Clearwater 2026 Football Preview: Schedule, Players, Playoffs

Clearwater does not need to manufacture reasons for optimism. The Tornadoes return an 800-yard running back, one of Pinellas County’s most disruptive young defenders and a collection of experienced transfers at the skill positions. They also enter 2026 as the clear preseason favorite in District 4A-10.

There is still one enormous question hanging over the operation. Who takes control of an offense that revolved around Jaylen White?

CLEARWATER TORNADOES

Head Coach: Thor Jozwiak, sixth year District: District 4A-10 2024 Record: 7-4 2025 Record: 8-4 2025 Final FPRI Rating: 63.47 2025 Final State Rank: No. 90 2026 Preseason Rating: 64.27 2026 Preseason Rank: No. 85 2026 Class Rank: No. 16 2025 Playoff / FIT Finish: 4A Regional Semifinalist

Clearwater finished 8-4 and reached the Class 4A regional semifinals behind an offense that produced 5,335 total yards. The Tornadoes rushed for 3,453 yards, averaged 7.7 yards per carry and received 3,200 total yards from White alone. That was not a supporting role from the quarterback. That was ownership of the entire offense. Clearwater enters 2026 with enough talent to keep winning, but it must redistribute an extraordinary amount of responsibility.

SCHEDULE AT A GLANCE

Category Value Average Opponent Rating 36.41 Opponent 2025 Record 48-57 Opponent 2025 Win Percentage .457 Hardest Opponent Clearwater Central Catholic District Games 5

The overall numbers make the schedule look manageable, and much of it is. Clearwater faces six opponents that finished below .500 in 2025. The danger is concentrated rather than constant. East Lake presents an immediate road test, Pinellas Park and Osceola can influence the district race, and Clearwater Central Catholic waits at the end with the highest preseason rating on the schedule.

2026 FULL SCHEDULE

Week Date Time Opponent 2025 Record 2026 Rank (Overall | Class) Preseason Rating 1 8/21 7:30 PM @ East Lake (Tarpon Springs) 8-3 No. 130 | No. 32 (5A) 56.44 2 8/28 7:30 PM Dunedin 4-6 No. 436 | No. 52 (3A) 17.83 3 9/4 7:30 PM Countryside (Clearwater) 3-7 No. 472 | No. 62 (3A) 11.96 4 9/11 7:30 PM @ St. Petersburg* 2-7 No. 274 | No. 46 (4A) 39.08 5 9/18 7:30 PM Largo 6-5 No. 184 | No. 42 (5A) 48.95 6 9/25 7:30 PM Northeast (St. Petersburg)* 3-7 No. 349 | No. 59 (4A) 30.46 7 10/2 — BYE — — — 8 10/9 7:30 PM Pinellas Park (Largo)* 5-6 No. 210 | No. 34 (4A) 45.97 9 10/16 7:30 PM @ Hollins (St. Petersburg)* 1-9 No. 543 | No. 85 (4A) -1.53 10 10/23 7:30 PM @ Osceola (Seminole)* 7-4 No. 255 | No. 42 (4A) 40.99 11 10/30 7:30 PM @ Clearwater Central Catholic 9-3 No. 37 | No. 5 (2A) 73.93

*District game

The calendar gives Clearwater something every team breaking in a quarterback wants: breathing room. After the East Lake opener, the Tornadoes get two home games against opponents that combined to go 7-13. The bye also arrives before the district schedule reaches its most consequential stretch. There are development windows here. Clearwater must use them.

KEY LOSSES

Everything begins with White. The graduated quarterback completed 111 of 198 passes for 1,880 yards, 15 touchdowns and four interceptions. He also rushed 154 times for 1,320 yards and 16 touchdowns, averaging 8.6 yards per carry. Clearwater is not replacing an ordinary starter. It is replacing the player who accounted for 3,200 total yards and dictated how every defense had to line up.

The backfield also loses Sincere McClinton, who rushed for 902 yards and nine touchdowns. White, McClinton and returning back Ke’Mariae Bullard combined for 3,024 rushing yards. Two-thirds of that three-man engine has graduated.

Isaiah Berrien leaves another major hole. He caught 31 passes for 772 yards and nine touchdowns while adding 942 kickoff-return yards. His 24.9 yards per reception made him the offense’s cleanest source of instant damage.

Clearwater must also reconstruct much of its defensive core. Wayne Cunningham recorded 88 tackles, 10 tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks. Maurice Bryant added 50 tackles, 9.5 tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks. Kentrail McRae intercepted five passes and broke up nine more. Those were not background contributors. They were structural pieces.

The Tornadoes lost production at quarterback, running back, receiver, linebacker, edge rusher and defensive back. The roster still has ability. The leadership hierarchy must be rebuilt almost from scratch.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Player Position Class 2025 Production Ke’Mariae Bullard RB Senior Rushed 113 times for 802 yards and two touchdowns; averaged 7.1 yards per carry Jayeon Jackson MLB/TE Junior Recorded 50 tackles, 13 tackles for loss, 6.5 sacks, five quarterback hurries and one interception Nathan Klag FB/TE Senior Produced 220 rushing yards, 163 receiving yards and one touchdown Kevin Williams WR/RB Senior Totaled 156 rushing yards, 50 receiving yards and three touchdowns in eight games Joseph Archer WR Senior East Lake transfer caught 30 passes for 544 yards and five touchdowns in 2025 JeKobi Brown CB/RB Senior Pinellas Park transfer recorded 22 tackles, one interception, three pass deflections and one fumble recovery Zair Wilburn WR Senior Largo transfer caught 14 passes for 224 yards and one touchdown Ashton Gooden WR/CB Senior Caught seven passes for 90 yards in six games Christian Jackson DE/OLB Junior Returns as a 6-foot-2, 215-pound edge defender after receiving limited varsity action in 2025

Bullard is the obvious starting point. He already has the production, workload and efficiency to become the offense’s centerpiece. Jayeon Jackson is the defensive counterpart—a proven disruption player whose 13 tackles for loss and 6.5 sacks lead all returning Clearwater defenders.

The transfers matter because they reduce the number of unknowns. Archer, Brown and Wilburn arrive with varsity production rather than projections. Clearwater lost elite experience, but it did not enter the offseason empty-handed.

1ST DOWN — THE GAUNTLET

The hardest portion of Clearwater’s schedule is split between the opening night and the final three weeks.

East Lake is a serious Week 1 assignment. The Eagles went 8-3 and reached the 2025 Class 6A regional semifinals. Clearwater will walk into that road environment with a new quarterback and without its top two rushers, leading receiver and three most productive senior defenders. There is no gentle introduction.

The closing stretch creates a different kind of pressure. Clearwater travels to Osceola for a district game in Week 10 and then visits Clearwater Central Catholic, a 2025 Class 1A regional finalist, in Week 11. Pinellas Park also appears immediately after the bye. The Patriots may have finished 5-6, but they reached the 2025 Class 5A regional quarterfinals and bring the second-highest preseason rating among Clearwater’s district opponents.

Bullard must give the offense a stable answer while the passing game develops. A back who averaged 7.1 yards per carry can keep Clearwater ahead of the chains and prevent the quarterback competition from becoming a weekly crisis.

The defensive burden falls on Jackson. Clearwater graduated 11.5 of its 20.5 sacks, including 4.5 each from Cunningham and Bryant. Jackson is the one returning defender who has already proved he can wreck a protection plan. His pressure will be vital against East Lake and Clearwater Central Catholic, where simply waiting for mistakes will not be enough.

KNOW YOUR OPPONENT

Opponent Week/Location 2025 Record 2026 Rank (Overall | Class) Preseason Rating 2025 Finish Clearwater Central Catholic Week 11/Away 9-3 No. 37 | No. 5 (2A) 73.93 1A Regional Finalist East Lake (Tarpon Springs) Week 1/Away 8-3 No. 130 | No. 32 (5A) 56.44 6A Regional Semifinalist

These are Clearwater’s two highest-rated opponents, and both reached at least the regional semifinals in 2025. East Lake will measure Clearwater before the new offense has time to become comfortable. Clearwater Central Catholic will measure the finished product.

THE BOTTOM LINE: Clearwater’s schedule is not difficult every week, but its hardest games are positioned to expose the roster at both ends of its development curve.

2ND DOWN — STRENGTH OF SCHEDULE

The schedule’s 36.41 average opponent rating is moderate, and the combined opponent record of 48-57 reflects a slate with more rebuilding teams than established winners. That should help Clearwater remain in control of its season while replacing so much senior production.

The first three weeks are especially important. East Lake can reveal the offense’s immediate limitations. Dunedin and Countryside should then provide opportunities to make corrections, expand the playbook and evaluate the quarterback competition under less pressure.

Clearwater has multiple quarterback candidates on the roster, but none should be declared the answer without established varsity production. The position must be settled through competition. The winning quarterback does not need to replicate White’s 3,200 total yards. He must protect the football, distribute it to the experienced receivers and avoid turning every third down into an individual rescue mission.

The incoming receivers should speed up that process. Archer produced 544 receiving yards and five touchdowns at East Lake. Wilburn contributed 224 yards at Largo. Gooden and Williams already understand Clearwater’s system. That gives the next quarterback more help than a typical first-year starter receives.

The middle of the schedule also offers room for growth. St. Petersburg, Northeast and Hollins combined to finish 6-23 in 2025. Clearwater should be able to win those games without playing perfect football. The challenge is using those nights to become better rather than merely surviving them.

THE BOTTOM LINE: The schedule is forgiving enough to support a quarterback transition, but the easy weeks must become development weeks. Clearwater cannot reach October with the same unanswered questions it carried into August.

3RD DOWN — THE PROVING GROUND

Largo, Pinellas Park and Osceola are the games that will define Clearwater’s actual ceiling.

Largo is the first true measuring stick after the opening month. The Packers went 6-5, reached the 2025 Class 6A regional quarterfinals and carry a 48.95 preseason rating. Clearwater gets that game at home. A regional contender should be able to handle it.

That matchup will also put Wilburn across from his former program. More importantly, it will test whether Clearwater’s receiver group can punish defenses for crowding Bullard and the running game. Archer, Wilburn, Gooden and Williams cannot be decorative pieces. They must force opponents to defend the full width and depth of the field.

Pinellas Park is the pivotal district game. The Patriots’ 5-6 record understates a team that qualified for the Class 5A playoff bracket and advanced to the regional quarterfinals. Clearwater gets Pinellas Park at home and immediately after a bye. That is every scheduling advantage a contender could request.

Brown’s presence adds another layer after his transfer from Pinellas Park. His familiarity and secondary production could matter against an opponent capable of making the district race uncomfortable.

Osceola is the late road test. The Warriors went 7-4 and reached the Class 4A regional quarterfinals in 2025. Clearwater may enter Week 10 with the better preseason profile, but Osceola has enough postseason experience to punish a team looking ahead to Clearwater Central Catholic.

THE BOTTOM LINE: Largo tests Clearwater’s quality, Pinellas Park tests its district authority, and Osceola tests its composure. Winning all three would establish the Tornadoes as more than a favorite on paper.

4TH DOWN — PLAYOFF PICTURE

Clearwater begins 2026 with a substantial numerical advantage inside District 4A-10. The Tornadoes’ 64.27 preseason rating is more than 18 points higher than Pinellas Park’s 45.97, the second-best rating among the district teams shown on the schedule.

That makes Clearwater the clear favorite. It does not make the Tornadoes automatic champions.

The district winner receives an automatic bid to the FHSAA playoff bracket. That should be Clearwater’s priority because it removes the uncertainty of the wildcard process. Teams that do not win their districts must depend on MaxPreps rankings for selection and seeding.

Pinellas Park and Osceola are the games most likely to affect that path. Both reached the 2025 playoff bracket, and both have enough experience to capitalize if Clearwater’s new offense becomes careless. St. Petersburg and Northeast are lower-rated, but district road games and unfamiliar offensive leadership can create unnecessary drama.

Jackson’s role becomes even more important here. District opponents will try to shorten the game, force Clearwater into long drives and make the new quarterback operate in obvious passing situations. Jackson and the defensive front must create negative plays before those opponents can establish that rhythm.

Bullard is equally tied to the playoff route. A reliable running game would allow Clearwater to control the weaker district opponents and reduce the chances of one turnover-heavy night changing the entire season.

DISTRICT BREAKDOWN

Team 2025 Record 2026 Rank (Overall | Class) Preseason Rating 2025 Finish Clearwater 8-4 No. 85 | No. 16 (4A) 64.27 4A Regional Semifinalist Pinellas Park (Largo) 5-6 No. 210 | No. 34 (4A) 45.97 5A Regional Quarterfinalist Osceola (Seminole) 7-4 No. 255 | No. 42 (4A) 40.99 4A Regional Quarterfinalist St. Petersburg 2-7 No. 274 | No. 46 (4A) 39.08 Missed postseason Northeast (St. Petersburg) 3-7 No. 349 | No. 59 (4A) 30.46 Missed postseason Hollins (St. Petersburg) 1-9 No. 543 | No. 85 (4A) -1.53 Missed postseason

Pinellas Park gives the district race more bite than its 5-6 record suggests. The Patriots reached the 2025 Class 5A regional quarterfinals and enter 2026 as the second-highest-rated team in District 4A-10. Osceola also brings recent playoff experience after advancing to the Class 4A regional quarterfinals.

Clearwater still owns the strongest overall profile in the district. The Tornadoes have the best 2025 record, the highest preseason rating, the top overall ranking and the deepest postseason finish. The margin is real, but Pinellas Park and Osceola are credible enough to punish a sloppy night.

THE BOTTOM LINE: Clearwater should win District 4A-10 and secure the automatic playoff bid. Anything less would mean the Tornadoes allowed a favorable path to become unnecessarily complicated.

SEASON OUTLOOK

Difficulty Rating: 6/10

An 8-2 regular season is realistic, with 7-3 representing the safer floor if the quarterback transition remains unsettled. Clearwater can win the district and return to the regional rounds if Bullard carries the offense early, the transfer receivers produce immediately and Jackson leads a rebuilt defense; the ceiling drops if the Tornadoes cannot replace White’s playmaking or the graduated front seven’s pressure.

COUNTDOWN TO KICKOFF: No. 85 Clearwater Tornadoes — 2026 Season Preview, Schedule Analysis, Players to Watch and Playoff Outlook

Clearwater has the district’s strongest roster profile, but replacing the player who powered nearly every part of last season’s offense will determine whether the Tornadoes remain a regional contender.

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