South Pittsburg

Head coach: Wes Stone (10-2 here and overall)

Returning starters: 3 offensive; 4 defensive

Last year’s record: 11-2 overall, won Class 1A state championship

Key players: Jayden Mount (5-9, 165) Sr. QB/RB/WR, Racash Kelly (5-9, 155)

Jr. WR/RB/QB, Kamden Wellington (6-0, 190) Jr. QB/ RB, Dez McNeil (5-9, 155) Sr. LB, Jamarion Farrior (6-0, 175) Jr. LB, Logan Hargis (6-1, 175) Jr. DB, Braden Sherrill (6-0, 215) Sr. OL

Season outlook: A whirlwind season that began with uncertainty when head coach Chris Jones abruptly resigned after just one game and included a rough early stretch as the team worked to find its footing ended with an unexpected state championship.

Stone, who took over as co-head coach last season, now has sole control of the program. He and his staff will need to develop some younger players for the Pirates to make another deep playoff run.

But there is a good nucleus as Mount, Kelly and Wellington will all see time at quarterback, running back and receiver, depending on different offensive packages, and they give the Pirates an extremely athletic backfield. Taja Robinson (5-10,

180) is another physical runner who has waited his turn, and Jacob Bivens has shown solid ball skills at receiver.

As is usually the case, the Pirates won’t lack for playmakers. The key to their season will come on the offensive line, where senior Yogi Garman is the only starter back.

Braden Sherrill (6-0, 215) returns after not playing last season, however, and should help strengthen the front, which will be undersized as a whole.

Stone said the linebacker group, which includes McNeil and Farrior — last season’s leading tacklers — as well as Wellington, will

not only anchor the defense but could be the strength of the whole team. The secondary is fast and physical, including Hargis, the state runner-up in both the 110- and 300-meter hurdles, Mount — a twosport all-state athlete — and Kelly, who is expected to have a breakout season on both sides of the ball.