NORTH JACKSON CHIEFS
Head coach: Mark Rose (139-52 in 16 years overall; 85-15 in previous nine-year stint here)
Last year: 2-8 overall; missed the playoffs for only the second time in school history
Returning starters (O/D/K): 5/5/0
Control panel: With Rose's return, the Chiefs will go back to a power run game and have big-play threats in senior RB Octavious Matthews (6-1, 180), WB C.J. Cobb (5-8, 160), and WRs Austin Cummings (6-5, 210), Brodie Grider (5-8, 170) and Bray Eldridge (5-10, 170).
New producers: The one position that was unsettled last year was quarterback, but that all changed when junior Logan Walters (6-1, 185) transferred in from Marion County. Walters gives the Chiefs a passing threat who's also mobile enough to be a threat to run. He helped the Chiefs reach the championship game of a 7-on-7 summer tournament where they were the smallest school competing.
Items of interest:
2 - The number of losing seasons in the 25-year history of the program, including last year's 2-8 finish. The other came in 1999, and both times North Jackson followed by hiring Rose to come in and turn things around. In his first stint the Chiefs went 54-2 against region competition.
345 - The total offensive yards averaged by Chiefs opponents last season, the most allowed in program history. Opponents outgained North Jackson by an average of more than 120 yards as the Chiefs barely rushed for more than 1,000 yards (1,030) as a team and were outscored by an average of 34-12.
"They were embarrassed and hurt by what happened last year, and they want to make everybody forget about that and get that respect back." - Chiefs coach Mark Rose
2014 SCHEDULE
(all games at 8 Eastern)
Aug. 29 - Guntersville
Sept. 5 - at Locust Fork*
Sept. 12 - Priceville*
Sept. 19 - at DAR*
Sept. 26 - Scottsboro
Oct. 3 - at J.B. Pennington*
Oct. 10 - Westminster Christian*
Oct. 17 - at Oneonta*
Oct. 24 - Good Hope*
Oct. 31 - at East Limestone