The 2026 football season is upon us, and the Loggers are ready to build from the foundations set in 2025. 

Last season, the Puget Sound football team boasted one of the top offensive attacks in the nation. For only the sixth time in NCAA history, three Logger wide receivers had 1000-yard seasons. Passing to them was senior quarterback Hayden Teeter, who broke six school passing records, and three NCAA DIII single-game records of his own. Head coach Jeff Thomas is looking to build on the momentum, and is confident that the work put in during the offseason will set the team up for success. 

"We recalibrated how we did offseason conditioning, along with our skill development and weight training," said Thomas. "There wasn't part of the training program we didn't improve. I'm looking forward to our gains, both in strength and speed, but also in the understanding of our playbook. It's allowed us to be able to start at a much higher level than we have in the past." 

The Loggers played several young starters last season, as injuries plagued the team deep into the fall. Despite causing a setback in 2025, the underclassmen were able to get valuable in-game reps, and have made a noticeable improvement through training camp. 

The defense, in particular, is where Puget Sound looks to improve the most. During the offseason, the team brought in new Defensive Coordinator, Andrew Chau, who looks to build the defense into one of the top programs in the Northwest Conference. Chau brings 23 years of coaching experience to the Loggers, most recently at DII Northern Michigan University. Not only did the Loggers bring in Chau, but also Sam Maday '18, who has spent the past six years coaching at DI San Jose State. 

"We feel really good about not only what Coach Chau has brought as far as a defensive coordinator, but the preparation our staff has put in to put our players in a position to succeed," said Thomas. "Where we were an extremely young defense last year, we return everybody. So now our defense is in a great spot, because a lot of them have gotten some really, really important game reps the last year or two." 

Senior Captains Steven Anaya and Tyler Evars lead the charge for the Logger's secondary. Anaya returns as one of the Logger's top tacklers from the 2025 season, racking up 36 total tackles, two sacks, and a team-high five pass break-ups. While he played out of position as a safety last year to fill in gaps due to injury, he returns to the lineup where he started, looking to be a top corner in the conference. Evars returns for a fifth year after getting injured early last season. The two-time All-NWC Honorable Mention had 28 tackles, one interception, and seven pass break-ups in 2024, and looks to return to top form in his final season. 

On the other side of the ball, the offense looks to continue their momentum heading into the season. They return senior left tackle Daniel Wani, who is coming off a second-team All-Conference performance in 2025. The Loggers also return the majority of their offensive line this season, all of whom pave the way for their fast-paced offense.

The offensive weapons at receiver will look slightly different this year, but Thomas is excited to see who steps up. Dylan Whitfield had a 100-yard receiving game to end the season against Whitworth, and several new faces have already made an impact on the team. 

"Dylan has done a phenomenal job of both getting the work done, as well as putting himself in a position to be successful," said Thomas. We're also excited to bring in Kasey Williams, Will Brewster, Demari Ross, Drake Granberry, and several other young players into our receiving core. With the work that the other upperclassmen are doing, I feel really good about us being able to reload this season." 

In the running back room, the Loggers return two key athletes. De'Andre Dukes Jr. returns as a sophomore, looking to build off his two 100-yard rushing games from 2025. His five rushing touchdowns led the team, and he's looking to continue his success in his second year with the Loggers. Willis Johnson also returns for Puget Sound, looking to have a breakout year in 2026. 

With the departure of Hayden Teeter at Quarterback, the Loggers have a battle going for his replacement. Sophomore Brady Beck, and Juniors Zain Bhakta and Cameron Reed are the frontrunners for the starting position. 

"It's a three-headed monster for who's going to take the snaps each week," said Thomas. "What I admire is that all three have a team-first mentality. They have been fun to coach because they're all pushing each other, but in a way that makes everyone around them better." 

The special teams unit is also returning a core group to the field. Punter Thomas Goeglein, who also finished fifth in men's discus at the 2026 NWC Track & Field Championships, is slated to be the Loggers' punter again this fall. He averaged 37.33 yards per punt last year, pinning opponents inside their own 20-yard line nine times. Rees Tasaka also returns as the Loggers' long snapper, heading into the season with one of the quickest snaps in the conference. 

The momentum is continuing to build for the Loggers, both on and off the field. The team held a GPA of over 3.0 for the 2025-26 school year, which shows the team's commitment to being both scholars, and athletes. This all stems from a mindset of mental toughness and staying focused on what matters most. 

"Our main mindset this year is about culture," said Thomas. "Our players aren't tolerating mediocrity in practice right now. They're showing up early. They're making sure 1st-years go say hello to people. We're doing the little things necessary to be considered a viable competitor." 

The Loggers are ready to take this mindset into the season. It's go time, and the Loggers are ready to roll.