It’s a new era at Southeast Bulloch as Jason Anthony takes over as head coach for the 2026 season for the Yellow Jackets.

Anthony, who has been an assistant coach with the Yellow Jackets for five years, was named interim coach, and was elevated to acting head coach just last week, after Jared Zito stepped down late last year.

“It was a surprise but I know what I’ve done for SEB” Anthony said. “I was surprised, but I know I’ve put in enough work to be here.”

Anthony has been coaching for 16 years, with the last 15 as a defensive coordinator with the upcoming season being his first as a head coach. He admitted there were certainly some responsibilities as a head coach that weren’t there as an assistant.

“Mostly it’s off the field issues,” he said of the additional requirements of his new role. “Setting up fundraisers, communication, setting practice schedules, community service and those types of things.”

He said he’s leaning on his experience as a track and field head coach to use as a blueprint for serving as head football coach. “It’s just a much bigger scale,” he said.

Fortunately, he said, it happened in January to give him time to adjust and prepare for the season with the coach staff from last year remaining largely unchanged.

Rand Morgan, who was coaching at SEB Middle School last year, joins the staff as the quarterbacks coach and Brent Osborne shifts to Director of Football Operations. The other coaches from last year remain on staff, with Anthony Hammett taking over the Defensive Coordinator role.

Anthony inherits a team that went 5-5 in 2025 and missed the playoffs after finishing 5-4 in region play.

Perhaps the biggest issues facing Anthony, at least on the offensive side of the ball, is trying to replace Jayden Murphy and Colby Smith in the backfield. The duo combined for 1,905 yards and 25 touchdowns on the ground last year.

“Losing those two bell cows, you can’t replace those guys,” Anthony said.

Instead of trying to find one or two players to fill that role, the plan to start the season is to go with a committee approach in the backfield.

Among the players who are expected to see time there are Orion Williams, Stevie Padgett, Jayden Mabry and Jordan Dawson.

“We’re going to go with the hot guy,” Anthony said. “If you want something, go out and earn it.”

The Yellow Jackets are also expected to have someone new under center in 2026 with sophomore JK Small the frontrunner to earn the starting quarterback job to start the season with Aaden Peterson set to back him up, if needed.

Peterson is one of the offensive threats that Anthony sees as being key to the Yellow Jackets offensive success. He’ll start at wide receiver with Eli Reed on the other wideout.

Anthony described Reed as “a big bodied receiver. We’re going to get the ball in his hands” while saying of Peterson “we’re going to find a way to get him the ball as well.”

Up front, Jarred Maddox is the lone returning starter on the offensive line but Anthony said several other players have experience. One player in particular Anthony mentioned was Dawson Horton.

The Yellow Jackets have depth at tight end with Brant Horst, Bailey Hutchins and Connor Eagle all slated to see action this Fall.

Defensively, the Yellow Jackets will look to improve on a season that saw SEB only allow an average of 19.7 points per game in 2025.

Junior Riley Marsh is expected to anchor the defensive line. Described as “a bull in a china shop,” by Anthony, he had 16 tackles and one sack in 2025.

Anthony said the strength of the defense will be in the linebackers. Anthony said Horst is “special. He’s the captain of the defense. He’s the most vocal one out there.”

Many of the fullbacks he listed as fighting for time on offense can also expect to see time at linebacker even as the Yellow Jackets try to move away from two-way players.

Anthony said the outside linebacker positions are still up in the air at this time but mentioned both Luke Fordham and Taylor Chaney as players who have impressed in offseason workouts.

In the secondary, Anthony said Peterson may play cornerback or safety, but he hopes to be able to rest him on defense if possible.

Junior Owen Turner made 15 of his 17 PAT attempts in 2025 and returns as the starting placekicker for the Jackets. He also handled kickoff duties last year and Anthony said there are some other players in the mix if needed.

The Jackets will once again open the season with cross county rival Statesboro on August 21.

“It’s one of those games where, for the players, you don’t make too big where it can ruin your season,” he said. “The community is always hyped and ready, but it’s a cross-town rivalry with respect. If we’re not playing Statesboro, we’re cheering for them to win.”

“We have to make sure it’s not so big that we lose focus of our ultimate goal of winning the region,” he said.