Paintsville head football coach Joe Chirico said putting the pieces together after graduating several seniors one year ago has been a work in progress.
“There is a lot to get better at as a football team,” he said. “We’re not a very good team.”
The Tigers are coming off an 11-2 season in 2017. Paintsville lost in the Class 1A regional championship game to Raceland.
Chirico must replace three outstanding running back in Tyrese Allen (882 yards), Tanner Smith (570 yards) and Dalton Daniels (444 yards).
“That a lot of offense and the majority of what we had as a team one year ago,” he said. “It’s going to be a real challenge for us to have guys step up and fill those voids.”
Returning are sophomore quarterback Jake Hyden, who passed for 1,464 yards and 13 touchdowns as a freshman and junior running back John Phelps.
Top receivers return in seniors Chris and James Allen.
“We need to find people to put around those guys and it’s not going to happen overnight,” Chirico stressed.
Paintsville opens its season at Memorial Field against Estill County on Aug. 17. Other home dates include Harlan (Aug. 24); Lawrence County (Sept. 21); and Fairview (Oct. 5).
The Tigers will play road games at Frederick Douglas (Aug. 31); Pikeville (Sept. 7); Williamsburg (Sept. 14); Hazard (Oct. 12) and Raceland (Oct. 19).
“We have some big challenges and difficult games for sure,” he said. “It’s not going to be any easy task for our players.”