QB
CWilliams II at QB (76, senior, stamina 92). Top-3 of 71.0.
**Dynasty-start roster (CFB 26)**DC Rating 4.4 / 10
Kennesaw State
Talent Developer Mack with the rare Veer and Shoot at the C-USA floor and Washington Jr. at sophomore CB 84.
The Dynasty Verdict
If you want a Jerry Mack program where the rare Veer and Shoot offense meets a 66 overall and Washington Jr. at sophomore CB, Kennesaw State is the Conference USA team built for the long underclass-anchored rebuild. Washington Jr. anchors the corner at sophomore 84 with hit power 96 and stamina 92. Johnson reads run-pass at junior MIKE 83 with pursuit 90 and awareness 89. Hallum complements at senior CB 78 with acceleration 91 and toughness 91. Bennett takes the senior backfield at HB 77 with toughness 90. Williams II runs the offense at senior QB 76 with stamina 92 and throw power 87. Paul anchors deep at sophomore FS 76. The home pipeline is South Georgia at Tier-2 with four Tier-1 Southeast reaches.
What makes Kennesaw State different from the other 1-prestige Conference USA programs is the scheme rarity and the underclass-anchored secondary. FIU asks you to ride a senior-heavy launch class with dual Tier-3 Florida home and Power Spread offense. Jacksonville State asks you to ride an underclass-heavy launch class with Spread offense. Kennesaw State asks you to ride the rare Veer and Shoot under a Talent Developer with Washington Jr. and Paul at sophomore plus Johnson at junior anchoring the secondary. Same conference, same prestige floor, different scheme combo: Kennesaw State is the only 1-prestige C-USA program running Veer and Shoot.
The 4.4 lands on the rare Veer and Shoot scheme, the Washington Jr.-Johnson-Paul multi-year DB-LB cluster, and the Talent Developer archetype that fits the underclass-heavy roster shape. The catch is the 66 overall, the F program tradition, the 6-of-10 senior cliff, and the five-region recruiting board with only South Georgia at Tier-2. Don't pick Kennesaw State for a Year 1 ceiling chase. Pick Kennesaw State for the patient C-USA build where Mack's Talent Developer archetype turns Washington Jr., Johnson, and Paul into a Year 2-3 senior secondary while the Veer and Shoot identity differentiates recruiting.
Head Coach
Jerry Mack
Talent DeveloperMack is a Talent Developer archetype with D+ coach prestige and D coach stability. The launch hands him Washington Jr. at sophomore CB, Johnson at junior MIKE, Paul at sophomore FS, and the senior class led by Hallum, Bennett, and Williams II. The Talent Developer archetype is well-fit for the underclass-anchored secondary; the catch is the 1-prestige floor and F program tradition that hold Kennesaw State at the bottom of FBS recruiting volume regardless of development bumps.
Team at a Glance
| Conference | Conference USA |
|---|---|
| Head Coach | Jerry Mack · Talent Developer |
| Team Prestige | 1 stars |
| Team Overall (in-game) | 66 |
| Top Position Group | Defensive Back · B- · top-3 avg 79.3 |
| Weakest Position Group | Special Teams · C- · top-3 avg 69.7 |
| Stadium Atmosphere | F |
| Brand Exposure | F |
| Coach Prestige | D+ |
| Coach Stability | D |
| Top-10 Senior Departures After Year 1 | 6 of 10 |
Top 10 Players
By overall rating at dynasty start
| # | Player | Pos | Yr | OVR | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | JeRico Washington Jr. | CB | So | 84 | Hit Power 96 |
| 02 | Donelius Johnson | MIKE | Jr | 83 | Injury 91 |
| 03 | Tyler Hallum | CB | Sr | 78 | Acceleration 91 |
| 04 | Coleman Bennett | HB | Sr | 77 | Toughness 90 |
| 05 | Dexter Williams II | QB | Sr | 76 | Stamina 92 |
| 06 | Gabriel Benyard | WR | Sr | 76 | Acceleration 92 |
| 07 | Isaac Paul | FS | So | 76 | Stamina 90 |
| 08 | Joshua Huiet | P | Sr | 76 | Injury 91 |
| 09 | Christian Moss | WR | Sr | 75 | Acceleration 90 |
| 10 | Garland Benyard | MIKE | Sr | 75 | Stamina 89 |
Position Group Grades
RB
C+Bennett at HB (77, senior, toughness 90). Top-3 of 74.3.
WR
C+Gabriel Benyard at WR (76, senior, acceleration 92) and Moss at WR (75, senior, acceleration 90). Top-3 of 74.3.
TE
CTop-3 of 71.7.
OL
CTop-3 of 72.7.
DL
CTop-3 of 73.7.
LB
C+Johnson at MIKE (83, junior, injury 91) and Garland Benyard at MIKE (75, senior, stamina 89). Top-3 of 75.3.
DB
B-Washington Jr. at CB (84, sophomore, hit power 96), Hallum at CB (78, senior, acceleration 91) and Paul at FS (76, sophomore, stamina 90). Top-3 of 79.3.
ST
C-Huiet at P (76, senior, injury 91). Top-3 of 69.7.
Recommended Playbooks
Offense
Veer and Shoot (Kennesaw State Default)
Run the Veer and Shoot because the senior backfield and senior receiver pair matches the design's run-pass split. Bennett breaks the line at senior HB with toughness 90 and acceleration 89. Williams II runs the show at senior QB with stamina 92 and throw power 87. Gabriel Benyard wins the boundary at senior WR with acceleration 92 and stamina 90. Moss complements at senior WR with acceleration 90 and jumping 90.
Why this fits
The C+ RB grade plus the C+ WR grade plus a senior dual-threat QB matches the Veer and Shoot's run-game-first design. The C OL grade caps the design's Year 1 ceiling at game-management tempo.
Defense
Multiple Defense (Kennesaw State Default)
Run the Multiple Defense because Washington Jr. at sophomore CB plus Johnson at junior MIKE anchors the design's flexible front-back balance. Washington Jr. shadows the boundary at sophomore CB with hit power 96 and acceleration 90. Johnson reads run-pass at junior MIKE with injury 91, pursuit 90, and awareness 89. Hallum rotates at senior CB with acceleration 91 and toughness 91. Paul patrols deep at sophomore FS with stamina 90.
Why this fits
A B- DB grade led by Washington Jr. and Hallum plus Johnson at junior MIKE carries the Year 1 defensive identity. Washington Jr.'s sophomore eligibility plus Johnson's junior eligibility plus Paul's sophomore eligibility carry a three-year defensive bridge.
Recruiting Outlook
Pipeline regions
- South GeorgiaTier 2
- South CarolinaTier 1
- Metro AtlantaTier 1
- North FloridaTier 1
- South FloridaTier 1
You'll recruit the Southeast on a tight regional plan. South Georgia at Tier-2 is the only above-Tier-1 reach on the entire board. Below that, four Tier-1 Southeast reaches aren't worth the spend at 1-prestige with a five-region pipeline count (one of the lowest in the editorial set). The Metro Atlanta Tier-1 reach sits close enough to matter as a single-target option but doesn't anchor recruiting volume. Mack at D+ coach prestige can land specific Georgia recruits the bigger Conference USA programs pass on, but the pipeline width holds Kennesaw State at the bottom of FBS recruiting volume.
Position priorities for Year 1 are dictated by the 6-senior cliff at QB, HB, both WR, both CB, and the punter. Quarterback is critical because Williams II graduates after Year 1 with no top-10 QB behind him. After QB, replacement HB depth behind Bennett, replacement WR behind Benyard and Moss, replacement CB behind Hallum.
Avoid the long-distance Tier-1 cluster (South Carolina, North Florida, South Florida) entirely beyond a single targeted player. Lock the South Georgia Tier-2 plan and let the Talent Developer archetype's recruit-development bonus close the underclass-replacement classes.
Your Year-by-Year Path with Kennesaw State
Year 1
The Underclass Setup Year
You're inheriting a 1-prestige roster with a 66 overall and Washington Jr. at sophomore CB anchoring the secondary. Don't experiment. Run the Veer and Shoot, ride the senior backfield with Williams II at QB, let Washington Jr., Johnson, and Paul anchor the back end. Year 1 is 3-4 wins while the underclass DBs and Johnson at MIKE develop in real reps. While you're winning, sign the QB-and-OL Year 1 class that the South Georgia Tier-2 pipeline closes.
Goal
3-4 wins, top-200 recruiting class with QB and OL at the top.
Years 2-3
The Washington-Johnson-Paul Window
Six senior anchors graduate. Washington Jr. becomes the junior CB; Johnson becomes the senior MIKE; Paul becomes the junior FS. The Year 1 OL class becomes Year 2 starters in the Veer and Shoot. Mack's Talent Developer archetype turns the underclass cohort into a C-USA bowl-eligibility window.
Goal
5-6 wins, Washington Jr. at 87+ as a senior, top-150 recruiting class.
Year 4+
The South Georgia Floor
By Year 4, the dynasty depends on whether the South Georgia Tier-2 pipeline plus Mack's Talent Developer development bonus closed enough multi-year talent to backfill the senior cliff. D coach stability at 1-prestige is the structural risk. Realistically, sustained 4-5 wins in C-USA with the Veer and Shoot identity intact.
Goal
Stable 4-5 win C-USA program with the South Georgia Tier-2 pipeline and the rare Veer and Shoot scheme intact.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Kennesaw State good for dynasty mode in CFB 26?
Yes for a Talent Developer Mack patient build with the rare Veer and Shoot offense and a multi-year DB-LB cluster, with caveats. Kennesaw State enters CFB 26 with a 66-overall roster, D+ coach prestige and D coach stability under Talent Developer Jerry Mack, and a B- DB grade led by Washington Jr. at sophomore CB 84 and Paul at sophomore FS 76 with Johnson at junior MIKE 83. The 1-prestige floor and F program tradition are the structural caps.
What's Kennesaw State's prestige in CFB 26?
Kennesaw State enters CFB 26 with a 1-star prestige rating, paired with D+ coach prestige and D coach stability. The South Georgia Tier-2 home is the only above-Tier-1 reach on a five-region recruiting board (one of the lowest pipeline counts in the editorial set), giving Kennesaw State a single-state regional pipeline plan.
What playbook does Kennesaw State use in CFB 26?
Jerry Mack's Kennesaw State runs the rare Veer and Shoot offense and the Multiple Defense. The Veer and Shoot fits Williams II at senior QB plus the senior receiver pair (Gabriel Benyard, Moss) and Bennett at senior HB. The Multiple Defense deploys Washington Jr. at CB (84, sophomore, hit power 96), Johnson at MIKE (83, junior, injury 91), and Paul at FS (76, sophomore, stamina 90).
Who is Kennesaw State's best player in College Football 26?
JeRico Washington Jr. at 84 OVR, sophomore cornerback, with hit power 96, stamina 92, and injury 91. Washington Jr. is the highest-rated player on the roster and the multi-year defensive identity for Mack. Donelius Johnson at MIKE (83, junior, injury 91) and Tyler Hallum at CB (78, senior, acceleration 91) round out the top three.
Should I rebuild Kennesaw State or take an easier team?
Kennesaw State is a patient C-USA underclass build with scheme rarity, not a Year 1 contender. The Year 1 ceiling is 3-4 wins; the Year 2-3 floor depends on Washington Jr., Johnson, and Paul maturing into the senior secondary as the Year 1 recruiting class fills the senior cliff. Take Kennesaw State if you want the only Veer and Shoot scheme at 1-prestige in C-USA. If you want a similar C-USA profile with senior anchors, look at FIU.