The Arkadelphia Badgers are gearing up for the 2026 season with new head coach Chris Kizer at the helm. Despite the change in leadership, expectations remain high for the team, which went 11-2 last year under former coach Trey Schucker.

New Coach, Same Expectations

Kizer has made it clear that the goal is to continue the winning tradition established by his predecessor. The Badgers are ranked sixth in 4A by Hooten’s and are looking to make a deep run in the playoffs. Nine starters return for the Badgers, including senior linebacker and running back Mario Brownlee, who compiled 82 tackles in 2025 with nine tackles for loss, while running for 210 yards on 31 carries and a pair of touchdowns.

The main running back will be Caden Whitaker, who toted the ball 52 times for 842 yards and nine touchdowns last season. Bryce Meakin, a junior, is the leading returning receiver. He caught 44 balls for 466 yards and three scores as a sophomore. One of the major question marks going into 2026 is the quarterback position, with sophomore Turner Ross slated to be the signal caller when play begins.

Season Schedule

The Badgers will play at Camden Fairview on Aug. 28 before hosting Hot Springs (Sept. 4) and Bauxite (Sept. 11). Arkadelphia and Nashville will meet in a massive conference showdown at Nashville on Sept. 25. The Badgers will also travel to Fountain Lake (Oct. 9), Ashdown (Oct. 23), and Malvern (Nov. 6). They will host Fouke (Oct. 2), Hope (Oct. 16), and Genoa Central (Oct. 30).

Original reporting: Texarkana Gazette — read the source article.