It's back to the gridiron as Heritage started spring football on May 6. This is the first time seeing the players in action for new coach Mike Parris, who previously spent 17 years as coach at Jackson High School.

Heritage had an 8-3 record last year, one of its most successful seasons in school history.

Heritage lost in the first round of the playoffs to Allatoona. Heritage also lost its previous head coach Chad Frazier, who accepted the head football coach and athletic director positions at Villa Rica.

Parris has some big expectations for his first year at Heritage. He also expects his team to play hard and go out and try to win every game.

"Our expectations are extremely high," Parris said. "We're going to go out this summer and work very hard, and we're going to try and win them all, that's for sure."

Obe Fortune, Chandler Peeples, Donovan Norfleet and Derek Nance are key players who all expected to play big for the Patriots this season. Peeples, Norfleet and Nance are all upcoming seniors.

Fortune played a lot of varsity minutes as a sophomore and is expecting a big junior season.

Coach Parris wants to build a rich history at Heritage, just like he did at Jackson. His motto for his team is "Don't get out-hit, don't get out-condition, and don't lose the fourth quarter."

"That's what we're going to live by," Parris said.

Heritage opens its season Aug. 30 against Northgate.

The first region game is against cross-town rival Salem on Sept. 13.