After a trio of six-win seasons, Bishop Dwenger tackled change behind the scenes and on the field in 2025. It worked out pretty well, with the Saints bringing home their sixth state championship trophy with a dramatic 36-29 victory over Roncalli over Thanksgiving weekend, the very team that shut them out in Week 1.
With a resurgent season in the rearview, Coach Jason Garrett’s program is looking to continue its state-contending ways with some new wrinkles and new faces entering 2026.
New offensive coordinator Jon Zolnik is bringing something to the Bishop Dwenger offense we haven’t seen before – an up-tempo style. Now the run-heavy, bruising attack isn’t going anywhere, Zolnik wants to put the pressure on defenses to adapt quickly and line up efficiently. Finding mismatches and wearing out the defense with physicality AND lack of recovery time between plays are the advantages looking to be found.
The Saints will have a new quarterback for their new scheme to replace Henry Jordan. The battle is between senior Tommy Coffman and junior Knox Johnson, a transfer from Bishop Luers. Both have impressed with their strengths over the summer, and there is a possibility there will be packages in the playbook for both.
Junior Kolyn Campbell is set to be the primary running back, although we know that the Saints love to rotate their backs and feed a multitude of guys the ball. Campbell, who rushed for 511 yards and five touchdowns last year, is a physical specimen and looks the part of a traditional, hard-nosed Dwenger running back. Others to watch in the backfield include seniors Paul Perkins, Harrison Schenkel and Xavier Collier, as well as Drew O’Neill.
The offense must replace its top two receivers from last season in Beckham Russell and Houston Ellinger. Senior Carter Zent feels like a prime breakout candidate, while Thomas Danys is a quick and nimble wideout who will take some unsuspecting defenses by surprise. A healthy Max Jordan will be a huge asset to the offense after he battled injuries for most of last season. Another senior, Zion Boungou, has big-play ability.
Jordan Fabini, a beast at 6-foot-2, 220 pounds, is slated to be the starting tight end, with fellow seniors Jeremy Haynes and Xavier Douge backing him up and will see playing time.
The Saints must replace three starters along the offense front, although having junior center Isaac Moga back is big after he started as a sophomore. Sophomore guard Michael Sheehan is the only other lineman back with starting experience. However, Bishop Dwenger is not short of big bodies ready to step up. Juniors Gavin Stauffer, Ericson Gustafson, Deakin Zartman and Ter’Ryious Jackson will all see action, as well sophomore Cole Pesek, who has the coaching staff really excited about his potential.
The entirety of the starting secondary is back, and all are seniors. Zent had four interceptions last year and is a two-year starter. Cooper Campbell (112 tackles, 18 tackles for loss, two INT) and Nick O’Keefe (41 tackles, one INT) are also back with a pair of seasons as a starter under their belts. Jordan and George Hackman are also phenomenal on the back end.
Douge is back up front after a junior season that saw him amass 54 tackles, 11.5 TFL and three sacks. He will be joined by Moga and Sheehan along the defensive line.
Tackling machines like Ellinger, AJ Shefferly, KC Pieper and Doug Henry all must be replaced. All four were tremendous and huge assets to a defense that allowed just 9.5 points per game. Finding the guys to step up at the first two levels of the defense has been a point of emphasis in the lead-up to the season, and defensive coordinator Dan Knepper feels he has the dudes to be a stifling unit once again.
Lucas Nguyen was a big special teams weapon last year and leaves a huge void. He put 54 of his 75 kickoffs into the end zone as touchbacks, averaged 38 yards per punt, was 36-of-38 on extra points and hit 18 field goals, including a school-record 54-yarder. Junior Eric Hudson takes over the kicking duties, while Jordan will get first dibs on the punting job.
WHY #2?
Last year’s state championship run wasn’t built on the back of the senior class, but a seismic shift in the approach of the program under Coach Garrett. The plan is to not be a one-year wonder in Class 4A. The expectation is to return to the consistently dominant seasons at Bishop Dwenger most recently seen under Coach Chris Svarczkopf in the mid-2000s.
The defense should again be very stout, although living up to last year’s unit may be difficult because of how good it was. While there is a new quarterback in place, whoever it is will have ample amounts of production around him. The backfield is stacked and the wide receiver corps is as deep as it has been in years for the Saints.
For those wondering, Bishop Dwenger isn’t going anywhere after last year’s run.
WHY NOT HIGHER?
Yes, Bishop Dwenger knocked off Carroll last year in the regular season in a battle of field goals, but it just feels as if there are more questions regarding the Saints than the Chargers entering the season.
The primary one is behind center. Both Coffman and Johnson are capable, and we know they won’t have to do everything because of how Bishop Dwenger plays, but the lights shine just a bit brighter off Washington Center Road at Shields Field.
This team has the ceiling of last year’s squad, although it may not be at that level from the jump. This may be a Dwenger team that needs some of the regular season to find its way.
CRITICAL GAME
Week 4 vs. Carroll
In our opinion, this will be the game for the SAC championship. While both teams have eyes on bigger things, the Saints and Chargers were the top two teams in the league last year and the expectation is the same for 2026.
Bishop Dwenger got the better of Carroll last year in a game that really showed just how good the defense was. Once again, Carroll will have weapons all over the field.
If anything, this matchup is the biggest on the Bishop Dwenger conference schedule in terms of preparing this team for the playoffs. Handle business again against the Chargers, or fight hard in a close game, and that will be evidence the Saints have what it takes in Class 4A once again.
CRUCIAL PLAYER
TOMMY COFFMAN, SENIOR, BISHOP DWENGER
The back-up to Henry Jordan a year ago, Coffman has been in the Bishop Dwenger system for awhile, and has the most experience in the new up-tempo style of things.
As a senior, the Saints would like nothing more than to see Coffman take off with the starting quarterback job and never look back. He is respected as a leader and has the ability, like Jordan did, of being able to tote the rock and pick up yards with his legs.
Stability at the quarterback spot last year was a big part of Bishop Dwenger’s success, even though Jordan didn’t put up huge numbers. He did, however, command the huddle and lead by example as a senior. If Coffman can do those things, and make some plays with his arm and legs, the Saints’ offense will take off.
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