Oil City and Franklin began drills for the 2026 season on Monday. The Oilers, coached by veteran Dan York, are coming off their fifth District10 title since 1998. They have some big holes to fill -- quarterback and running back -- but have some serious talent (linemen, defense)  left over from last year's squad -- including all-stater Blake Stevens (38). Also back are linemen Ashton Wenner and  Deryk DeLong along with LB Tycen Sindlinger.

Franklin has a new head coach -- Austin Ion -- who will try to rebuild a program that hasn't had a winning season win about 10 years. But, the Knights return running back Caden Mincer, who has a shot at the school running record. Also return are several veteran linemen, including Jake Riddle, Aaron Moore, Kaiden Kiselka and Anthony Martin. Sophomore Harrison Doty Is mentioned among the top 24 returning D-10.

Franklin will opne at home Aug. 28 with Titusville, while Oil City will start Aug. 29 at Meadville.

Since yours truly is laid up with a bad back -- a very bad back -- not much is going to be said here in the coming days -- depending how my back feels.

Hopefully, information will be added in the coming days though.

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UPDATE #1 -- Spoke briefly with Austin Ion, Franklinn's new coach, Tuesday morning. Loves the idea about beginning his varsity head coaching job at Franklin. "It's a blank slate. I can do my own thing and what heeds to be done," he said. He had 39 players signed up, but promised the offense won't revolve around Mincer. "We'll be balanced as best we can..."

Doty is in a QB battle qwith junior Austin Brown (6-1, 170-80), who has a pretty good arm and is maybe the better runner. He hasn't played since junior high. Other newcomers ready to make their mark: Dakota Sybert, Taivan Williams and guard Michael Miller. Korbin Sires is expected to make a big impact with the varsity in a variety of ways. He's a freshman. 

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UDATE #2 -- Also talked to Dan York briefly on Tuesday. Three players expected to star, including all-stater, Noah Lucarelli, are no longer with the team for various reasons. The others are LB Abdul Stanton and lineman Lucas Wolf. Other than them, returning personnel is intact.

Senior Alex McIntyre (better passer, more experience) and soph Bryce Marchinke (better runner) are battling at QB. They could alternate.

RBs are Carter Thompson (smoothest), Dylan VanWormer, Tycen Sindlinger and Clark Findlay. 

Sindlinger is the biggest, growing from 180 to 207 "and he's fast," York said He didn't play RB last season, not even jayvees since he was starting varsity at LB.

With My'Saun Mills returning to Aliquippa, there are no speed merchants from Pathways this year, although DE/C Jamarcus Cook is expected to contribute.

And something to look forward to: Corbin Baker, 6-3, 265, is now in the eighth grade. He was the standout at the Slippery Rock underclassmen this summer.

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