CUSHING TIGERS
Coach: RUSTY MORGAN
11-2
Cushing enters 2026 as a championship contender after an 11-2 season and semifinal appearance under longtime head coach Rusty Morgan, who is now in his 14th year leading the program. Morgan says this year’s group will feature “a good mix of returners and new guys filling important roles,” with spring practice already setting a positive tone. He emphasizes that “continuing to develop leadership and being accountable through the summer is critical in determining the success of the next season,” and notes they’ve “had a great spring that will carry us into summer workouts and fall camp.” With seven offensive starters and three defensive starters returning, Cushing once again looks like one of the most explosive and dangerous teams in Class 4A.
The Tigers’ offense will continue to run out of a multiple spread scheme built around speed and space. Morgan explains that they “have guys who across the board…are athletic and can run” and that “quickly getting the ball in their hands in space has been good,” a formula that produced fireworks during last year’s semifinal run. Junior wide receiver and VYPE Top 100 nominee Lane Simpson (5-11, 170) is the headliner after a breakout sophomore season with 45 receptions for 985 yards and 13 touchdowns, giving Cushing one of the state’s premier big-play threats. Fellow junior wideout Gage Sharp (5-11, 170) added 662 receiving yards and eight scores, forming a devastating one-two punch on the perimeter that forces defenses to pick their poison. Sophomore quarterback Gabe Gurley (6-0, 180), who moved into the program in the spring, steps into the starting role with athleticism and upside that has the staff excited about his future. In the trenches, seniors Justice Elliott (6-3, 225) and Max Hoover (6-0, 260) and junior Erick Garrido (6-1, 220) anchor a physical offensive line; Elliott, in particular, has drawn praise for selflessly moving from tight end/receiver to the line last season and now serving as the unquestioned leader up front. With that blend of speed outside and strength inside, the Tigers expect their offense to remain one of the most feared units in the state.
Defensively, Cushing returns three starters and bases out of a 4-3 front with multiple coverages on the back end. Morgan describes the philosophy as “4-3 with multiple looks on the backend based out of a four man front” and an “aggressive and attacking style of defense,” mirroring the offense’s tempo with a disruptive approach. Inside linebacker Saylor Rackley (6-1, 205) and senior linebacker Hunter Joiner (6-1, 180) give Cushing a solid duo in the middle, while Hoover’s presence at defensive tackle helps control the interior. On the back end, Simpson doubles as a ball-hawking defensive back after recording 41 tackles and eight interceptions last season, and Sharp adds 82 tackles and an interception from his defensive back spot, giving the Tigers two proven playmakers in the secondary. Gurley is an underclassman to keep an eye on at quarterback, with coaches believing he “has a chance to be a really good QB” in this system. With elite skill talent, a rugged and unselfish offensive front, and a defensive identity built on aggression and speed, Cushing appears poised to remain in the thick of the state-title hunt again in 2026.
8-28 – vs. Berryhill
9-4 – vs. Bristow
9-11 – at Perkins
9-25 – at Skiatook
10-2 – vs. Miami
10-9 – at Oologah
10-15 – vs. Cleveland
10-23 – at Grove
10-30 – vs. Fort Gibson
11-6 – vs. Wagoner
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