GULF SHORES — Just three seasons ago, Gulf Shores did it all, won every game and took a thriller to win the state championship.

As the 2026 opener nears, Coach Mark Hudspeth wants to keep an eye on that prize and see if his Dolphins can make it there again. Gulf Shores finished 5-6 last year and lost in the first round of the playoffs to Russell County, 33-30.

"We won the state championship in 2023, 15-0," Hudspeth said. "We're trying to get back to that. We've got a good football team coming back this year. Right now, we've got three Division I kids committed. We've got a kid committed to West Virginia, Jacksonville State and West Florida."

At the top of that list is wide receiver Carter Davis who committed to play at West Virginia earlier this summer. He ran the fastest 60 meters in Alabama this year, winning the indoor track Class 6A title with a 6.76 time.

He's one of several seniors Hudspeth will rely on to lead the Dolphins on offense. Others are quarterback Judd Harris, offensive lineman Jack Biggs and Grayson and running back Janoy Ferguson. There is a total of 21 seniors on the Dolphins' roster.

On defense, the star power is in the backfield led by cornerbacks Elijah Malone, the Jacksonville State commit, and Jock Prince who committed to West Florida. Returning on the defensive line are Gabe Irwing, a junior, and Adam Duncan, a senior.

Under the new classifications from the state, Gulf Shores will be in Class 5A in the bottom third based on enrollment. Out of the 64 schools in Class 5A, Gulf Shores is No. 40 with 682 students.

Gulf Shores will plan in Region 1 against Baldwin County, Elberta, Blount, Murphy, Saraland, Spanish Fort and Theodore. Half of the teams in each region make the playoffs.

200 WINS

Hudspeth is six wins away from having 200 total as a head coach in college and in his five years in Gulf Shores. He was head coach for seven years each at UNA and Louisiana-Lafayette and Austin Peay for one season. He also spent two years as the assistant head coach at Mississippi State. Including Hudspeth, six Dolphin coaches have Division and/or NFL coaching experience.

Both Brian Van Gorder, defense coordinator, and Kenny Edenfield, offensive coordinator, are back with the Dolphins for 2026.