Upper Arlington enters the 2026 OHSAA football season ranked No. 14 in Ohio, while Grandview Heights opens a new chapter under first-year head coach Shawn Hinkle when games kick off Aug. 21.

The Columbus Dispatch's season guide, published Aug. 10, confirmed preseason practices began Aug. 1, across central Ohio. Both local programs face pivotal questions heading into the opener.

Golden Bears: replacing a quarterback, reloading a defense

Head coach Justin Buttermore enters his seventh season at UA with a 53-16 career record and 11 playoff wins, including a Division I Region 3 title in 2021. The Golden Bears went 10-3 last fall before a 17-16 loss to Pickerington Central in the Region 3 semifinal on Nov. 14.

The biggest question: who takes over at quarterback. Luke Backes, nephew of 2000 Ohio Mr. Football Jeff Backes, graduated and signed to play lacrosse at Cornell. He leaves a void under center for a 17-time state champion program now ranked No. 265 nationally in the On3/Massey preseason composite.

The defense returns as the foundation. UA allowed just 9.6 points per game with four shutouts last season.

After the Nov. 14 playoff loss, Buttermore told Press Pros Magazine: "It was a close game and they just made one more play than us."

Bobcats: Hinkle takes the reins

Grandview Heights' coaching transition dominated the offseason. Jason Peters, who compiled a 112-91 record with eight playoff appearances across 19 seasons, left in January to become head coach at Findlay Liberty-Benton. The school honored Peters at a May 20 celebration.

Hinkle, hired in April, is no stranger to the program. He coached quarterbacks and outside linebackers for the Bobcats during the 2025 season before being elevated to the top job. His previous head-coaching stints include Canal Winchester (2011-13), where he went 24-28, and Northridge (2015-16). This marks his first head-coaching role in a decade.

He inherits a team that went 7-4 last fall despite significant injuries, including to four-star running back Henry Ohlinger, who is now at Indiana. Grandview Athletics introduced Hinkle in a June 1 video interview focused on leadership and the program's future direction.

Hinkle is one of 16 central Ohio programs entering 2026 under new head coaches, according to the Dispatch.

What's ahead

Regular-season games open Aug. 21. Specific Week 1 opponents for both programs have not been confirmed publicly. As we reported Sunday, Grandview Heights' fall sports season is already underway across other programs.