on the campaign.
Several central Ohio teams are using allotted days this week – the Ohio High School Athletic Association allows 13 practices and five days for acclimation anytime between May 15 and July 31. Still others are hosting youth camps as the season nears.
The Dispatch visited practices at Big Walnut and Olentangy Liberty on July 28. Here are some observations:
Big Walnut embraces lofty expectations
All things considered, July 28 was a mundane day for the Golden Eagles, given that the agenda consisted of uniform distribution, arranging the locker room and some agility testing, among other items.
Once that finished, the players got three full days off before the grind begins for a season as anticipated as any in program history.
With three-year starters Nolan Buirley (RB), Matt Green (OL) and Eli Stumpf (QB) already back from a team that has gone 25-5 the past two seasons with two Division II, Region 7 championships before Ohio State wide receiver commit Jamier Brown arrived via transfer in January, excitement is palpable.
“That’s the standard for the whole program,” said Stumpf, a Michigan State commit who threw for 2,150 yards and 23 touchdowns last fall. “For us to get a little bit of recognition and have two [consecutive] successful seasons, it really just kind of reframes our mindset that this is how we do it at Big Walnut. This is something we expect and not a fluke. We want to do this every year.”
Buirley, who has run for 4,379 yards and 59 touchdowns the past two seasons, committed to Northwestern in June. Stumpf committed in March.
They are among nine returning starters, six of whom are on offense. Both plan to graduate early, as does Brown.
Big Walnut opens at home Aug. 21 against Hilliard Bradley.
“We still have the same mindset of putting kids in the right position, making sure we’re doing everything correctly and implementing our schemes,” coach Curtis Crager said. “We don’t even talk about what happened last year or two years ago. What can this team do? What we do depends on these [24] seniors and how they lead us.”
Veterans to help Olentangy Liberty navigate grueling schedule
After winning their first state title in 2024, the Patriots took a step back a year ago, losing 21-17 to eventual state champion Olentangy Orange in a Division I, Region 3 semifinal.
With several players back, fourth-year coach John Sansbury believes his team is loaded with potential.
“We were really young last year,” Sansbury said. “We had a small senior class, 14 guys who were great. Their leadership was awesome. … We have 31 seniors this year. This is the most experience I think we’ve ever had coming back.”
The Patriots face a daunting schedule, with nonleague contests against Lakewood St. Edward, Cleveland Glenville, Gahanna Lincoln, Olentangy Berlin and Olentangy before a five-game slate in the always competitive OCC-Central, which includes Orange.
Glenville will be looking for its fourth state title in five years. St. Edward, which won three championships in a row from 2021-23, is Liberty’s opening-night opponent Aug. 21 at Lakewood.
“It’s been like that for a while now,” Sansbury said of the schedule. “[Former] coach [Steve] Hale set that tone a while ago. We know with our schedule every week will be a challenge. Everyone on our schedule can definitely beat us, but we feel like we can beat everyone on our schedule as well. There’s no time off, there’s no easy ones and it keeps our kids motivated to keep working hard because they know they have to bring it.”
Sansbury foresees competitive battles for starting spots throughout the lineup.
It starts at quarterback with senior Alex Leonard and junior Mason Miller again vying for the assignment. Leonard is the returning starter.
Seniors Grayson Davis and Daniel Anyanechi and junior Dom Schwinnen are in the running for carries at running back.
“There will be battles everywhere,” Sansbury said. “I told the guys day one, this is maybe the most competitive team within our walls we’ve ever had. We have 113 guys grades 10 through 12, so nobody is safe and it’s going to be uncomfortable, but we feel like guys get better when they’re chasing something or being chased after.”
High school sports reporters Frank DiRenna and Dave Purpura can be reached at sports@dispatch.com and at @DispatchPreps on X.
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Big Walnut, Liberty tuning up for 2026 high school football season
Reporting by Dave Purpura and Frank DiRenna, Columbus Dispatch / The Columbus Dispatch
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By Dave Purpura and Frank DiRenna, Columbus Dispatch | USA TODAY Network
