Mandarin's 2025 season ended with a 27-20 loss to Gainesville Buchholz in the Class 6A regional final on Nov. 28, one win short of the state final four. Nine months later, head coach Toby Bullock and his players say that game still drives everything they do in practice.

But Bullock isn't letting last year's heartbreak define this roster.

"This team's 0-0," Bullock told News4Jax on Thursday, Aug. 13. "They've never won a game together. They never lost a game together."

Mustangs adopt 'Plus 2' as team motto for 2026

The Mustangs have adopted a team-wide motto for 2026: "Plus 2." It means extra reps, more film study, finishing through the line, handling details when no one is watching. The program introduced the phrase publicly on April 3, when the team's official X account posted its spring practice schedule with the hashtag #Plus2.

Defensive tackle Kindrid Outland said the philosophy means going a little bit extra, doing more than what you think you can do. Center Barrett Poulos said the offseason has been built around embracing the grind rather than coasting on last year's success.

Bullock said he wanted a motto that belonged to Mandarin alone, something his coaching staff could point to in real practice moments rather than just repeat in a huddle.

2025 season ended one win short of state semifinals

The 2025 Mustangs finished the regular season 9-1. Quarterback Knox Annis threw for 1,866 yards and 18 touchdowns. Sophomore receiver Brysen Wright led the team with 867 receiving yards, and running back Shaunqueze Foster rushed for 906 yards and 11 scores.

Mandarin rolled through the first two rounds of the playoffs, beating Crestview 42-7 and advancing past Pace before running into a Buchholz program that has now reached the Class 6A state semifinals five consecutive years.

Outland told News4Jax the team felt confident going into that regional final and thought they had Buchholz stopped late. They didn't. That one-touchdown margin is what fuels the "Plus 2" push now.

Outland eyes a championship, but Bullock wants proof first

When asked about the 2026 goal, Outland's answer was one word: a championship. The FHSAA's new Open Division, which places the state's top eight teams regardless of classification into a single playoff bracket, could affect Mandarin's path. A projection had the Mustangs among the teams that would have qualified.

Season opener set for Aug. 21

The Mustangs open the season Aug. 21 at McArthur High School in Hollywood at 7 p.m. They travel to Atlantic Coast on Aug. 28 at 6:30 p.m., then open conference play at Nease in Ponte Vedra on Sept. 11 at 7 p.m.