Even though it’s not a UHSAA realignment season for football this fall, with all the changes in Region 8 it might still feel like it.
With the new Deer Creek High School opening in Heber Valley this fall, and Wasatch dropping down from 5A to 4A as a result, Region 8 has swelled from six to eight teams this 2026.
On top of that, four of the six Region 8 holdover teams from a year ago have new coaches as well. The only two Region 8 coaches back from a year ago are Mountain View’s Uani Unga and Salem Hills’ Jeff Higginson.
With all the coaching turnover and mini realignment, there are a lot of unknowns in Region 8 with the season just around the corner.
Despite all that, expectations at the top haven’t changed.
Provo went undefeated in Region 8 last season en route to a third-straight region championship, and the league’s coaches tabbed the Bulldogs as the team to beat again as Viliami Halasima takes the reigns as head coach from Kirk Chambers.
Halasima was an assistant coach with Provo a year ago as it advanced to the semifinals for the first time since 1999.
Last year’s Provo team was loaded offensively, and how well it replaces that departing talent will determine whether this year’s team will be in the hunt for trophies.
“We graduated a talented senior class, particularly on the offensive side of the ball and replacing that production won’t fall on one player it will take everyone. That said, we’re excited about the direction of our offense with the staff we’ve assembled,” said Halasima.
What little experience Provo does return offensively is in the trenches, which should help with the transition.
Defensively, Provo returns seven starters from a team that ranked ninth in scoring defense in 4A last season.
Headlining that unit are Teave Brown, Brexton Hunter and Justice Tela, Provo’s top three tacklers from a year ago.
“That experience gives us confidence that our defense can be a big piece of this football team while our offense continues to develop and mature,” said Halasima.
Salem Hills checks in at No. 2 in the Region 8 preseason coaches rankings, and it returns as much experience as anyone. With six offensive starters and five defensive starters returning — led by recent BYU commit Peyton Higginson — the Skyhawks are poised to hit the ground running in Week 1.
Salem Hills opens with preseason games against Granger, Spanish Fork and Desert Hills before a Week 4 region tilt with favorite Provo.
After losing to Provo by 24 points in the regular season and then 39 points in the playoffs, that Week 4 showdown will be the litmus test of whether Salem Hills has truly closed the gap on Provo in 2026.
Wasatch drops down into 4A after an 11-year run in 5A, and the timing works out great regardless of Deer Creek opening.
Even though Wasatch coach Derik Bringhurst said his team is retaining a good portion of last year’s team, it graduated 23 seniors and has very little experience returning.
“Wasatch will be very young with only four seniors, but very talented with a group of kids that have worked really hard for many years,” said Bringhurst. “Having another high school in Heber Valley has made things interesting and Wasatch is looking forward to building a healthy rivalry between them and Deer Creek.”
Wasatch’s only two returning starters offensively are Ryne Ball and River Homes on the O-line.
Park City has been pegged fourth in Region 8 this season as it begins anew with the departure of Josh Montzingo as head coach after a decade. Dennis Cunningham was an assistant coach the past four seasons, all winning seasons for the Miners including a semifinal appearance in 2023.
“How much success we have will depend on how quickly we learn new systems how quickly our young kids grow up and how hard we work over the summer,” said Cunningham, who said his team only returns three starters on each side of the ball.
One of those starters is senior quarterback Josh Hofer, who passed for over 1,300 yards a year ago and 12 TDs.
As for Timpanogos, even though it was projected to finish fifth in Region 8, there’s a ton of internal optimism with the return of a familiar face at head coach.
After spending the past three years as an assistant coach American Fork, Nolan Nielson returns to Timpanogos where he previously was an assistant coach for three years.
He inherits a team with six starters returning on both sides of the ball.
“We’re feeling really optimistic going into this season. Our players have been working hard and embracing the opportunity to play both sides of the ball. We have multiple returning starters and are excited about a lot of our underclassmen and the roles they’ll fill,” said Nielson.
Rounding out the bottom three in the preseason projections are Mountain View, Uintah and Deer Creek.
Mountain View’s only region victory a year ago came against Uintah, but second-year coach Uani Unga is optimistic heading into 2026 with a fair amount of experience returning and continuity in the coaching staff.
Uintah posted a 1-10 overall record a year ago, a trajectory that new head coach Lance Burrell hopes to change in the years ahead.
“As a team we are learning lessons in discipline, attitude and brotherhood. We are relatively young overall as a program but more than capable of competing at a high level,” said Burrell.
Deer Creek is expected to finish last in Region 8 in 2026, a common trend for first-year schools. Deseret Peak High School in Tooele went 0-10 a year ago in its first season.
Despite the uphill challenges of being a new school, head coach DeShawn Perkins said there’s no shortage of expectations and excitement.
“We have a group of kids that are ready to make an impact and create something new in the Heber Valley,” said Perkins.
Region 8 projections
(Preseason rankings are based on coaches’ votes)
1. Provo Bulldogs
2026 Schedule
Head coach: Viliami Halasima
After helping lead Provo to Region titles each of the past two seasons, Viliami Halasima is taking over as Provo head coach for the 2026 season. He’s a graduate of Timpview High School.
Coach Viliami Halasima’s general outlook
We graduated a talented senior class, particularly on the offensive side of the ball and replacing that production won’t fall on one player it will take everyone. That said, we’re excited about the direction of our offense with the staff we’ve assembled. We believe our coaches will put our players in position to be successful, and we have seen tremendous growth throughout the offseason. Defensively, we return seven starters from a unit that played at a high level a year ago. That experience gives us confidence that our defense can be a big piece of this football team while our offense continues to develop and mature.
Offensive coordinator: Dahson Arave
2025 offense: 35.23 ppg (No. 6 in 4A)
- Five returning starters
- Pro-Style offense
Returning offensive starters
- Brenyn Benson, OT, Sr.
- Mckay Marvell, C, Sr.
- Luke Paulson, OT, Sr.
- Brexton Hunter, WR, Sr.
- Liam Shoenrock, ATH, Sr.
- Talitonu Lesa, WR, Jr.
Key offensive newcomers
- Penieli Pan, WR, Sr.
- Ty Hosstetter, WR, Jr.
- Taylor Hopoate, RB, Sr.
- Paulo Granado, TE, Jr.
- Brady Bakken, TE, So.
Defensive coordinator: Kyler Fackrell
2025 defense: 21.62 ppg (No. 9 in 4A)
- Seven returning starters
- Multiple defenses
Returning defensive starters
- Teave Brown, LB, Sr.
- Juice Pan, LB, Jr.
- Mika Toutai, LB, Jr.
- Jesse Noah, DL, Jr.
- Kayden Benson, DL, Sr.
- Brexton Hunter, CB, Sr.
- Justice Tela, FS, Jr.
Key defensive newcomers
- Ryker Carson, LB, Sr.
- Q Ferran, CB, Jr.
- Jay Bentil, CB, So.
- Creeden Leuga, DL, Jr.
- Henry Aho, DL, Jr.
- Chevy Aho, DL, Jr.
2. Salem Hills SkyHawks
2026 Schedule
Head coach: Jeff Higginson
Is entering his seventh season as head coach at Salem Hills after guiding the program to a 33-32 record the past six years. He’s a graduate of Spanish Fork High School and UVU.
Coach Jeff Higginson’s general outlook
I’m very happy about what we can do. We have some great talent. Cash Hollingshead will lead us at the QB position. He is as good as I’ve coached. He will be throwing to Peyton Higginson and Gordon Wilson on the ends with dynamic receivers inside in Logan Carrick, Joe Hughes and Lincoln Lewis. Defensively we have some solid returners with Linebacker Maddox Haskell and LJ McBride at backer. Live this team, we’re expecting them to be competitive. Jagger Archuletta Jaxon Topham and Kootrn Dewey will anchor the front.
Offensive coordinator: Scott Brumfield
2025 offense: 29.91 ppg (No. 11 in 4A)
- Six returning starters
- Spread offense
Returning offensive starters
- Peyton Higginson
- Gordon Wilson
- Joe Hughes
- Jagger Archuletta
- Jason Topham
Key offensive newcomers
- Cash Hollingshead, QB, Sr.
- Lincoln Lewis, WR, Sr.
- Lj McBride, LB, Sr.
- Logan Carrick, WR/DB, Sr.
- Reggie Smith, DB, Sr.
Defensive coordinator: Derek Campbell
2025 defense: 25.09 ppg (No. 13 in 4A)
- Five returning starters
- 3-5 defense
Returning defensive starters
- Peyton Higginson, DL, Sr.
- Maddox Haskell, DL, Sr.
- Jagger Archuletta, DL, Sr.
- Gotdon Wilson, DL, Sr.
- Jacob Topham, DL, Sr.
Key defensive newcomers
- LJ McBride, LB, Jr.
- Lincoln Lewis, DB, So.
- Logan Carrick, DB, Sr.
- Reggie Smith, DB, Fr.
3. Wasatch Wasps
2026 Schedule
Head coach: Derik Bringhurst
Heads into his second season as Wasatch head coach following a 4-7 debut season a year ago. Prior to that he was an assistant coach for 12 years with the Wasps. He’s a graduate of Lone Peak at SUU.
Coach Derik Bringhurst’s general outlook
This is Coach Bringhurst’s second year as head coach and after the opening of Deer Creek High School this fall, the Wasatch Football team will retain a good portion of the players from last year. Wasatch will be very young with only four seniors, but very talented with a group of kids that have worked really hard for many years. They are only returning three starters from last year after graduating 23 seniors. Having another high school in Heber Valley has made things interesting and Wasatch is looking forward to building a healthy rivalry between them and Deer Creek.
Offensive coordinator: Tyler Baird
2025 offense: 19.09 ppg (No. 19 in 5A)
- Two returning starters
- West Coast offense
Returning offensive starters
- Ryne Ball, OL, Sr.
- River Homes, OL, Jr.
Key offensive newcomers
- Wyatt Washburn, WR, Jr.
- Seth Kelson, WR, So.
- Parker Cottle, RB, So.
- Bryce Harr, QB, Jr.
- Aksel Wheeler, QB, So.
Defensive coordinator: Alex Flack
2025 defense: 25.09 ppg (No. 13 in 5A)
- One returning starters
- 4-3 defense
Returning defensive starters
- Will Walton, DB, Jr.
Key defensive newcomers
- Burke Seiter, LB, Jr.
- Ben Reese, DE, Jr.
- Jack Wells, DB, So.
4. Park City Miners
2026 Schedule
Head coach: Dennis Cunningham
After serving as an assistant coach at Park City for the past four seasons, Cunningham is set to take over as head coach for the Miners in 2026. He’s a graduate of Reno High School in Nevada and Utah State.
Coach Dennis Cunningham’s general outlook
Park City had a large senior class in 2025. As a result the team this year will be young. Additionally longtime coach Josh Montzingo has moved on so there is a change of leadership. That being said, we feel like we’ve had a good spring and have gotten a lot of work in. How much success we have will depend on how quickly we learn new systems how quickly our young kids grow up and how hard we work over the summer.
Offensive coordinator: Matt Navarro
2025 offense: 21.25 ppg (No. 20 in 4A)
- Three returning starters
- Pro style offense
Returning offensive starters
- Brogan Price, WR, Sr.
- Deklin McCloskey, OL, Sr.
- Johnny Hemmisch, H, Jr.
Key offensive newcomers
- Josh Hoefer, QB, Sr.
- Ethan Cunningham, RB, Sr.
- Reid McCurdy, TE, Jr.
- Anthony Villicana, OL, Sr.
- Hudson Simmons, WR, Jr.
Defensive coordinator: Daniel Schwartz
2025 defense: 18.5 ppg (No. 4 in 4A)
- Three returning starters
- 3-4 defense
Returning defensive starters
- Ethan Cunningham, LB, Sr.
- Will Southard, DL, Sr.
- Calev Ingersoll, DL, Sr.
Key defensive newcomers
- Christian Hernandez, DB, Sr.
- Brooks Navarro, DB, Sr.
- Matix Black, DB, Sr.
- Max Manley, DL, Sr.
- Kaleb Collier, LB, Jr.
5. Timpanogos Timberwolves
2026 Schedule
Head coach: Nolan Nielsen
Entering his first season as Timpanogos head coach after spending the past three years as an assistant coach at American Fork. Prior to that, he was an assistant coach at Timpanogos for three years. He’s a graduate of Juab High School and UVU.
Coach Nolan Nielsen’s general outlook
We’re feeling really optimistic going into this season. Our players have been working hard and embracing the opportunity to play both sides of the ball. We have multiple returning starters and are excited about a lot of our underclassmen and the roles they’ll fill. The coaching staff is hard at work setting expectations for the program moving forward and the players have embraced the culture that’s being set.
Offensive coordinator: Nolan Nielsen
2025 offense: 29.73 ppg (No. 12 in 4A)
- Six returning starters
- Multiple offenses
Returning offensive starters
- Andrew Sanders, OL, Sr.
- Crew Clegg, OL, Sr.
- Logan Holloway, QB, Jr.
- Ian Longhurst, WR, Sr.
- Zack McCann, WR, Sr.
- Tevita Mounga, TE, Sr.
Key offensive newcomers
- Owen Garfield, WR, So.
- Bronco Blackhurst, RB/WR, Jr.
- Tyson Knapp, RB/WR, Sr.
- Logan Lee, TE, Jr.
- Cody Bilbao, WR, Sr.
- Jace Spencer, WR, Jr.
- Richard Afoa, OL, Jr.
- Mat Okamura, OL, Sr.
Defensive coordinator: Joseph Haymore
2025 defense: 33.45 ppg (No. 19 in 4A)
- Six returning starters
- 4-3 defense
Returning defensive starters
- Richard Afoa, DT, Jr.
- Bode Bambl, DT, Jr.
- Zack Mccann, DB, Sr.
- Jace Spencer, DB, Jr.
- Kapplan Nukaya, LB, Jr.
- Wyatt Yancey, LB, Sr.
Key defensive newcomers
- Tevita Mounga, DE, Sr.
- Iveni Mounga, DE, So.
- Bronco Blackhurst, DB, Jr.
- Luke Warner, DB, Jr.
- Ian Longhurst, DB, Sr.
- Garrett Haymore, DB, Sr.
- Taysom Larsen, LB, Sr.
6. Mountain View Bruins
2026 Schedule
Head coach: Uani Unga
The second-year Mountain View head coach was previously an assistant coach at the school as well. He led the Bruins to a 3-7 record in 2025. He’s a graduate of Kahuku High School in Hawaii and BYU.
Coach Uani Unga’s general outlook
We are entering the 2026 season with confidence and excitement. We have a hardworking group that has developed throughout the offseason and is committed to our team culture. Our expectations are to compete every week, continue improving, and put ourselves in position to contend for a region title and make a strong playoff run.
Offensive coordinator: Devin Mahina
2025 offense: 22.6 ppg (No. 17 in 4A)
- Five returning starters
- Spread offense
Returning offensive starters
- Briggy Moses, WR, Sr.
- Hyrum Stafford, QB, Sr.
- Brawley Tuitupou, WR, Sr.
- Carter Vance, RB, Sr.
- Tau Wesley, OG, So.
Key offensive newcomers
- Carter Trapnell, WR, Jr.
- Sesi Nelson, OG, Sr.
- Koa Giles, WR, Sr.
Defensive coordinator: Uani Unga
2025 defense: 37.5 ppg (No. 20 in 4A)
- Six returning starters
- 3-4 defense
Returning defensive starters
- Tali Zeledon, SS, Sr.
- Carter Vance, LB, Sr.
- Carter Peterson, CB, Sr.
- Ratu Malungahu, LB, Sr.
- Jrae Fua, LB, So.
- Carter Trapnell, CB, Jr.
- Mitch Yeates, FS, Jr.
Key defensive newcomers
- Sesi Nelson, NG, Sr.
- Karltrick, DE, Sr.
- Tama, DT, Jr.
7. Uintah Utes
2026 Schedule
Head coach: Lance Burrell
With four years of head coaching experience, Lance Burrell is taking over as Uintah’s head coach in 2026. He spent the past three years at ALA, where is teams went 10-23 during that stretch. In 2021 he was the Providence Hall coach, finishing with a 5-7 record. He’s a graduate of Cactus High School in Arizona and Southern Utah.
Coach Lance Burrell’s general outlook
I am excited to watch our kids play this fall. As a team we are learning lessons in discipline, attitude and brotherhood. We are relatively young overall as a program but more than capable of competing at a high level. I hope our kids have a great experience this year and have a lot of fun working incredibly hard to lay a foundation for our program going forward. Go Utes.
Offensive coordinator: Lance Burrell
2025 offense: 14.36 ppg (No. 24 in 4A)
- Six returning starters
- Spread
Returning offensive starters
- Angel Gomez, Sr, OL
- Keston Kunkel, Jr, OL
- Landon Woods, Sr, QB
- Dom Allred, Sr, RB
- Kache Barney, Jr, RB
- Anthony Payne, Sr, WR
- Dace Olsen, Jr, WR
Key offensive newcomers
- Zaityn Lujan, So, WR
- Asher Troendle, So, WR
- Brody Murray, Sr, WR
- Arthur Warner, Jr, RB
Defensive coordinator: Jayden Taylor
2025 defense: 46.64 ppg (No. 25 in 4A)
- Nine returning starters
- Multiple defenses
Returning defensive starters
- Kaleb Jolley, Sr, DL
- Xavier Lino, Sr, DL
- Lukas Turner, Jr, DL
- Jamie Peterson, Sr, DL
- Avery Reay, Sr, LB
- Zane Lonehill-Cox, Sr, LB
- Kason Larson, Jr, DB
- Peter Maile, Jr, DB
- Colton Van Wagoner, Sr, DB
Key defensive newcomers
- Griffin Rhodes, JR, LB
- Kyler Hacking, Sr, DB
- Chase Snow, Jr, DL
8. Deer Creek Riverhawks
2026 Schedule
Head coach: DeShawn Perkins
After spending the last two seasons as an assistant coach at Wasatch, DeShawn Perkins is set to lead Deer Creek football into it’s first-ever season this fall. He’s a graduate of West Jordan High School and Dixie State.
Coach DeShawn Perkins’s general outlook
2026 will be an exciting year for Deer Creek, we are a brand new school/program. We have a group of kids that are ready to make an impact and create something new in the Heber Valley.
Offensive coordinator: TD Croshaw
- Two returning starters
- Pro-Style offense
Returning offensive starters
- Logan Duncan, RB, Jr.
- Lance Simpson, WR, Sr.
- Angel Hernandez, OL/DL, Sr.
Key offensive newcomers
- Austin Wood, TE, Sr.
- Jake Woolstenhulme, WR, Sr.
- Kai Betsinger, QB, So.
- Logan Willardson, OL, Jr.
- Boston Barnes, TE/DE, Sr.
- Tytan Beck, WR, So.
Defensive coordinator: DeShawn Perkins
- Two returning starters
- 4-3 defense
Returning defensive starters
- Ashton Nord, LB, Sr.
- Avery Edwardson, DB, Jr.
- Casen Mckee, LB, Sr.
Key defensive newcomers
- Boston Barnes, DE, Sr.
- Tristan Thurston, LB, Sr.
- Mckoy Nilson, LB, So.