Proving time is one day away for North Augusta High School's football team, as the Yellow Jackets start the 2010 football season with a 7:30 p.m. home game against Midland Valley.

"Right now, we are definitely focusing on Midland Valley and intensity and playing fast," said Andrew Smith, an offensive lineman looking to spend the next 10-15 weeks opening the way for fellow seniors Loranzo Hammonds and Demarcus Rouse - major elements in a squad with sky-high expectations for 2010.

In 2009, North Augusta had its best season in more than a decade, posting an 11-2 record, winning a home playoff game and advancing to the second round of the Class AAAA postseason. The average scoring margin was 34-15 - the culmination of four years of hard work for the coaching staff and players, who finished with a 1-10 record in 2006, the first year with Dan Pippin as head coach.

"It was a lot of fun," Pippin said of last year's senior-laden team, which had more than a half-dozen players move on to play college football. "It was a special team. The seniors really stuck with us."

The Yellow Jackets lost a good number of big-time players and solid contributors from last year's team. They do return a core of outstanding players, led by Hammonds, who threw for 2,315 yards and 31 touchdowns last season and added 1,016 yards rushing with 13 more scores. Watching his moves have been scouts from Clemson, South Carolina, Vanderbilt, Illinois, Maryland, Middle Tennessee and North Carolina State, among other major college football programs.

Rouse rushed for 940 yards and 12 touchdowns in 2009, with help from Smith and fellow senior Chris Williams on the offensive line, where they will be looking to give Hammonds extra time to connect with a receiving corps including Montez McGuire(10 receptions, 199 yards, two touchdowns) and Jessie Pernell (41 receptions, 481 yards, 10 touchdowns). Pernell is also the team's primary kick returner.

"They're big kids and phenomenally strong," Pippin said of his returning linemen, referring to a group that also includes Ricky Cervantes - a three-year starter at nose guard who set the state record in the bench press. He benched 440 pounds and has squatted 600.

"He's tough to block," Pippin gushed about the 5-foot-8 player he said would have colleges swarming over him were he four inches taller.

Mainstays in North Augusta's defense include senior defensive backs Jaylon Myers and Justin Milledge as well as junior strong safety (and punter and place-kicker) Vinny Miller - SDLqguys who have been in the program a long time," in Pippin's words.

When asked about other players who may be stepping into the spotlight, Pippin mentioned senior linebackers Tyree Stallings and Rashard Wright. Other seniors who Pippin said he will be counting on include Josh McCormick, Michael Krepps, Dylan Blackburn and Will Harris.

Nine of 11 starters from last year's defense are gone. To complete the turnover, Derrick Quinn will be in his first season as defensive coordinator.

In spite of being less experienced, Pippin is high on the effort his defenders have been giving in practices.

"They work very hard," he said. "Every day is fun. They're eager and learning."

Although the faces may be different, North Augusta will still use the 4-3 as its base package. They'll vary their approach to blitzing and stunting based on particular matchups.

Back on offense, Hammonds is such an adept runner that he can wreak havoc with defenders stretched across the gridiron. If they focus too much on Hammonds, he has lots of options to share the ball with, including talented receivers Pernell, McGuire and Myers. Rouse should see time at running back and as a slot receiver.

"We're going to do a better job of keeping Rouse in the game," Pippin said of putting him in a variety of positions. "We don't have enough balls to go around. We're going to try to move it a bunch."

Barring injury or anything else that might keep Hammonds from playing, the Jackets' offense will be among the best in the region. That alone will make North Augusta a playoff team. In order to compete for a region title and make a push deep into the state playoffs, the Yellow Jackets' defense must show that the new starters are just as capable.

In 2009, the team and much of the community rallied around the motto, "All In." This year, the coaches came up with a new mantra, "Carpe Diem" - the Latin phrase for "Seize the day."

Pippin explained, "We've got to get our kids to take advantage of our opportunities. We can't rely on anybody else. I just want the guys to do their best every day. That's all I can ask."