Head coach: Charles Hammon (32-26 in five seasons here; 54-74 overall)
Returning starters: 2 offensive; 7 defensive
Key players: DT Luis Medina (6-1, 290); LB Jacoby Cottrell (6-1, 185); DB Dylan Woody (6-1, 200); DB Jamarious Mosteller (6-1, 170); RB Lashaun Lester (5-10, 210); OL Dez Jones (6-1, 250); QB Cash Allen (6-4, 190).
Team strengths: The defense could be coach Hammon's best, led by FBS recruit Medina up front, a strong linebacking corps featuring Cottrell and ball-hawking DBs Woody and Mosteller.
Team concerns: The offensive side lost nine starters, including four senior starting linemen, as well as the transfer of Power Five conference running back recruit E.J. Lackey to Rome. Several players will be counted on to start both ways for the first time.
Breakout candidate: Hammon mentioned a pair of sophomore defenders, Carter Lowenburg and Zander Cook, as players who could step in and make an already-good defense even that much better.
"They have great noses for the football for such young players," Hammon said.
Season outlook: The Indians won nine games a year ago and featured one of the best rushing attacks in the state with a pair of 1,000-yard running backs and an all-senior offensive line. Nine of those guys are gone, though, so the shift in strength goes to the other side of the ball.
"Time will tell us everything, but we could be special on that (defensive) side," he said. "We've got seven back from a nine-win team and we get Jamarious Mosteller back from injury. He's a very special kid. All those guys seem to have a genuine love for football."
It all starts up front with disruptive lineman Luis Medina, who has a rare combination of size and speed for the position and a motor that never stops.
"He meets all the expectations; there are no doubts about Luis," Hammon said of Medina, who is being recruited by FBS schools Troy, South Florida and UAB. "He's a once-in-a-million-defensive tackle. Line him up and he's going to run low 4.7 every time."
The Indians also return leading tackler Jacoby Cottrell (90), fellow linebacker Ty Veetch and another elite wrestler in lineman Alex Mears to go with a very athletic backfield.