After more than two decades under the leadership of Rusty Phelps, Jennings will have a new boss on the sidelines this season.

Former Kinder head coach Bret Fuselier will look to add to the standards that Phelps set in his 200-win career.

“The thing is how do you replace a guy like Coach Phelps?” Fuselier said. “The thing is you don’t come in here and try to emulate what he did.

“He had great success over here and you can’t get caught up in doing that. You have to be yourself. It is not like I am feeling pressure from it per se. What he did over here was great, but the thing is that we have to look forward. We are just trying to win that first ballgame this year.”

Jennings went 4-8 in 2022 and reached the non-select Division II regional round before falling to Leesville 21-7.

Fuselier is switching the offensive from the split-back veer to the flexbone, but is keeping the defense in the same 4-2-5 with seven starters back, including six seniors in Jude Duhon (DL), Derian Edwards (LB), Walte Robertson (LB), Dwayne Moore (WS), Zae Douglas (CB) and Wyatt Fontenot (FS). Junior Davien Edwards returns on the defensive line.

“Of course, you look at the linebackers and that is where it starts with Walter (Robertson) and Pop (Devian Edwards) at linebacker,” Fuselier said. “They bring that leadership.

“In the secondary, you have Wyatt Fontenot back at free, Stretch (Zae Douglas) back at corner and D.J. Moore is another one returning from last year. We have some other guys that are pretty capable, younger guys that we are asking to step up. I think they are ready for it athletically and mentally. I think in the backend, we have a chance to be pretty good back there. Our question mark is going to be on the defensive line just like on the offense it is our offensive line. We have a lot of guys to replace.”

The Bulldogs return just four offensive starters from last year’s non-select Division II regional finalist team, but two are in the back field in quarterback J.J. Benoit and dual-threat running back ReJohn Zeno (1,083 rushing yards, 334 receiving, 13 total TD).

Senior Kyle Touchet and junior Isaac LeJeune are back to lead the offensive line.

“That is the thing, we have lost so much from the offense last year,” Fuselier said. “Four starters are back but other than that we have fresh faces out there. “I do feel good about their abilities, but it is going to take time for this offense to get going. There are growing pains every year on offense, much less when you are installing a new offense. It is just about getting these kids to learn the offense to where they are comfortable and we can play fast.”