Staff Photo by Dan Henry / The Chattanooga Times Free Press- 12/12/14. Calhoun High School head coach Hal Lamb becomes frustrated with a call as his team plays Washington County during the GHSA class AAA championship game at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta, Ga. on Friday, December 12, 2014. The Yellowjackets won the state championship over the the Golden Hawks with a final score of 27-20. As the 2015 high school football season kicks off, here are 15 numbers to remember:
1. Seasons it took for Mark Rose to turn things around at North Jackson. The Chiefs went from 2-8 in 2013 and ranked 60th out of 64 Class 4A programs in Alabama to seven wins and a return to the playoffs.
2. Seniors on the South Pittsburg roster.
E.J. Matthews (5) plays running back for Boyd Buchanan. The second night of the Chick-Fil-A High School Football Jamboree was played at Finley Stadium Saturday night. 3. Returning ball carriers in a Whitwell backfield - Cody Ingrassia, Clay McHone and Jake Sartin - that led all TSSAA Class 2A teams with 3,461 rushing yards (7.1 per carry).
4. Home games for McCallie, which faces a killer schedule that includes 10 teams that made the playoffs last year.
5. Wins in its last six games by Boyd-Buchanan to end last season. The Buccaneers rebounded from an 0-5 start to make the playoffs after two-way star E.J. Matthews returned healthy.
6. The streak of consecutive losing seasons snapped by Meigs County last year. In Jason Fitzgerald's first season with the Tigers, he guided them to a 6-5 finish.
7. Departed seniors who signed college scholarships from last season's Notre Dame team that reached the 3A semifinals.
8. Starters back on a Soddy-Daisy defense that allowed 37 points per game.
9. Starters back on an Ooltewah defense that allowed just 45 total points to six league foes and had four shutouts.
10. Wins in 2014 for McMinn Central (10-3), which reached the state quarterfinals for the first time in nearly two decades.
11. Yards per carry for Notre Dame running backs last year. All but one starter returns to the offensive line that paved the way for that impressive stat.
12. Average points per game allowed by East Ridge the last two seasons. The Pioneers have nine starters back on that stingy unit.
13. Consecutive seasons Polk County had qualified for the playoffs under Derrick Davis before missing out with last year's winless finish.
14. Consecutive seasons Calhoun has won at least 10 games.
15. Chattanooga-area teams ranked in The Associated Press's preseason state polls in Tennessee, Georgia and Alabama.
Contact Stephen Hargis at shargis@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6293.