Football 2014: North Gwinnett hoping latest rebuilding job resembles last one

SUWANEE -- North Gwinnett coach Bob Sphire has been here before.<br /> <br /> Heading into the 2008 season, the Bulldogs were coming off a run to the Class AAAAA title game and faced a rebuilding season with an inexperienced roster. In 2014, North Gwinnett is looking at perhaps another rebuilding season after falling to Norcross in the AAAAAA title game last year.<br /> <br /> However, Sphire hopes the "rebuilding" process goes as well this time as last -- the Bulldogs reached the third round of the playoffs before falling to Newnan in 2008.<br /> <br /> "We lost a lot of skilled guys from last year but the real problem is that we will be rebuilding both lines," Sphire said. "We're not a real veteran team coming into this year so add that to an inexperienced line and it's hard to say right now that we're not rebuilding. But, in '08 the guys came together pretty quickly. We're hoping the same thing happens again this year."<br /> <br /> Gone are big-time playmakers Hayden Sphire (QB), wide receivers Nate Brown and Caleb Scott and running back C.J. Leggett, who helped the Bulldogs put up prolific numbers last season on offense.<br /> <br /> Offensively, senior John Urzua takes over under center and will have senior WR Almonzo Brown and senior TE Daniel Imatorbhebhe as targets. Junior Josh Imatorbhebhe and seniors Kyler Knudsen and Harold Johnson also will provide Urzua some solid receivers.<br /> <br /> Sphire said they will need the preseason to find the right combinations on the line and in the backfield. Juniors Jordan Frye and Kameron Pickett, senior Jordan Weddington, sophomore Ryan Lovelace, and senior Jay James will get turns at running back.<br /> <br /> On defense, senior DE Anree Saint-Armour is the only returning starter on the line and seniors Avery Elford and Jaye Stackhouse are all that remain from a solid secondary.<br /> <br /> "We're young on defense from an experience standpoint and finding a quality front-seven will be a key for us," Sphire said.<br /> <br /> The Bulldogs will find out quickly just what they have. They open with McEachern, rated by some as No. 7 in the nation, in the Corky Kell Classic on the Indians home field and then face playoff teams North Cobb and Hillgrove before opening their Region 7-AAAAAA schedule against Collins Hill, the only team to knock them off during the regular season last year.<br /> <br /> "It's a brutal schedule for us but it gives us a chance to see where we are and what we need to do to get where we want to go," Sphire said. "In '08 it was the same kind of thing. We lost the first game but made adjustments and improvements and went on a good roll after that.<br /> <br /> "But honestly we're dampening our expectations. We don't have the depth we did back then and going into a season rebuilding both lines of scrimmage is always challenging."<br /> <br /> The Bulldogs will need to be ready by the time region starts. After Collins Hill they face Mill Creek, defending state champ Norcross, and Peachtree Ridge in successive weeks. They could either be right in the middle of the playoff race or out of it all together with a month left in the season if they haven't found the answers to their questions.