FORT CAMPBELL, KY (CLARKSVILLE NOW) – Fort Campbell is a tough place to win. With football players moving on as the military does, consistency can be difficult to find. The 2026 Falcons have fallen into that reality.

Keshawn Dixon led the Fort Campbell High School offense last season to four wins, but with him now at Kentucky Wesleyan, the Falcons must find production elsewhere. Tannar Walters looked like a future star at quarterback last season, but moved to Georgia before the start of his junior year. That roster turnover has forced Fort Campbell head coach Henry Mitchell to get creative.

Fort Campbell practice on August 6, 2026. (Patrick Smith)

“There’s nobody on this roster who has taken a snap at quarterback the last four years or even last year. There’s nobody on this roster who has taken a handoff at running back the last four years or last year,” Mitchell told Clarksville Now.

To fill the hole at running back, Mitchell moved junior Karson McClellan over from offensive tackle. He’ll have to develop quickly in his new role as the Falcons expect to lean heavily on the run this season.

The good news for McClellan is that while depth is lacking, the Falcons do have some size up front. Senior Sam Suapilimai will anchor the offensive line at left tackle.

“We’re going to rely mainly on probably our run game,” Mitchell said. “Karson McClellan is going to be our No. 1 running back. He’s transitioning actually from the offensive line. He played offensive tackle the last two years.”

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The transition at quarterback won’t be much easier.

Isaiah Messer Cruz played linebacker last season for the Falcons. This year, he’ll be expected to lead the offense. Senior Levi Kruse will look to be a playmaker on the outside and make Cruz’s life easier, but asking a player to take on an entirely new position comes with plenty of challenges.

In the trenches, the Falcons appear to be in a better situation. Alongside Suapilimai, Julius Jessup transferred in from Fort Knox and will play center for Fort Campbell. Both players will be expected to contribute on both the offensive and defensive lines, bringing some much-needed reliability to a Falcons team going through significant change.

Clarksville Now player to watch: Isaiah Messer Cruz

Cruz is the player to watch for a variety of reasons.

First, how does the transition from linebacker to quarterback go without ever taking a high school snap under center? Secondly, will he be asked to play both sides of the ball because of Fort Campbell’s lack of depth? The Falcons are hoping neither becomes a major issue, but both possibilities remain worth watching.

“It’s way different from going to a position where you just get to hit everybody. You read the offense, but now it’s read the defense, and that whole side flips. It’s huge for me,” Cruz said. “My coaches are doing a great job teaching me. I’m constantly studying, watching and going over plays and everything.”

The move to quarterback was a necessity for Cruz and the Falcons. It will undoubtedly be a difficult transition, but if he can hit the ground running, Cruz could become a massive piece of this Fort Campbell team.

Clarksville Now record prediction: Fort Campbell 3-7

Fort Campbell isn’t as bad as a 3-7 record suggests. That said, the Falcons won four games last season with a more experienced and talented roster.

Moving an offensive lineman to running back and a linebacker to quarterback is a difficult situation to find success in, especially when depth is already a concern. Mitchell is instilling a good system, but there simply aren’t many bodies to work with.

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The Falcons will field around 30 players on the roster this season. That’s not a number that inspires much confidence when projecting a 10-game season, particularly when many of those players will be asked to play significant snaps on both sides of the ball.

Still, Fort Campbell should be competitive and has enough talent to pick up some wins along the way. The Falcons may not have the depth to make a major jump in the standings this season, but if their young players develop quickly, they could outperform this prediction.

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