Head Coach Brad Kellogg’s first season with the South Beauregard Golden Knights was a bit of a crash course. He got the job five weeks before the 2023 season started.

Now he has had a full year to implement his plans and the program is growing with 70 players, giving them the depth they lacked in previous years.

“I feel good about it, and I think they’re buying into the culture we’re trying to get here,” Kellogg said. “I feel pretty good.

“That’s the No. 1 thing. In the league we’re playing in, the more depth you have, the better chance you’re going to have. We got an offseason in and got a lot of kids. Our enrollment out here at South Beauregard is just blowing up. We’re able for the first time ever to have 11 on offense and 11 on defense. So we got depth, and we got experience.”

The Knights have five returning starters on offense but will make a big change on that end to the power spread. But they are not abandoning their run game.

“We changed the offenses completely, so it’s given us a little more kids on the field at that receiver spot,” Kellogg said. “I think it sounds crazy going spread, but I think our running game should be our strength.

“We’ll be able to catch the ball and throw the ball well enough to move the chains to keep from people loading the box up.”

Senior running back Clayton Folks, a second-team all-district player last year, will benefit from an offensive line with four seniors in Draye Reeves, Mikel Stanley, Noah Rockwell and Wyatt Hanks. They return two receivers in seniors Christian Wold and Cy Barrow.

Undercenter will be junior Walker Langton, who had some limited reps last year. Other new starters include senior halfback Drew Benoit and wide receiver Luke Fontenot and three linemen in seniors Noah Rockwell and Wyatt Hanks, and junior Isaiah Lampton.

Kellogg likes the experienced linemen he has on both sides of the ball and being able to reduce the number of players that have to play both ways.

“Even though some of them didn’t start last year, they probably played as much as the starters.

“They’re going one way, so they’re not getting overloaded with defensive information and all that. We’re pretty big. I think we’re about 240 (pounds), probably at least 240 across the front, so we got size. That doesn’t mean everything, but they have size and a few of them can move. I think that’s why I think our running game is going to be a positive for us.”

Juniors Shooter Soileau, who earned first-team all-district honors last year, and Dawson Barrow return on the defensive line and will be joined by senior Caden Johnson. Also returning are senior safety Kade Jackson and cornerback Noah Fontenot.

“Defensively, I think that is the strength of our whole team,” Kellogg said. “They’re athletic, I mean, they fly the football.

“They’re really aggressive. So, I think that even though I’ve got some sophomores plugged in there. They’re really good defensive players. They love to play defense. So, that makes a big difference, too. I really think that the strength of our whole team as a whole is our defense.”

New starters on the defensive side are linebackers Chris Milner, Alex Baggett, Hunter Bellard and Jacob Marcantel, and sophomore defensive backs Mason Richards and Micah Dupre.

SOUTH BEAUREGARD

Mascot: Golden Knights.

District: 3-3A.

Playoff division: Nonselect Division II.

Head coach: Brad Kellogg.

Head coach career record: 27-26.

2023 record (Dist.): 4-7 (1-5).

Last time in playoffs (round): 2023 (bi-district)

Returning starters (offense/defense): 5/4

Key players lost: Mason DeRouen (RB/LB), Bryce Deason (DB), Tristan McKinney (LB).

Top returners: Clayton Folks (RB), Shooter Soileau (DL), Noah Fontenot (DB), Kade Jackson (S).

Schedule

Sept. 6 vs. DeRidder

Sept. 12 at Washington-Marion (Thurs.)

Sept. 20 vs. Buckeye

Sept. 27 vs. Welsh

Oct. 4 at Port Barre

Oct. 10 at Kinder (Thurs.)

Oct. 18 vs. Jennings*

Oct. 25 at St. Louis Catholic*

Nov. 1 vs. Westlake*

Nov. 8 at Lake Charles College Prep*

*District 3-3A game