The first step toward another season of Friday night memories was taken by several hundred high school football programs across Tennessee Monday. And for the 10th straight year I crammed as many stops as I could at area programs on the first day that prep football teams in the state are allowed to practice in pads.

Although teams in Alabama and Georgia can't strap on the pads for another week, I made a stop in each of those states as well.

What I discovered after a 15-hour, 369-mile, 2-time-zone whirlwind tour is something I already had a pretty good idea about: Ooltewah, Red Bank, Boyd-Buchanan, Tyner, Howard and South Pittsburg will be loads of fun to watch once the season kicks off in a month.

As preseason practice began, those programs already looked ready for kickoff, but as usual plenty of other area upsets and upstarts will make the rapidly approaching season memorable.