With multiple experienced skill players back, the Sulphur Tors’ offense is poised to take off this season.

“Our skill positions are probably our deepest as far as most explosive, but our backfield is pretty deadly,” Head Coach Cody Gueringer said. “We’ve got three guys coming back that have had carries. Returning those guys is a big deal.”

They return a three-star tight end in J.D. Lafleur (6-6, 250), and LSU commitment, a pair of receivers and three running backs that combined for nearly 1,500 yards last year.

With more experience in the backfield, Gueringer is hoping the run game will be more involved. It will center around senior Slade Shove-Knox (6-1, 185), and juniors Tyler Joubert (5-9, 170) and Luke Clark (5-9, 165).

“We were 50-50 last year,” Geuringer said. “The problem was we were down most of the game, so having to throw the ball, you know, they kind of dictated the game for us. We didn’t dictate the game for them.

“We want to be able to get under center, but get in the gun as well and use our ability to move and kind of understand the game to our advantage on the outside. Our probably deepest room is our backfield, so we want to be able to rotate those guys in and have a fresh guy all the time.”

Lafleur led the Tors in receiving yards (695), catches (46) and touchdowns (8) last year. Seniors Ian Malon (6-0, 160) and Jackson Beddoe (6-1, 180) combined for 35 catches, 507 yards and four touchdowns.

The Tors added some depth to the offensive line by bringing over Cooper Cross and Jared Abshire (6-0, 210) from the defensive side. Senior center Beckham Levens (6-0, 205) and senior left guard Troy Gann (5-11, 230) are the only returning starters. Abshire will start at right guard, while the tackle spots will be seniors Cole Benoit (6-5, 265) and Logan Hines (6- 3, 250).

“We kind of got a six, seven-man rotation going on now,” Geuringer said. “We made some changes up front on the offensive line that we’re hoping can really solidify us up there.

“We just were very inexperienced up front, sort of trying to get those guys ready and adjusted to what we were doing. It just took a little longer than we wanted to. We are pretty excited to have those guys up front this year in the trenches on the offensive side.”

The biggest change on the offensive side will be at quarterback where they will replace a 2,000- yard passer (Addison Constance) with former wide receiver Brodie Depriest (5-9, 170).

“He’s got experience, but there’s no experience for Friday night, you know, especially at the quarterback position at this level,” Geuringer said. “I expect him to have a few bumps in the road, but at the same time, I expect him to grow from those bumps pretty quickly, which is great. So, it’s good that he’s kind of been able to take ownership of the program even more from a leadership perspective, being a positive leader.”

Defensively, the Tors will look to a trio of returning seniors on the line in Jay Michael Stelly (5-10, 210), Tahjai Smith (5-10, 205) and Drake Mays (5-10, 245) to improve a unit that allowed 35.2 points a game in 2023.

“There were some times where big plays and a fair amount of points were given up,” Geuringer said. “(We need) unity and not giving up the big play, the explosive play.

“Too many times we faltered with that. We didn’t rally to the football. We didn’t desire to do our job defensively. We relied on too much individualism, and it hurt us in the long run.”

The only other returning starters on the defense are Tripp Shaw (5-10, 175) and Isais Lebaron (6-0, 175) in the secondary. They will be joined by sophomore Tracy Washington (6-0, 180), junior Jasper Grimball (5-11, 175) and senior Mason DePriest (5-9, 170). Linebackers will all be new in seniors Cardale Morgan (6-0, 190), and Davin Lee-Stevens (5-8, 180) and sophomore Wesley Bushnell (5-11, 185).

SULPHUR

Mascot: Golden Tornadoes.

Home Stadium: Matt Walker Memorial Stadium.

District: 3-5A

Playoff division: Nonselect Division I.

Head coach: Cody Gueringer.

Head coach career record: 24-29.

2023 record (Dist.): 4-6 (3-5).

Last time in playoffs (round): 2021 (bi-district)

Returning starters (offense/defense): 9/5

Key players lost: Addison Constance (QB), Austin Babez (WR), Jace Keiser (DB), Greyson Stelly (DB), Noah Mouton (OL).

Top returners: John David Lafleur (TE), Jay Michael Stelly (DL),Tahjai Smith (DL).

Schedule

Sept. 6 vs. St. Louis Catholic

Sept. 13 vs. Northside

Sept. 20 at Vandebilt Catholic

Sept. 27 vs. Sam Houston*

Oct. 4 at Acadiana*

Oct. 11 at New Iberia*

Oct. 18 vs. Southside*

Oct. 25 at Carencro*

Nov. 1 vs. Barbe*

Nov. 8 at Lafayette*

*District 3-5A game