COUNTDOWN TO KICKOFF: No. 80 Mosley Dolphins — 2026 Season Preview, Schedule Analysis, Players to Watch and Playoff Outlook

Mosley does not enter 2026 needing to invent an identity. The Dolphins already know what works: stretch defenses vertically, feed Sammy Chisolm and let Cole Archambeau wreck blocking plans. The question is whether a roster replacing several defensive leaders and a proven receiving weapon can become complete enough to survive a schedule that opens with little room for experimentation.

MOSLEY DOLPHINS (LYNN HAVEN)

Head Coach: Tommy Joe Whiddon, sixth year District: District 4A-2 2024 Record: 9-2 2025 Record: 10-2 2025 Final FPRI Rating: 57.36 2025 Final State Rank: No. 121 2026 Preseason Rating: 64.67 2026 Preseason Rank: No. 80 2026 Class Rank: No. 15 2025 Playoff / FIT Finish: 5A Regional Semifinalist

Mosley’s 10-2 finish was built on an offense that averaged 40.3 points and 388.6 yards per game. JP Holsombake threw for 2,773 yards and 34 touchdowns, Chisolm rushed for 1,189 yards and 20 scores, and the defense produced 44 sacks. The regional semifinal exit was respectable, but this roster returns enough premium production that respectable should no longer be the target.

SCHEDULE AT A GLANCE

Category Value Average Opponent Rating 49.05 Opponent 2025 Record 58-54 Opponent 2025 Win Percentage .518 Hardest Opponent Choctawhatchee (Fort Walton Beach) District Games 5

The average can be misleading. Mosley faces four opponents rated above 54.00, but three district teams sit below 37.00. The schedule has teeth at the top and opportunity at the bottom.

2026 FULL SCHEDULE

Week Date Time Opponent 2025 Record 2026 Rank (Overall | Class) Preseason Rating 1 8/20 7:00 PM CT Choctawhatchee (Fort Walton Beach) 12-2 No. 51 | No. 13 (4A) 70.78 2 8/26 7:00 PM CT Godby (Tallahassee) 5-7 No. 161 | No. 21 (3A) 51.68 3 9/4 7:00 PM CT @ Niceville 6-5 No. 106 | No. 26 (5A) 59.83 4 9/11 7:00 PM @ Chiles (Tallahassee)* 8-5 No. 224 | No. 37 (4A) 44.05 5 9/17 7:00 PM CT Gadsden County (Havana) 3-5 No. 145 | No. 17 (2A) 54.07 6 9/25 7:00 PM CT Lincoln (Tallahassee)* 6-5 No. 95 | No. 18 (4A) 61.15 7 10/3 — BYE — — — 8 10/9 7:00 PM CT Arnold (Panama City Beach)* 3-8 No. 297 | No. 52 (4A) 36.15 9 10/15 7:00 PM @ Rickards (Tallahassee)* 3-8 No. 296 | No. 51 (4A) 36.18 10 10/22 7:00 PM @ Leon (Tallahassee)* 3-7 No. 410 | No. 72 (4A) 21.81 11 10/30 7:00 PM CT @ Bay (Panama City) 9-2 No. 141 | No. 18 (3A) 54.78

*District game

The calendar is front-loaded, but not forgiving at the finish. Mosley could have its district position secured before traveling to Bay, yet that finale still carries weight for momentum and potential playoff seeding.

KEY LOSSES

Mosley must replace its most productive receiver in Carson Griffin, who caught 50 passes for 779 yards and nine touchdowns. Adam Land also departs after producing 509 receiving yards and five touchdowns in seven games.

Fletcher Taylor is another major loss after moving to California. Taylor caught 39 passes for 574 yards and eight touchdowns in 2025, giving Holsombake another proven target who could threaten defenses vertically and work the middle of the field. Griffin, Land and Taylor combined for 1,862 receiving yards and 22 touchdowns. That is a significant amount of proven passing-game production walking out the door.

The defensive losses are even more concentrated. Wyatt Fleming led the Dolphins with 116 tackles, while Will Arboleda supplied 58 tackles, 14 tackles for loss and 10 sacks. Talan Moore’s four interceptions and punt-return production also leave a significant hole in the back end.

The offensive line loses several experienced seniors, including Jase Jernigan, Joseph Chima and Tristen Steele. That matters because Mosley’s skill talent is ready now. The rebuilt front and receiving rotation cannot take half a season to catch up.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Player Position Class 2025 Production Sammy Chisolm RB Senior 1,189 rushing yards, 124 receiving yards and 20 rushing touchdowns Cole Archambeau DE/OLB Senior 64 tackles, 20 tackles for loss and 14 sacks Kane Colbert MLB/RB Junior 66 tackles, three pass breakups and one forced fumble Ga'marcus Halstead WR/CB Senior 31 receptions, 496 yards and seven touchdowns JP Holsombake QB Senior 2,773 passing yards, 34 passing touchdowns and 70% completions Julian Agurs OLB/RB Junior 38 tackles, six tackles for loss, three sacks and 50 rushing yards Khalil Lauderdale RB/OLB Sophomore 237 total offensive yards, four touchdowns and 17 tackles Kingstun Dawson DL Junior 22 tackles, four tackles for loss and two sacks Kaleb Capps WR/TE Junior Five receptions, 117 yards and two touchdowns

Chisolm is the offensive centerpiece, but Archambeau may be the roster’s most difficult player to replace schematically. Fourteen sacks force opponents to alter protections before the ball is snapped. That is influence, not merely production.

1ST DOWN — THE GAUNTLET

Mosley’s hardest sequence arrives immediately: Choctawhatchee, Godby and a road trip to Niceville. The opener brings the schedule’s highest-rated opponent, and Niceville provides a second major test before district play begins. There is no soft launch.

Chisolm must keep the offense on schedule against defensive fronts built to prevent explosive plays. On the other side, Archambeau and the pass rush have to create the kind of negative plays that keep Mosley from being dragged into possession-for-possession shootouts.

KNOW YOUR OPPONENT

Opponent Week/Location 2025 Record 2026 Rank (Overall | Class) Preseason Rating 2025 Finish Choctawhatchee (Fort Walton Beach) Week 1/Home 12-2 No. 51 | No. 13 (4A) 70.78 4A State Semifinalist Lincoln (Tallahassee) Week 6/Home 6-5 No. 95 | No. 18 (4A) 61.15 5A Regional Quarterfinalist

Choctawhatchee is the immediate measuring stick. Lincoln is the district game that could determine whether Mosley controls its postseason path or spends November checking rankings.

THE BOTTOM LINE: Mosley does not need to sweep the opening three games, but it must look physically comfortable in them. A 2-1 start would confirm that the Dolphins belong in the upper Panhandle conversation, especially while the receiving rotation adjusts to losing three proven targets from last season.

2ND DOWN — STRENGTH OF SCHEDULE

The schedule’s shape favors an experienced quarterback and running game. Four of Mosley’s first six opponents carry ratings above 51.00, which puts pressure on Holsombake to operate efficiently while the rebuilt supporting pieces settle around him.

Holsombake is not an untested projection. He completed 70% of his passes and threw 34 touchdowns in 2025. The developmental question is around him: Who replaces Griffin, Land and Taylor, and which linemen can handle the weekly protection burden?

Halstead now stands as the most established returning receiver after catching 31 passes for 496 yards and seven touchdowns. Capps flashed explosive efficiency with 117 yards on five catches. Those two become more important with Taylor no longer part of the equation, and Mosley needs another consistent target to emerge before defenses become too comfortable loading the box against Chisolm.

The back half changes dramatically after Lincoln. Arnold, Rickards and Leon all carry ratings below 37.00, creating a three-week district runway after the bye. That is where Mosley should build depth, not merely protect leads.

THE BOTTOM LINE: The schedule asks Mosley’s veterans to win early while a reshaped receiving corps becomes dependable. Holsombake and Chisolm provide stability, but the passing game around them has more to replace than it did before Taylor’s departure.

3RD DOWN — THE PROVING GROUND

The swing games are Niceville, Chiles and Bay. Each tests something different.

Niceville reveals whether Mosley’s offensive line and rebuilt receiving rotation can function on the road against a traditional Panhandle program. Chiles opens district play and tests whether the Dolphins can avoid carrying early-season fatigue into a game they should control. Bay comes last, when every weakness has been identified and every excuse has expired.

Colbert and Agurs will be central to that evaluation. Mosley lost 174 tackles between Fleming and Arboleda, so the returning linebackers must turn experience into leadership. Dawson also needs to provide more interior disruption, especially when opponents slide protection toward Archambeau.

Lauderdale is the offensive wild card. His 2025 sample was limited, but 67 rushing yards and 170 receiving yards on only 11 combined touches showed genuine big-play ability. With Taylor no longer available, opportunities for Lauderdale, Capps and the rest of the receiving rotation become more valuable.

THE BOTTOM LINE: Niceville tests the floor, Chiles tests discipline and Bay tests the finished product. Win all three while replacing the receiving production lost from Griffin, Land and Taylor, and Mosley’s ceiling moves well beyond another respectable playoff appearance.

4TH DOWN — PLAYOFF PICTURE

District 4A-2 runs through the Mosley-Lincoln matchup. The Dolphins own the district’s highest preseason rating at 64.67, with Lincoln next at 61.15. The gap after those two is substantial.

A district championship would give Mosley an automatic playoff berth. That makes the Sept. 25 home game against Lincoln the schedule’s most valuable night, even if Choctawhatchee is the tougher opponent overall.

A loss would not end Mosley’s season. Wildcard selection and seeding are determined through MaxPreps rankings, so results against Choctawhatchee, Niceville, Gadsden County and Bay would provide important résumé value. Still, relying on a wildcard when the district is this manageable would be an unnecessary gamble.

Halstead’s role becomes more important against Lincoln now that Taylor is gone, while Archambeau, Colbert and Agurs cannot allow the Trojans to dictate the game on the ground. The district race will be decided by Mosley’s established players and by how successfully the offense replaces its departed receiving production.

DISTRICT BREAKDOWN

Team 2025 Record 2026 Rank (Overall | Class) Preseason Rating 2025 Finish Mosley (Lynn Haven) 10-2 No. 80 | No. 15 (4A) 64.67 5A Regional Semifinalist Lincoln (Tallahassee) 6-5 No. 95 | No. 18 (4A) 61.15 5A Regional Quarterfinalist Chiles (Tallahassee) 8-5 No. 225 | No. 37 (4A) 44.05 FIT 4A-7A Semifinalist Rickards (Tallahassee) 3-8 No. 296 | No. 51 (4A) 36.18 4A Regional Quarterfinalist Arnold (Panama City Beach) 3-8 No. 297 | No. 52 (4A) 36.15 4A Regional Quarterfinalist Leon (Tallahassee) 3-7 No. 410 | No. 72 (4A) 21.81 Missed postseason

THE BOTTOM LINE: Beat Lincoln and handle the district’s lower-rated teams, and Mosley removes most of the playoff uncertainty before Halloween. This is still a district the Dolphins should expect to win, but Taylor’s departure raises the importance of developing reliable receiving depth before the games that matter most.

SEASON OUTLOOK

Difficulty Rating: 7/10

Mosley still has a realistic path to a 9-1 regular season, with 8-2 the safer projection if the rebuilt line, receiving corps and defense need time to stabilize. Chisolm, Holsombake and Archambeau give the Dolphins legitimate playoff-winning star power; Taylor’s move to California simply puts more pressure on Halstead, Capps and the next wave of pass catchers to replace a significant chunk of 2025 production.

COUNTDOWN TO KICKOFF: No. 80 Mosley Dolphins — 2026 Season Preview, Schedule Analysis, Players to Watch and Playoff Outlook

A proven quarterback, a 1,000-yard running back and one of the Panhandle’s most disruptive pass rushers give Mosley the pieces to turn last season’s regional run into something bigger.

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COUNTDOWN TO KICKOFF: No. 80 Mosley Dolphins — 2026 Season Preview, Schedule Analysis, Players to Watch and Playoff Outlook

A proven quarterback, a 1,000-yard running back and one of the Panhandle’s most disruptive pass rushers give Mosley the pieces to turn last season’s regional run into something bigger.

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