LaFAYETTE RAMBLERS
Head coach: Paul Ellis (first year here; 125-72 overall)
Returning starters: 5 offensive, 4 defensive
Key players: QB Vyshonn Daniel (5-11, 190), OL John Green (6-2, 250), DE Jack Martin (6-0, 230), WR/LB Andrew Pendergrass (6-2, 175), DE Landon Rayburn (6-2, 200).
Team strengths: Ellis said the defensive front will be athletic, if not overly big. Junior kicker Max Studdard is possibly the region's best. The team has made major gains in the weightroom, Ellis said.
Team concerns: While most starting spots are set, depth is an issue at most positions. It will take time for the Ramblers to adjust to a new staff and new schemes.
Newcomers to watch: Though not new to the sports scene at LaFayette, athletic senior quarterback Daniel, who made his mark mostly on defense a year ago, and wide receiver Tyrese Marsh add speed to an offense that values getting its playmakers out in space.
Season outlook: Ellis makes no excuses about being a bit old-school when it comes to coaching football, but that doesn't mean he's stuck in the past.
The 50-year-old Ellis won 125 games in Alabama and six region titles at Fort Payne. He's the son of a coach and learned long ago that the fundamentals of winning football never change.
It's why he had the Ramblers tackling in the spring when most programs were more concerned with conditioning. He quickly let his players know that effort is not optional and that his teams also will be known for traits such as honor, dignity and class.
"I want our kids to put a quality brand of football on the field. We want our community to be proud of how we play football. We also expect to win games," Ellis said.
He plans to end a streak of five consecutive last-place or next-to-last finishes in Region 6-AAAA, though he understands the groundwork for success must be laid first. To that end, he has installed a spread offense and a 3-4 defense to take advantage of the team's overall speed.
"We are going to be a work in progress," he said. "Our spread offense will have some variation to it. I have a huge wing-T background, so we'll have some aspects of that."
Daniel will head the offense and will be helped by a pair of talented receivers in Pendergrass and Marsh. The defense will be undersized by region standards, but Ellis hopes to make up for that with speed and fundamentals.
"I want our defense to be solid tacklers, and we should be able to hold our own up front most games," he said. "I'm excited about the possibilities here."