Tucker Pruitt
Camden County Wildcats 2026 Preview
By: Michael Spiers
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
There is something different in the air around Chris Gilman Stadium.
Maybe it is the arrival of a new head coach. Maybe it is the return of August football in Kingsland. Or maybe it is simply the belief that Camden County football is ready to begin writing its next great chapter.
Whatever it is, the 2026 season feels important.
The Wildcats enter the year under first-year head coach Tucker Pruitt, a proven winner who brings a championship resume and a clear vision to Camden County.
Pruitt won big at Fitzgerald, captured a state championship, took teams deep into the playoffs, and spent last season leading Appling County to a region title.
Now, he steps into one of Georgia’s most tradition-rich programs with the task of restoring Camden to consistent statewide relevance.
That journey will not come with an easy schedule.
After a preseason scrimmage against Florida power The Bolles School on August 14, the Wildcats open the regular season at home against Brunswick on August 21. The Pirates went 9-3 last season and reached the playoffs before falling to Gainesville, giving Camden an immediate test against a strong coastal opponent.
One week later, Glynn Academy comes to Kingsland. The two programs have not met in several years, adding a little extra intrigue to a rivalry matchup that once carried plenty of familiarity. Glynn finished 6-5 last season, but records rarely matter much when old rivals get back together.
September will reveal even more about Camden’s toughness.
The Wildcats travel to Benedictine on September 4 to face a program that went 11-3 last season, won the Region 1-4A championship and came within one play of a state title, falling 42-39 to Creekside in the championship game. That matchup may be one of the best non-region measuring sticks on the entire schedule.
Camden then returns home for three straight games against Florida opponents. Amos P. Godby visits on September 11 after a 5-7 season in which it still finished second in its district. Ed White follows on September 18 after going 9-3 and winning its district. On September 25, Camden hosts West Broward, a team the Wildcats beat 32-13 last season, but one that finished 12-3 and should arrive looking for payback.
By the time Camden reaches its October 2 bye week, Pruitt and his staff should have a clear picture of where the Wildcats stand.
Then comes the gauntlet of play in the newly re-established Region 1-7A.
There may not be a tougher four-game stretch in Georgia high school football. Camden opens region play October 9 at Lowndes, last year’s region champion. The Vikings went 10-2 before falling to North Gwinnett in the second round.
Richmond Hill comes to Chris Gilman Stadium on October 16 after finishing 6-5 and reaching the playoffs. Then Camden travels to Valdosta on October 23 to face a Wildcats team that went 12-2, finished second in the region and reached the quarterfinals before losing to Buford.
The regular season closes October 30 at home against Colquitt County, another heavyweight that went 9-3 last season and advanced to the second round before falling to Grayson.
In other words, nothing will be handed to Camden County. But maybe that is exactly the point.
Pruitt has emphasized discipline, physicality, accountability and toughness since arriving in Kingsland. With veteran defensive coordinator Alan Rodemaker joining the staff and transfer quarterback Xavier Collins adding experience to the offense, the Wildcats have reasons for optimism.
The road back will be demanding, but Camden County has never been a program built on shortcuts. This is a place where expectations are earned under the lights, in the weight room and through the grind of Friday nights.
The 2026 season is more than a schedule. It is the beginning of a new era. And in Camden County, new eras still come with old expectations.
Starting Point For Camden County Wildcats
By: Michael Spiers
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
Spring football under new head coach Tucker Pruitt has looked exactly like most people probably expected at Camden County High School.
It has been promising at times, frustrating at others, and very much still a work in progress.
Over the last few weeks, the Wildcats wrapped up spring practice with both their annual Blue White scrimmage at Chris Gilman Stadium, and then a spring matchup against Columbia High School in Lake City, Florida.
While the results were mixed, the overall picture that emerged was clear. Camden is still in the early stages of a major transition after an offseason filled with uncertainty and change.
Pruitt arrived late in the offseason following the unexpected departure of Jon Lindsey before ever coaching a regular season game.
Since then, the new staff has been working to install entirely new offensive and defensive systems while also evaluating personnel, rebuilding confidence, and establishing a new culture throughout the program.
The Blue White scrimmage offered fans their first look at what the new era may eventually become.
There were plenty of mistakes but also flashes of athleticism and playmaking ability that gave reason for optimism.
Quarterbacks Xavier Collins and Jammie Williams both showed mobility, while Jesse Newsome scored twice on touchdown runs.
Malakhi Poole broke off a long run from the Wildcat formation, and Collins later connected on several explosive passing plays, including a touchdown throw to Quan Mercer.
Still, Pruitt made it clear afterward that the Wildcats remain deep in the learning phase.
Penalties, turnovers, bad snaps, and missed blocking assignments repeatedly slowed the offense during spring workouts and continued to appear during Camden’s 26 to 7 loss at Columbia last Friday.
Against a physical Tigers team coming off a 9 and 3 season, the Wildcats struggled to consistently move the football and turned the ball over three times. But even during the difficult moments, there were signs of progress.
Defensively, Camden competed well throughout much of the Columbia scrimmage. The Wildcats forced turnovers with interceptions from Demetrius ‘Demi’ Coleman and Quan Mercer, while also making several key stops early in the game. Pruitt later called the defense the bright spot of the evening.
The offense also showed occasional flashes of what it could become down the road. Camden put together an impressive 10 play drive early in the second half against Columbia before another mishandled snap ended the possession inside the 10 yard line.
Later in the fourth quarter, Christian Jackson provided one of the biggest highlights of the spring with an explosive 80-yard touchdown run.
Perhaps more important than any score or statistic, however, has been the effort to reshape the overall culture of the program.
Pruitt has consistently emphasized accountability, physicality, and buy in since taking over, and he noted after the Columbia scrimmage that the team’s attitude and overall atmosphere have already improved significantly during the spring.
While the football itself still needs work, the coaching staff believes the foundation is beginning to take shape.
That process extends beyond the varsity level. Camden’s new systems are now being implemented throughout the entire football pipeline, including both middle schools, with the goal of creating continuity as players move through the program.
The Wildcats are also still waiting for additional pieces to fully come together. Collins, the transfer quarterback from Columbia High School in Florida, did not play against his former team because he had only recently joined the program and was still learning the offense.
Pruitt expects him to become a larger part of the team once summer workouts begin.
For now, Camden football remains under construction.
But after a chaotic offseason, spring practice provided something the Wildcats desperately needed: a starting point. And while there is clearly still plenty of work ahead before the regular season opener at Brunswick on August 21, there are also signs that the foundation of the Tucker Pruitt era is beginning to form.
