KNOXVILLE - The Sevier County football team entered this offseason without many of its big play makers from the 2015 season.
Deuce Wallace, Devante Matthews and Dorian Banks lead the Smoky Bears and their high-powered offense to their first state championship berth since the 1999 season. Sevier County fell to Independence High School, 49-14 in the Class 5-A state title game.
Head Coach Tony Linginfelter is relying on senior leadership to get his team back to the state championship game.
"Our senior leadership is very important," Linginfelter said. "I think that was the key to our success last year. We had a great group of seniors."
The Smoky Bears return only three starters on offense and four starters on defense.
"We've had to change a few things not having Devante (Matthews), Dorian (Banks) and Deuce (Wallace)," senior defensive lineman Luke Ellis said. "We're not going to be able to run some of the same stuff we were able to do with them."
"It's just a new challenge," Linginfelter said.
That new challenge will require the new seniors to step up.
"We have to," senior wide receiver Charlie Brown said. "Especially the guys who were on the field last year as juniors, having to step up big time to lead the younger guys."
"It's opened up a lot of opportunity for us to step up and lead the team," senior center Austin Roberts said. "It's been great, honestly."
Sevier County opens the season at home August 19 against Cleveland High School at 7 p.m.