Football Preview: Forsyth Central High School

Cumming Patch continues our weekly preview series of Forsyth County high school football. This week we are highlighting the Forsyth Central Bulldogs who intend to have a lot more bite in 2011.

For a coach whose team finished 1-9 and last in Region 7-AAAA a year ago, there is an unmistakable air of confidence in Chris Bennett's voice when he talks about the 2011 season.

It could be the 24 seniors he has returning, or it could be the fact that the Bulldogs enjoyed a super successful off season. Whatever it is, Bennett and his team are ready to tee it up and get the season started.

In the spring, the Bulldogs focused on the fundamentals. In the summer, they traveled to Carrollton for West Georgia University's football camp where they finished fifth out of 17 teams in the team competition.

"We're very excited Bennett said. The maturity level this year is going to be very high. We learned a lot about our players during the summer camp and saw just how great their potential is. We're going to be a very experienced team with a lot of experienced players returning."

Returning to lead the Bulldogs Wing-T offense is senior Spencer Transue, a 5-10, 170-pounder who holds all the school's single-season passing records. A 14-game starter, Transue passed for 1,100 yards last year.

Senior Alex Taylor (5-9, 180) is an All-Region running back who rushed for 900 yards last year.

Several other players will be competing for carries, including starters Alex Taylor, JT Locke and newcomers Miller Cone, Shay Hollis and Kahner Jackson.

But to move the ball, the Bulldogs will have to replace four of their five interior linemen, including All-Region center Dustin Manders.

Jacob Nesmith (6-3, 245), who will start on both the offensive and defensive line, should help with that rebuilding project. Bennett says he is the strongest player on the team and is considered a Division 1 prospect.

Transue will have his favorite target back in senior wide receiver Duncan Burch (6-2, 195). The two hooked up for 500 yards last year. Burch will also start in the Bulldogs defensive backfield where he is big, strong back who defends the run well from his secondary position.

Defensively, Forsyth Central will return a lot of experienced players, including Burch, who is an All-Region player and Nesmith, a three-year starter.

The Bulldogs have a solid core of linebackers returning, including another All-Region player, Damien Butler. The other linebackers are Kurt Osgood, Gary Milloway and junior Miller Cone. Newcomers Jake Gorczyca and Shay Hollis will also compete for a job in that group as well.

Seniors Robert Curry, Eli Jeffers, and Lyle Caballes will join Burch in the secondary along with several others competing for time.