Bartlesville Bruin Colson Jernigan heads back to the sidelines during Cancer Awareness Night at Custer Stadium. Jernigan has been selected as a Bartlesville Area Sports Report Area Game Changer.
Photo courtesy of Debbie Formby
By Becky Burch
Oct. 22, 2026
BARTLESVILLE AREA SPORTS REPORT
Bartlesville High School senior Colson Jernigan finds a direct parallel between the classroom and the football field, particularly when the Bruins sit down to evaluate past performances.
An avid history student, Jernigan brings an academic approach to the game that helps him break down upcoming opponents.
"I like history, and I think it applies to the field by looking at the past mistakes and trying to fix them or not do them again, especially when we’re watching film," Jernigan said.
That analytical mindset and relentless work ethic have made Jernigan the latest featured standout in Bartlesville Area Sports Report's Area Game Changer series. The twice-weekly showcase highlights dynamic competitors across 12 area schools who transform their teams through leadership, effort, and heart.
Jernigan, a two-sport athlete who plays left guard for the Bruins football team and also plays basketball, has anchored the offensive line all year. He models his aggressive, high-energy style of play after Oklahoma City Thunder guard Alex Caruso.
"I try to model my play after him because of his effort," Jernigan said. "He plays so hard no matter what, so I try to be like him."
That effort was on display during a critical matchup against Yukon this season. With the Bruins in the red zone, quarterback Michael Kent dropped back to pass, then scrambled across the field. Jernigan tracked the play, noticed Kent reversing course back toward the left side, and immediately adjusted to clear a path.
"I started waving him on, and I had a good block — that I got hit very hard on — but it allowed him to score," Jernigan said.
While big plays define his Friday nights, Jernigan grounds his game in a deeply personal pregame ritual. Before every kickoff, he and his best friend, Landry Holmes, share a quiet moment on the field to pray together.
That focus on faith and leadership directly shapes what Jernigan plans to do after his seven years in the Bartlesville program come to a close. While he remains undecided on where he will attend college, his future goals are rooted in service. He plans to study education to become a coach, and eventually intends to attend seminary to enter the ministry.
For the younger athletes looking to follow in his footsteps, Jernigan offers a simple blueprint for handling the grind of high school sports.
"Some advice I would give is to find the good in everything, because it makes hard stuff so much easier," Jernigan said. "Also give everything you’ve got every day, and find people that will push you."
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PAST AREA GAME CHANGERS:
-Wyatt Mathis (Bartlesville)
-Marshal McDaniel (Dewey)
-Madie Nachbor (Bartlesville)
-Marcus Bryan (Copan)