Storylines to follow

Rockdale County High School football has gotten better every year under fourth-year head coach Venson Elder. Elder was a late hire his first year with the team, and they went 3-8 that season. In Elder's second year, the team went 6-4 but missed the playoffs. Last year Rockdale made the playoffs as the No. 4 seed and this year they're looking to claim a No. 1 or No. 2 seed.

The Bulldogs lost a strong senior class that begins with T.J. Warren, now at the University Missouri, but that Elder believes he's got the talent to win. Players like Deonta Clark, Tajee Steele and Ryan Ross will fill roles left by former players.

Last season, Rockdale struggled against tougher competition, but this year Elder hopes things will be different. Elder and his team want to go down to Lowndes and come back victorious, they want to beat Tucker and Lovejoy, and likely most of all they want to beat Newton.

Top guns:

QB: Senior Zuri Minnifield. Minnifield is a four-year starter at QB.

RB: Junior Deonta Clark Jr.

WR: Senior Tajee Steele

DL: Senior Ryan Ross

LB: Junior Slade Bass

DB: Senior Rodney Williams

KR/PR: Andrew Tanner

Projected award winners:

MVP:

Most Improved player: Senior DB Rodney Williams

Practice warrior:

Defensive player to watch: Deonta Clark

Offensive player to watch: Tajee Steele

Breakout candidate: Senior DT Hubert Henderson

Schedule

8/21 7:30 p.m.
Vs. Heritage (Conyers, GA)
Location: Rockdale County High School

8/28 7:30 p.m
@ Salem (Conyers, GA)

9/4 7:30 p.m
@ Meadowcreek (Norcross, GA)

9/11 7:30 p.m
@ Lowndes (Valdosta, GA)

9/18 7:30 p.m
Vs. Stockbridge (Stockbridge, GA)

9/25
BYE WEEK

10/2 7:30 p.m
@ Lovejoy (Lovejoy, GA)

10/9 7:30 p.m
Vs. Tucker (Tucker, GA)

10/16
BYE WEEK

10/23 7:30 p.m
@ Lakeside (Atlanta, GA)

10/30 7:30 p.m
Vs. Alcovy (Covington, GA)

11/6 7:30 p.m
@ Newton (Covington, GA)