LaFAYETTE RAMBLERS
Head coach: Paul Ellis (8-12 in two years here; 133-84 overall)
Returning starters: 7 offensive; 6 defensive
Key players: RB JaMario Clements (5-11, 190); OL Torenz Smith (6-0, 250); OL Cody Cook (5-11, 190); QB Jaylon Ramsey (5-8, 150); DL David Patterson (5-11, 240); DB Brent Minor (6-0, 170); DB Mason Alexander (5-9, 180); LB Hunter Deal (5-9, 170).
Team strengths: The Ramblers return a pair of 1,200-yard rushers in Clements and Ramsey, and each expects to add to those totals as part of a veteran offense this season. What the team lacks in size it makes up for in athleticism, so expect Coach Ellis to find mismatches for the offense to exploit.
Team concerns: LaFayette can put up points, but can it stop teams? The defense will rely on the speed of its secondary to contain the big plays that haunted the team last year.
Breakout candidate: Maybe lost in the shadow of the Ramblers’ dynamic backfield duo is Trey Taylor. The junior lined up as a slot receiver a year ago and produced several big plays, and with the team expected to air it out a bit more, he could really shine.
Season outlook: The Ramblers move down one classification to AAA, where they join a deep region that many expect to be wide open past newcomer Rockmart.
His team is getting a lot of hype as a playoff contender, but as a veteran coach, Ellis knows to make it more than talk will involve the Ramblers finding a way to finish games. They lost five games in a row to end 2019, three of them by five or fewer points.
“That’s what we’ve tried to put an emphasis on this year,” he said. “We’re trying to condition more, and we want them to finish the fourth quarter. We had a better record my first year, but last year at times we were better. We’re trying to work harder in practice to finish the drill. Hopefully, that will reap benefits this year.”
The defense took positive steps last season, but LaFayette still allowed 28 or more points in each of those five late losses. With stalwarts like Patterson back, Ellis believes improvement is imminent.
“Patterson has one speed, and it’s wide open,” he said, “and I think a lot of our guys will feel more comfortable playing at that speed this year. It’s year three, so it’s time to see some results.”
Staff file photo / LaFayette football coach Paul Ellis has what looks to be a high-powered offense entering the season, but the Ramblers have to show they can limit opposing teams’ big plays, which proved difficult last year.