A little more than a season ago, the Nash Central football team appeared poised to jump from the middle to the top of the NEW 6 Conference.

The Bulldogs boasted a talented option quarterback, a strong bull of a fullback and a veteran offensive line. All the pieces were in place for a season to remember. And the Bulldogs did not disappoint. They finished 9-5 overall and advanced to the third round of the NCHSAA 3-AA state playoffs.

But there are more questions this season. Cameron Holloway, that quarterback with all the speed and the 2007 Telegram Offensive Player of the Year, graduated and is off to play in California.

Eric Moore, the fullback, walked across the stage in a cap and gown, too. So did more than a dozen other seniors who helped lift the program. And, during the spring, coach Kenneth Grantham tendered his resignation to coach at his alma mater, Greene Central. Kevin Crudup, a former Bulldogs assistant and a rookie head coach, will grab the headset on the sideline.

But through all the changes, the Bulldogs remain a good team and a wild card to contend for a top spot in the NEW 6.

Quarterback Justin Rollins, a junior and a more traditional pocket passer, will start under center after bring groomed for the position during the last two seasons. A team of running backs, including Ricardo Douglas and Niem Dancy, will handle the bulk of the ground game. And the Bulldogs "will definitely pass more this season," Crudup said, in part because of the speed of the wide receivers, especially Danny Allen, the defending 3-A state champion in the 300-meter hurdles, Dominique Holloway and T.J. Parker.

"If they can't stop us from running the ball, then there will be no need for us to stop running it," Crudup said. "But we will throw the ball more."

On the other side of the ball, linebackers Godfrey Hines and Michael Speight, a converted defensive back who intercepted his share of errant passes last season, will spark the defense.

And though these Bulldogs might be different – a new name here, a new face there – their collective goal remains the same as it does each season. Win each week and, in the end, change those conference standings.

Matt LaWell can be reached at 407-9952 or mlawell@coxnc.com