The Buckingham County High School football team scored 525 points in 12 games last season.
That's over 43 a night.
But after three straight seasons in the playoffs, the Knights will have to replace a three-year starting quarterback.
Buckingham has won 29 games in the last three seasons, including first round playoff victories the last two years. The Knights aren't satisfied though.
"Very disappointing going to the playoffs and losing and coming back down the road on that bus, very disappointing," said junior Kenneth Johnson, who plays running back, wide receiver, and linebacker.
13 seniors graduated from last year's 9-3 squad, including first-team All-Region B quarterback and three-year starter Tarian Ayers, who's now a signal caller at VMI.
"His knowledge for the game, it's just unbelievable," said sophomore running back/kick returner/linebacker/cornerback Kyree Koonce. "I talk to him almost every day. He just shares everything he knows with me."
Taking the quarterback duties from Ayers, who also earned second-team all-district at defensive back, in 2012 is senior Cam Johnson, who earned second-team all-region at wide receiver and honorable mention all-region at defensive back last season.
"It's just a big step in leadership, and I think I'm ready to take that role this year and just lead my team to great success," said Cam Johnson, who played QB on JV. "It's a chance to create a new identity for this team."
"He knows exactly what a wide receiver does, so he can put the ball wherever the wide receivers want them at," said senior offensive tackle/defensive lineman Justin Miles. "He's going to follow in Tarian's footsteps."
Buckingham County returns seven starters on defense and six on offense, including playmakers Kenneth "Peanut" Johnson and Koonce. Johnson and Koonce both rushed for over 800 yards in 2011. Johnson earned first-team all-district at running back (honorable mention all-region) as a sophomore and will also play wide receiver this year. Koonce, an honorable mention all-district running back, is an all-district kick returner (honorable mention all-region) as well.
"It's a big confident feeling for me knowing that I have those guys back there, and I can hand the ball off to them, and they can get five or ten here for me," said Cam Johnson.
After three straight seasons with nine or more wins, the Knights want more in 2012.
"We've got to get over the hump," said Cam Johnson. "We've been bounced in the second round a couple of times in the past two years. The guys this year seem hungry. We're trying to get over that hump and get to that state championship, and those guys are ready to do it."
"We got to set high standards, come out on the field every day and work hard," said senior tight end/linebacker Wade Lee. "Everybody's goal is to get a ring. We don't want to win a playoff game. We want to win a championship ring."
"That's all we dreamed of, make it to the state championship game," said Koonce. "Like Coach (Craig) Gill said, we're planning to have 15 games this season."
"It would mean a whole lot, something I've never experienced, and something I do want to experience, so I'm going to go out here and work hard," said Miles, who earned second-team all-district on the offensive line in 2011. "Our whole team is going to combine together as one, and we going to do it. This year, we are going to do better. Our eyes are set basically on the ring, so I know we're going to do better."
"It would just mean a lot for this county if we could just get to a state championship," said Cam Johnson.
Buckingham opens the season at Appomattox August 24 at 7:00 p.m. The Knights play six of their ten games on the road, including four of the first five.
The Knights also graduated first-team all-district and honorable mention all-region offensive lineman Thomas Midkiff, second-team all-district wide receiver and defensive back L.A. Briley, and honorable mention all-district performers Landon Allen (wide receiver), William Perkins-Good (offensive line), Colby Taylor (center), Cody Herndon (defensive lineman), and Laysean Hearns (defensive end).
15 seniors are on this year's team, including honorable mention all-region linebacker Tariq Bartee (first-team all-district), second-team all-district defensive end Devin Smith, honorable mention all-district offensive lineman Ryan Jones, and lineman Carter Allen.
Honorable mention all-district wide receiver Jesse Hickman, a junior, is also back this season.
Buckingham scored over 43 points a game last season and gave up under 20 a night (237 points in 12 games).
