For the second time in his decades-long coaching career, Brent Indest is back at the helm of Abbeville football for the 2026 season.
“It was just a great opportunity to get back home,” Indest said. “We spent four great years on the Northshore, but me and my wife just felt like it was time to come home. We had the opportunity and we took it.”
The last time Indest was coaching the Wildcats was about 22 years ago. Since then, with various head coaching changes and brief stints in the LHSAA playoffs, Abbeville has seen its ups and downs. But the talent growing in those parts remains the same. Now with Indest back in charge, he and his staff will look to get the most out of their weapons to churn out more wins in 2026.
Abbeville football playing with the hand it’s dealt
Abbeville ended the 2025 season with a 4-7 overall record, losing in the first round of the Non-Select DII playoffs. Last year left much to be desired for the Wildcats, especially with so much D1 talent throughout their roster. Luckily for Indest, he’ll return some of that talent this fall and has been hard at work rebuilding a foundation around those pieces.
“It was different philosophies, different coaching styles, so there’e been a learning curve,” Indest said. “But I think things are going pretty well. We’re just taking it day by day, inch by inch, yard by yard, just figuring each other out.”
One of the biggest names the Wildcats will depend on this fall is four-star wide receiver Jacolby Campbell. Listed at 6-foot-1 and 177 pounds, he’s one of the hottest prospects from the 337 earning offers from Power 4 programs such as Florida State, Penn State and Mississippi State. One of Campbell’s latest offers came from down the road, earning an offer from LSU on June 11.
“It feels amazing having an LSU offer, knowing that they believe in my talents and all that, and just knowing it’s like my hometown team,” Campbell said. “Everybody loves their hometown team and having them looking at you and everything. It just feels great to have all that.”
After graduating their starting quarterback from last season, Campbell has been thrust into the QB1 role this season and he’s looking to put on a show every Friday night.
“I played quarterback my CYS years and my middle school years, so it feels great to be back in that position,” Campbell said. “When I played that position, I loved it because you’re the playmaker like on a basketball team and you’re doing everything. Knowing that the ball will be in my hand every play, I know that the coaches and the players are trusting in me to make the play.”
When Campbell isn’t at the helm of the Wildcats offense, he’ll play some snaps at wide receiver as well as on defense at safety and linebacker. He’ll be one of many players to play both sides of the ball this fall as Abbeville is a bit short numbers-wise. Other key two-way players to keep an eye out for this season are senior offensive/defensive linemen Daelon Levine and Zalen Hopkins, junior wide receiver/safety Jazavion Briggs and senior wide receiver/defensive back Kobe Vital.
“It always helps having weapons, we just wish we had a few more of them but we just got to play the hand we’re dealt,” Indest said. “Nonetheless, our goal this season is to try to win every Friday.”
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Shannon Belt covers high school sports, the Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns and LSU men's basketball for The Daily Advertiser as part of the USA TODAY Network. Follow her high school and Cajuns coverage on Twitter: @ShannonBelt3. Got questions regarding HS/UL athletics? Send them to Shannon Belt at sbelt@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Lafayette Daily Advertiser: Brent Indest back at the helm of a talented Abbeville football squad