Los Lunas Tigers previewed for 2026 season, new coach and 5A move

A new era opens with a familiar standard

Los Lunas football is changing hands and changing classifications at the same time, and that makes the 2026 season one of the most consequential in recent program history. Stephen Johnston takes over after being hired on February 25, 2026, replacing Greg Henington, whose run included a 43-16 record, a 6-4 playoff mark and the Tigers’ first undefeated season and first state title in 2021.

Johnston arrives with a résumé that should matter to a Valencia County program trying to keep its place among New Mexico’s better public-school football brands. He previously coached at Manzano High School and spent 2014-2021 as an assistant at Artesia High School, including work as defensive coordinator. That background gives Los Lunas a coach who has already worked inside two well-known New Mexico football environments and now inherits a team with recent championship proof on its résumé.

Why the move back to Class 5A changes the stakes

The Tigers are back in Class 5A beginning in 2026 after the New Mexico Activities Association reclassified the program. That matters far beyond the label on the bracket. A return to 5A changes the pool of opponents, the competitive path to the postseason and the weekly identity of a program that has already spent time moving up and down the classification ladder.

Los Lunas won its first-ever state football championship on November 27, 2021, beating Artesia 40-28 for the Class 5A title. The school then moved to Class 6A in 2022 before sliding back to 5A for 2026. That arc is the central backdrop for Johnston’s first season: the Tigers are not rebuilding from zero, but they are being asked to prove that their recent success can travel across classifications and survive a coaching change.

The 5A move also gives the season a local economic edge that goes beyond wins and losses. Stronger crowds at Friday-night games, deeper playoff runs and more attention from college programs tend to follow a team that looks organized early and dangerous late. In Los Lunas, where football already has a title on the wall and recent playoff relevance, another breakthrough year could lift gate receipts, concession traffic and the kind of buzz that makes Southeast Main Street and the school district’s athletic profile feel the ripple effects all fall.

The calendar already puts pressure on the Tigers

The offseason is not far away from live work. Los Lunas High School’s athletics page lists football workouts starting June 8, 2026, and the New Mexico Activities Association lists the first practice date for the 2026 high school football season as August 3, 2026. That gives Johnston and his staff a narrow window to install a system, settle roles and sort out which players will anchor the new-look Tigers before pads come on in earnest.

That schedule matters because a coaching transition is most fragile in the months before camp opens. The staff has to establish tempo, accountability and terminology before August, especially for a team that is also adjusting to a different classification. In practical terms, the June workouts become the first real test of whether Los Lunas can absorb a new voice without losing the identity that made the program competitive under Henington.

Recent results show the ceiling is still high

The Tigers are not entering 2026 from a position of weakness. Los Lunas reached the 2025 6A playoffs, beat Piedra Vista 28-24 in the first round and then lost 49-29 to Las Cruces on November 14, 2025. The school’s athletics page also lists Los Lunas as the 2024 District 2 runner-up in 6A, a reminder that the program has remained relevant after its title season and classification jump.

Those details are important because they show a team that has not disappeared from the state picture. A district runner-up finish and a playoff win in 6A tell the same story in different ways: Los Lunas has been good enough to matter in the larger classification, even if the next step has remained just out of reach. Returning to 5A gives the Tigers a chance to turn those recent near-misses into a stronger postseason run, but only if Johnston can stabilize the roster quickly.

What has to go right for the fall to feel different

The headline questions around Los Lunas are less about reputation than depth, continuity and whether the Tigers can translate their history into consistent weekly production. The program has championship pedigree from 2021, recent playoff traction in 2025 and a district runner-up finish in 2024, but the 2026 season also brings a new coach and a new classification. Those are the kind of variables that can expose thin spots on the roster if the team lacks experienced contributors at the most demanding positions.

That is why the most important storyline is not simply whether Los Lunas wins games. It is whether the Tigers can build enough week-to-week stability to keep Friday nights lively, stay in the playoff conversation and draw the recruiting attention that follows a visible winning team. In a place like Los Lunas, where football already has a championship memory and a community footprint, the difference between a solid season and a special one will be measured in turnout, postseason revenue and whether Johnston’s first team looks like it belongs among the state’s contenders again.

The bigger picture for Valencia County

For Valencia County, this is not just another fall schedule. Los Lunas football has already shown that it can reach the top of Class 5A, survive a jump to 6A and still stay in the playoff mix. Now it gets a fresh coaching staff, a move back to its old classification and a chance to turn all of that into a season that raises the school’s profile again.

If Johnston’s first team settles quickly, the Tigers have the kind of history and platform that can make a real local impact. If they stumble early, the reset could feel longer than expected. Either way, the 2026 season will tell the county whether Los Lunas still has the depth and discipline to turn football into one of its biggest fall draws.