The Barberton Magics enter the 2026 high-school football season under new leadership after the appointment of Pyrce Taylor as head coach in January. Taylor, in his first year at the helm, inherits a squad that finished 1-9 last season and returns a nucleus of experienced players as the team seeks a turnaround.
Coach and background
Taylor arrives from Youngstown Chaney High School, where he served as offensive coordinator under coach Seth Antram during the 2025 season. His playing and academic background includes time in Akron Public Schools, playing at Buchtel from 2013–2016, graduating from STEM High School and Kent State University. According to the source content, Taylor is also an academic advisor at Kent State University.
Returning personnel and impact players
Barberton returns 10 lettermen, providing a base of experience across offence and defence. Key returnees listed include quarterbacks, linemen and versatile skill players whose development will shape the Magics’ 2026 campaign.
- Jackson Hanlin — QB, 6-2, 205, junior
- Noah Wright — WR-DB, 6-3, 185, junior
- Vernon Reynolds Jr. — WR-DB, 6-0, 175, junior
- Ricco Varner — OL-DL, 6-2, 240, senior
- Michael Ellis — LB-TE, 6-4, 190, junior
- Jason Modi — OL-DL, 6-4, 290, senior
- Logan Murrey — OL-DL, 6-3, 270, junior
- Jacob Osbourne — OL-DL, 6-4, 320, senior
- Cleophus Thompson — WR-DB, 5-9, 170, junior
- Reginald Wyatt — WR, 6-3, 185, junior
| Player | Position | Height/Weight | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jackson Hanlin | QB | 6-2, 205 | Jr |
| Noah Wright | WR-DB | 6-3, 185 | Jr |
| Ricco Varner | OL-DL | 6-2, 240 | Sr |
"Jackson Hanlin is a big-arm talent and an intelligent quarterback who has shown tremendous growth throughout the offseason," Taylor said, adding that Hanlin, Wright, Reynolds and Varner are players to watch.
What to watch this season
Taylor singled out four players as central to the Magics’ prospects: Hanlin, Wright, Reynolds and Varner. The coach highlighted Hanlin’s arm and leadership, Noah Wright’s two-way athleticism, Vernon Reynolds’s explosiveness and Ricco Varner’s quickness and physical presence on the line. How the coaching staff develops these players will be critical to the team’s ability to compete in their division.
Barberton competed last season in the Suburban League American Conference and contested Division II, Region 5 postseason alignment. The challenge for the Magics will be converting off-season growth into consistent performance during regular season games. With several linemen and key skill-position players returning, the team has both experience up front and playmaking options in the backfield and at receiver/defence.
Context and expectations
Replacing a long-serving head coach marks a clear transition. The previous coach departed in October as the winningest coach in Magics history, leaving a legacy for the new staff to build on. For communities that follow high-school sport closely, the 2026 season represents both a test of Taylor’s systems and an opportunity for emerging talent to stake a claim for future seasons.
Local supporters and opponents alike will be watching how the Magics perform early in the season, particularly how the offensive unit functions under Hanlin’s leadership and whether the defensive unit can be anchored by its returning linemen and playmakers in the secondary.
As the campaign unfolds, attention will also focus on the long-term development of players who could become central figures for Barberton in coming seasons. For now, the central narrative is one of rebuilding under a coach with recent experience as an offensive coordinator and ties to Northeast Ohio football as both a player and an academic mentor.
Barberton’s 2026 schedule, practice reports and game results will provide the clearest indicators of whether Taylor’s first season brings measurable improvement from last year’s 1-9 record.
