50 questions for Gadsden area teams, 50 days ahead of the high school football season

It's officially 50 days until the start of the 2024 high school football season.

High school football teams can start playing games officially on Aug. 22, but a majority of teams will start play the next day, Friday. The Gadsden area is looking to build off a successful 2023 season that saw Fyffe win their seventh state title while Coosa Christian and Cherokee County both were runner-ups. Three other Gadsden area teams made the state semifinals while Gadsden City made it to the third round in Class 6A.

In honor of it being 50 days until football season, here's 50 questions that the 2024 season will hopefully answer.

1. Lets start big: Can an Etowah County team finally break the now 22-year drought and bring a football Blue Map Trophy back to the county for the first time since 2001, when Hokes Bluff won it all.
2. On that note: After a semifinal and state final appearance, is this the year that Mark O'Bryant and Coosa Christian break through with the schools first state title?
3. Another one on the same note: Can the area have multiple state title winners in football after a few teams have been on the cusp the last few seasons?
4. Now that he's back at West End, can Matt Harris help continue the upward climb the Patriots have been on?
5. Gadsden City had one of its best season in a decade, even after losing some key pieces — can they win a third straight region title and make a deeper run in the playoffs?
6. Still in the midst of a rebuild, what are fair expectations for Derrick Sewell's first season at Gaston after quick success at West End?
7. Sardis made a big jump in the first season under BJ Brooks but the region got tougher — can the Lions make the playoffs for the first time since 2019?
8. Hokes Bluff made the playoffs for the first time since 2019 last year, but now they see themselves in a tough Class 4A region — can they make it back to the playoffs again?
9. The Panthers won the region last year, but moved to Class 6A and have a new coach in Ben Stewart, what kind of splash can he make with Southside in Year One?
10. With new coach Scott Peavey, can Etowah football make sure that the losing season of 2023 remains a blip in the storied history of the Blue Devil program?
11. Glencoe's region got a little easier without Hokes Bluff and the DeKalb County teams — can they return to the playoffs for the first time since 2015?
12. It's the second season for Steve Smith at Westbrook Christian, after missing the playoffs for just the second time in his career (1995-first season at Cedar Bluff) — how will the Warriors and Smith respond?
13. Zyan Gibson will be stepping into a leadership role for Gadsden City after Dre Kirkpatrick Jr. graduated, what can we expect out of one of the top 2026 prospects in the state during his junior campaign?
14. Even with a move to Class 3A, Fyffe is regarded as a state title favorite, can the Red Devils make it three-in-a-row, and eight since 2014?
15. Jeremy Sullivan and Boaz finally broke the round one curse, with a veteran group returning, how much noise can they make in Class 5A?
16. Cherokee County lost a lot of talent from back-to-back state finalist teams, can they make another deep run with some new faces?
17. Gadsden City's TJ Worthy broke out and made the ASWA All-State first team, what can he do for an encore in his senior season?
18. Southside came into last year with one of the top backfield duo's but now will replace both Gauge Nesmith and Mason Teague — who can step up for the Panthers. The good news is whoever takes over gets brothers Jamin and Royce Brown securing the offensive line.
19. Collinsville youth movement are starting to become the veterans now, how will that pay off as the Panthers move into Class 3A?
20. Sylvania is the fifth team with a new coach, hiring Collinsville's offensive coordinator Tanner Nelson, what kind of splash can they make to open the Nelson era in 2024?
21. The Class 4A, Region 6 could be the toughest in the state headlined by Cherokee County, Oneonta, Etowah, Hokes Bluff and Alexandria? Who comes out as region champion and could a surprise team miss the playoffs?
22. With quarterback Dax Varnadore coming back from injury, what should be expected out of Fort Payne in a crowded Class 6A region?
23. Jameson Scissum is a multi-sport star for Etowah, what can he do as quarterback for the Blue Devils to kick start his senior campaign?
24. Brian Chapman lit it up to start last year as Sardis got off to five wins in its first six games, can they sustain the momentum longer in 2024?
25. Kirakias Sheppard helped Ashville make progress in Year One, even if their record didn't show it, can they start turning the on-field results in their favor?
26. Geraldine is in a new-look, but familiar region. It will have plenty of new faces on the field, what can they do after making the semifinals last year?
27. All Logan Anderson did last year was run for 2,864 yards and 45 touchdowns last year, after an offseason where he picked up a bunch of Power Conference offers — what will he do this year to close an historic high school career?
28. Guntersville has two of the top running backs (Enelson Delva and Julyon Jordan) in the area, can they break through after a state semifinal appearance last season?
29. With a move to Class 5A, what splash can Jacksonville make this season with a couple of new faces?
30. It's the first time in five years that Hokes Bluff-Glencoe isn't a region game, can the Yellow Jackets end their eight game losing streak or will the Eagles extend it to nine straight wins?
31. Jonathan Miller got Piedmont to the playoffs in Year One, continuing a strong tradition, can he help them get back to state title contenders level in Year Two?
32. Could the Coosa Christian-West End game on October 18 be one the helps decide the Region 6 in Class 2A?
33. After two losing seasons, can Sand Rock get back to their winning ways in the fifth season under Alan Heath?
34. Southside and Gadsden City are slated to play for the first time this season, could that game decide Class 6A, Region 8 and will it live up to expectations?
35. Geraldine and Sardis renew a longstanding Sand Mountain rivalry, could a good results (game and fan wise), help encourage other teams to reopen old rivalries?
36. Without Class 4A Back of the Year Jacob Cornejo, who will step up to fill his spot for Cherokee County and take the top back in the area title?
37. Mark O' Bryant laid out a gauntlet for his Conquerors with a schedule highlighted by Fyffe, Tuscaloosa Academy and Pell City — will it pay off with a December trip to Birmingham and a Blue Map Trophy?
38. Boaz struggled early on, but got hot late to make the playoffs, with an little easier start to the season can they get to double-digit wins for the first time since 2003?
39. Spring Garden lost the region for the first time in five years in 2023, can they reclaim their throne atop the region in 2024?
40. Susan Moore was the only Gadsden area team to move down a classification, can they get back to the playoffs for the second straight year, now in Class 2A?
41. What can be made of the DeKalb County Class 3A region and can all four teams (Collinsville, Fyffe, Geraldine, Sylvania) make the playoffs in 2024?
42. After going winless last year and struggling in Class 7A, can Albertville make progress in Bert Browne's second season?
43. Plainview is back in Class 4A but has struggled the last few seasons while in 3A, can they get back to their winning ways in 2024?
44. Without Fyffe in the way, can Pisgah take control of the power vacuum and take control of Class 2A — even without some key pieces from the last few seasons?
45. Fyffe's Logan Anderson was the breakout prospect in 2023-24, who from the Gadsden area will breakout on the recruiting trail next?
46. With the uncertainty that realignment brings every two years, what team could become a surprise playoff team in 2024?
47. What offensive line group will stake their claim to being the area's best in 2024?
48. What area defense will stake its claim as the best in the area? Could they be a state leader in points allowed per games?
49. With a plethora of returning offensive stars, who will help their team lead the area in points per game?
50. Who will be the Gadsden Times player of the year when its all said and done?

This article originally appeared on The Gadsden Times: 50 questions for Gadsden area teams, 50 days ahead of the high school football season