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Franklin football players had to reach pretty far back to get a grip on their program's playoff history heading into last season.
This year, the Lions need only remember 2007. And there are enough players returning from last year's team so that it's not a reach to expect them to write another postseason chapter.
The Lions will return several key players, including five all-district picks, as they attempt to build upon last year's 8-2 finish that included the school's first playoff trip in four seasons.
"The expectations are a lot greater at this point than they were last year because of the success we had last season," Franklin coach Mike Hedrick said. "The way the kids worked in the offseason, they're looking forward to it. A lot of it is mental.
"We're going to be young in some spots. Of course we were young in some spots last year, and we had some kids step up. They surprised me last year. They really pulled together as a team. Having some success early, we kind of built on that."
Franklin will enter the season with a wealth of experience in the offensive and defensive backfields.
Last year, juniors Jake Russ and Ross Bishop shared quarterback duties. This season, Franklin coaches will put Russ at quarterback and move Bishop to tailback, lining him up in the slot in the Lions' ground-pounding offense.
"We need to get both of those guys on the field," Hedrick said.
Russ and Bishop, along with running back Ray Ford and fullback British Walker, will operate behind an offense line led by junior guard Eric Dobbs, senior tackle D.J. Wilson and junior end Jonathan Eiman. Danny Bancroft at center, Wayne Cloat at guard and Skylar Bosley at tackle also will play up front on offense.
The Lions return all four starters in the defensive secondary, and their experience should come in handy against any teams running the many variations of the spread offense. Cornerbacks Bishop and Walker and safeties Landon Vickers and Russ played well last season as juniors, Hedrick said. Bishop was a second-team All-Brazos Valley selection after making six interceptions.
Other key members of Franklin's defense include 5-foot-11, 220-pound senior nose guard Rodney Dooley and Ford at inside linebacker.
Several juniors will bolster the defense, including Randall Rutledge at end, Patrick McCullough at tackle, Steven Knight at linebacker and Scott Sanders at linebacker.
Franklin is entering its third season under Hedrick, who began to see his system pay dividends last year after moving from Leon. The stability could help Franklin reach the postseason in consecutive seasons for the first time since 1998.
"The kids are comfortable in the offense, and they're confident," Hedrick said. "It's the same thing defensively. We've got really good leadership from our seniors, and that helps the young guys."
Franklin will open the season at Rogers on Aug. 29 and visit Salado the next week. The Lions' home opener is set for Sept. 12 against Groveton.
