COUNTDOWN TO KICKOFF: No. 68 Naples Golden Eagles — 2026 Season Preview, Schedule Analysis, Players to Watch and Playoff Outlook

Naples does not need to reinvent itself. The Golden Eagles ran for 2,571 yards and 37 touchdowns last season, reached the regional semifinals and now return several pieces capable of keeping that identity intact. The challenge is replacing the production, experience and edge that walked out the door. This remains a team built to lean on opponents. The question is whether it can still land the knockout punch against the best teams on the schedule.

NAPLES GOLDEN EAGLES

Head Coach: Rick Martin, seventh year District: 4A-12 2024 Record: 11-3 2025 Record: 7-4-1 2025 Final FPRI Rating: 57.29 2025 Final State Rank: No. 122 2026 Preseason Rating: 67.20 2026 Preseason Rank: No. 68 2026 Class Rank: No. 14 2025 Playoff / FIT Finish: 4A Regional Semifinalist

Naples scored 335 points and allowed 239 in 2025, with a rushing attack that averaged 214.3 yards per game doing most of the heavy lifting. The Golden Eagles survived a three-loss regular season and still advanced two rounds in the playoff bracket, a reminder that this program’s floor remains sturdy even when the path gets uneven. But much of the offensive production came from seniors, and 2026 will test whether Naples can reload without becoming one-dimensional.

SCHEDULE AT A GLANCE

Category Value Average Opponent Rating 46.41 Opponent 2025 Record 66-48-1 Opponent 2025 Win Percentage .576 Hardest Opponent Manatee (Bradenton) District Games 5

The overall average is softened by a manageable district slate. The real weight sits outside District 4A-12, where Manatee, Palmetto, Riverview and Miami Palmetto give Naples four legitimate measuring sticks.

2026 FULL SCHEDULE

Week Date Time Opponent 2025 Record 2026 Rank (Overall | Class) Preseason Rating 1 8/21 7:30 PM Riverview (Sarasota) 9-2-1 No. 93 | No. 14 (6A) 61.41 2 8/28 7:30 PM @ Manatee (Bradenton) 6-7 No. 50 | No. 16 (5A) 70.89 3 9/4 7:30 PM Lely (Naples) 8-4 No. 122 | No. 14 (3A) 57.46 4 9/10 7:30 PM @ Aubrey Rogers (Naples)* 2-8 No. 465 | No. 76 (4A) 13.35 5 9/18 7:30 PM @ Palmetto 10-2 No. 55 | No. 18 (5A) 69.60 6 9/25 7:30 PM Estero* 7-4 No. 253 | No. 41 (4A) 41.09 7 10/2 — BYE — — — 8 10/9 7:30 PM @ Gulf Coast (Naples)* 5-6 No. 280 | No. 48 (4A) 37.81 9 10/16 7:30 PM @ Golden Gate (Naples)* 4-6 No. 449 | No. 75 (4A) 15.66 10 10/23 7:30 PM Barron Collier (Naples)* 4-6 No. 341 | No. 58 (4A) 31.16 11 10/30 7:30 PM Miami Palmetto 11-3 No. 75 | No. 11 (6A) 65.66

*District game

The sequence is favorable where it matters most. Naples gets its toughest work outside the district, then has a bye before the final three district games. That is the kind of layout a veteran staff can exploit.

KEY LOSSES

The most obvious departure is quarterback Alijah Molina, who accounted for 935 total yards and 16 touchdowns, including 501 yards and 10 scores on the ground. Naples did not throw often, but Molina’s ability to function as another runner gave the offense an extra number in the box. Replacing that decision-making matters as much as replacing the statistics.

The backfield also loses Jamar Jerome and Sam Sparacio. Jerome led the team with 646 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns, while Sparacio produced 605 rushing yards, eight rushing scores and 1,055 all-purpose yards. Together, they provided 1,251 rushing yards and 20 touchdowns. That is not a minor subtraction. That is the engine room leaving at once.

Defensively, Tariq Arbyummi’s 95 tackles and 10 tackles for loss headline a substantial senior exodus. Andres DiGrigoli added 59 tackles and three interceptions, while Andre Ferdinand supplied 54 tackles, four sacks and four interceptions. Liam Goes, Gabriel Juin and Harland Wazenski also leave behind meaningful front-seven production. Naples returns talent, but the lost experience stretches across all three levels.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Player Position Class 2025 Production Nicksen Volvic RB Senior 515 rushing yards, 8.0 yards per carry and five touchdowns Jevan Raphael RB Junior 150 rushing yards and one touchdown in seven games Maliq Arbyummi WR Senior Limited 2025 role; experienced returning perimeter option Jelani Georges LB Senior 71 tackles, four sacks, 10 quarterback hurries and one interception Sebastian Casseus DL Senior 35 tackles, six tackles for loss and four sacks Preston Marc DB Senior 22 tackles, four interceptions, 107 interception-return yards and 11 pass breakups Javon Martin DB Senior 14 tackles, eight pass breakups and one blocked field goal in seven games Sebastien Marc DL Senior 12 tackles, one tackle for loss and one sack in eight games Roger Schlaupitz LB Junior 13 tackles in three games as a sophomore Jah'Torien Chandler-Perry RB Senior 98 rushing yards on seven carries, averaging 14.0 yards per attempt

Volvic is the natural centerpiece because he has already shown he can create explosive runs within the system. Georges and Casseus become just as important on the other side. Naples lost too many proven tacklers for its returning front-seven leaders to ease into the season.

1ST DOWN — THE GAUNTLET

The defining stretch arrives immediately. Riverview, Manatee and Lely open the season, followed two weeks later by a trip to Palmetto. Four of Naples’ first five opponents won at least eight games or carry a preseason rating above 57. The Golden Eagles will learn almost everything about themselves before September ends.

KNOW YOUR OPPONENT

Opponent Week/Location 2025 Record 2026 Rank (Overall | Class) Preseason Rating 2025 Finish Manatee (Bradenton) Week 2/Away 6-7 No. 50 | No. 16 (5A) 70.89 5A Regional Finalist Palmetto Week 5/Away 10-2 No. 55 | No. 18 (5A) 69.60 6A Regional Semifinalist

Those road games will force Naples to prove its run game travels. Volvic, Raphael and Chandler-Perry give the Golden Eagles options, but replacing Jerome and Sparacio against physical fronts is a different assignment than doing it against the middle of the district. Defensively, Georges and Casseus must generate negative plays before opposing offenses can dictate terms.

THE BOTTOM LINE: Naples does not get a warmup period. The season starts at full speed, and the Golden Eagles’ ability to survive that opening month will determine whether October becomes a district march or a repair job.

2ND DOWN — STRENGTH OF SCHEDULE

The schedule is front-loaded, but not recklessly so. Riverview and Lely are strong home tests. Manatee and Palmetto are the road examinations. Once Naples clears that segment, the average opponent quality drops sharply through district play before Miami Palmetto arrives in the finale.

That structure gives the quarterback competition a narrow runway. Andres Garcia returns after appearing in four games, while Michael Thomas is also listed at the position, but neither should be treated as an established starter entering August. Naples can protect the eventual winner with its running game, yet Riverview and Manatee will make hiding the position difficult. At some point, the offense will need a quarterback to convert third-and-medium and punish loaded boxes.

The bye is placed exactly where Naples needs it. After six consecutive games, the Golden Eagles receive a week to reset before three straight district road or rivalry-style tests. That break should also help a rebuilt defense settle its rotation after an unforgiving first half.

THE BOTTOM LINE: The schedule offers development time only after it demands answers. Naples must learn on the move, particularly at quarterback, because the toughest opponents arrive before the roster can fully grow into itself.

3RD DOWN — THE PROVING GROUND

Lely and Estero are the swing games. Lely sits between the demanding trips to Manatee and Palmetto, making Week 3 a test of emotional recovery and local control. Estero is the strongest district opponent by preseason rating and arrives one week before the bye. A stumble there would turn an otherwise comfortable district path into something far less predictable.

Those games will also reveal whether Naples has developed more than one offensive answer. Volvic is the proven runner, but Raphael and Chandler-Perry must become dependable complements. Maliq Arbyummi, Hunter Solomon and the receiving group need to give the quarterback room something easy and repeatable rather than relying only on occasional deep shots.

Defensively, the secondary carries more returning credibility than the front seven. Preston Marc intercepted four passes in 2025, and Javon Martin broke up eight passes in seven games. Against Lely and Estero, that group must turn coverage into possessions while Georges, Casseus and Sebastien Marc rebuild the pressure package.

THE BOTTOM LINE: Lely will measure Naples’ maturity. Estero will measure its district grip. Win both, and the Golden Eagles’ ceiling remains comfortably above the rest of 4A-12.

4TH DOWN — PLAYOFF PICTURE

Naples enters District 4A-12 as the clear preseason favorite. Its 67.20 rating is more than 26 points above Estero, the next-highest team in the district. The Golden Eagles should not need a wildcard to reach the playoff bracket, but they cannot treat the automatic bid as paperwork. The district champion qualifies automatically; everyone else must rely on MaxPreps positioning for wildcard selection and seeding.

DISTRICT BREAKDOWN

Team 2025 Record 2026 Rank (Overall | Class) Preseason Rating 2025 Finish Naples 7-4-1 No. 68 | No. 14 (4A) 67.20 4A Regional Semifinalist Estero 7-4 No. 253 | No. 41 (4A) 41.09 3A Regional Quarterfinalist Gulf Coast (Naples) 5-6 No. 280 | No. 48 (4A) 37.81 5A Regional Quarterfinalist Barron Collier (Naples) 4-6 No. 341 | No. 58 (4A) 31.16 Missed postseason Golden Gate (Naples) 4-6 No. 451 | No. 75 (4A) 15.66 Missed postseason Aubrey Rogers (Naples) 2-8 No. 465 | No. 76 (4A) 13.35 Missed postseason

Naples’ larger playoff concern is seeding. Games against Manatee, Palmetto, Riverview and Miami Palmetto carry more weight than the district table suggests because quality wins and overall ranking position can shape the postseason route. Georges, Casseus and Marc must keep the defense stable through those tests, while Volvic’s ability to produce against stronger opponents will influence whether Naples enters November as a dangerous district champion or one with a difficult opening draw.

THE BOTTOM LINE: Winning the district should be the minimum. The real race is for a playoff position that allows Naples to play beyond the regional semifinals rather than simply returning to them.

SEASON OUTLOOK

Difficulty Rating: 7/10

A 9-1 regular season is attainable, with 8-2 the safer projection if the quarterback transition takes time or the early road tests expose the rebuilt front seven. Naples should win District 4A-12 and return to the playoff bracket, but its ceiling depends on developing a functional passing threat and replacing a massive amount of senior production without losing the physical identity that makes the Golden Eagles difficult to eliminate.

COUNTDOWN TO KICKOFF: No. 68 Naples Golden Eagles — 2026 Season Preview, Schedule Analysis, Players to Watch and Playoff Outlook

Naples has the backfield depth and defensive experience to control Southwest Florida again, but a rebuilt quarterback room and a demanding non-district schedule will decide whether the Golden Eagles are merely solid or genuinely dangerous.

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COUNTDOWN TO KICKOFF: No. 68 Naples Golden Eagles — 2026 Season Preview, Schedule Analysis, Players to Watch and Playoff Outlook

Naples has the backfield depth and defensive experience to control Southwest Florida again, but a rebuilt quarterback room and a demanding non-district schedule will decide whether the Golden Eagles are merely solid or genuinely dangerous.

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