He took over the South Beauregard program late in the summer, but Brad Kellogg is hoping a big senior class can help the Golden Knights continue the late-season progress they made in 2022.

South Beauregard closed last fall with wins over Pickering and Westlake and is looking for its first winning season since 2016.

At least half of the 13 seniors have been starters or part-time starters since their freshmen year and many know Kellogg from his time as an assistant at South Beauregard in 2018.

“Hud (previous head coach Dwight Hudler) had a short senior class that year and a he had a bunch of freshmen starters,” Kellogg said. “Well, these kids are seniors now.

“It is the way they just took me in. The first day I talked to them, I know it is tough. Hud had been here 12 years. He also did the junior high, so he was the guy for a long time. What has impressed me the most is that they just kind of fell into our system. We do have a familiarity, so it is not like I just walked in the door. They just hadn’t seen me in a while.

“They were in my class and they knew who I was. I think they are buying into what we are wanting to do. They are working hard, and that makes me feel good.”

Leading the defense will be a pair of four-year starters in defensive back Bryce Deason and linebacker Mason Derouen, who has played some fullback, as well.

“(Wade) Zito being here and being their defensive coordinator for their whole football career has helped,” Kellogg said. “We are not trying to sale something different on defense.

“It is really just leadership, especially those two (Deason, Derouen), and getting the other seniors to buy in and believe in me as their new head coach in their last year.

“We look for them to be leaders on the field and use their strengths. I feel like we are going to be OK on defense because we have nine returning starters on defense. We are looking for leadership, not just X’s and 0’s.”

While the defense isn’t changing, the offense is as it switches to the double wing. Quarterback Jesse Shuff graduated and sophomore Walker Langton will step into the role. Christian Wold, who also plays baseball, returns to football after not playing last season and will start at running back.

“It is the same offense we ran when I was the head coach at DeQuincy,” Kellogg said. “Matter of fact, my offensive coordinator at DeQuincy is my offensive coordinator now, Case Marcantel.

“Me and him are familiar with each other. It is a double-slot, two tight end, double-wing, that is pretty much 100 percent of it. We are going to throw the ball. We threw the ball quite a bit when I was at DeQuincy. We are a ball control offense, eat the clock, control the game.”

Other returning starters include offensive lineman Kellen Vincent, Tristan McKinney, who will play on both sides of the line, and running back Cooper Cole.