Lakeland Prep senior quarterback Brett Godwin is putting together a remarkable start to the 2026 football season, and his latest performance has pushed him to the top of the state’s statistical rankings.
Following Friday night’s game against Fayette Ware High School, in which Godwin completed 25 of 31 passes for 352 yards and six touchdowns, he now leads all Tennessee high school quarterbacks in both passing yards and passing touchdowns, regardless of classification.
Through the midpoint of the season, Godwin has thrown 20 touchdown passes, with just one interception, while completing nearly 70% of his attempts.
Lakeland Prep head coach Tyler White told The Lakeland Banner that Godwin’s development and decision-making have been major factors in his success.
“Brett is off to a phenomenal start this season,” White said. “I think the thing that stands out to me so far is the TD/INT ratio. As much as we put the ball in the air, to protect it that well and have a near 70% completion rating shows you how well he is seeing the field.”
White said Godwin’s only interception came on the final play of the first half against Haywood, when the team was attempting to push the ball downfield.
The coach also pointed to improvements in Godwin’s ability to read defenses before and after the snap.
“He has really improved his pre-snap eye discipline this year and is making great reads,” White said. “In his younger days, he was primary read, maybe secondary read, get out and run or throw it away. Now, he’s progressing through reads quickly and getting the ball out on time.”
While Godwin continues to make plays with his legs when necessary, White said the quarterback has benefited from strong protection and has developed confidence in the players around him.
“Don’t get me wrong, he’s still made some Houdini-type plays, but our line is protecting him well and he is trusting everyone around him,” White said.
Spreading the Ball Around
Godwin’s production has also been aided by a receiving corps that has consistently found ways to get open.
Of his 20 touchdown passes this season, eight different Lakeland Prep players have caught at least one touchdown: Connor Jones, Bryce Roberson, Parker Andes, Kyler Biggart, Bennett Filsinger, Whitten Wolfe, Larry Jackson and Yosiah Terrell.
The distribution has been another indication of Godwin’s ability to read opposing defenses and find the open receiver.
White said Godwin’s performance against Haywood was particularly impressive. The Lakeland Prep quarterback threw five touchdown passes in that game while facing a Haywood secondary that included a defensive back committed to the University of Tennessee.
“Brett was throwing right at him consistently,” White said.
With the regular season reaching its midpoint, Godwin’s numbers have placed him among the state’s statistical leaders while helping Lakeland Prep remain competitive against some of the area’s top programs.
Despite the individual statistics, White said Godwin and the rest of the team remain focused on taking the season one play at a time.
“At the end of the day, I’m super proud of Brett and all of our guys,” White said. “We are just trying to instill a ‘one play in a row’ approach with them, and Brett has done a great job of that.”
“He’s protecting the ball, finding open receivers, and putting us in positions to win ball games. He’s the definition of a competitor.”
The Lions take on Arlington this coming Friday in the Loosahatchie River Rivalry. The game will be played at Arlington.
