Last year's 7-3 Catonsville High School football team had 29 seniors, including several who were impact players, but they have moved on.
The challenge for this year's 48-player roster that includes 27 seniors and 21 juniors is getting them extensive varsity experience.
Senior quarterback Jake Getzendanner (6 feet 3 inches, 200 pounds) rotated in as a starting signal-caller last season with Danny Terzi and had some impressive moments.
Getzendanner completed 9 of 16 passes and threw a game-winning touchdown pass in a 19-18 win over Milford Mill.
He also had a 65-yard run in a 30-22 loss to Class 3A state finalist Dundalk.
Overall, he threw for five touchdowns, completing 24 of 54 passes for 391 yards with one interception.
"Getzendanner is a great returning quarterback," Catonsville coach Rich Hambor said. "He's a great athlete, and he can run and throw."
Getzendanner has to get familiar with a new receiving core because the Comets graduated a trio of pass catchers that combined for 20 touchdowns last season.
Seniors Don Johnson (6-4, 180) and Tre Hayes (6-2, 175) should make an impact at wide receiver.
Johnson caught one touchdown pass, among his eight catches for 106 yards in 2015.
A.J. Owens (5-9, 175), who had three receptions in 2015, has big-play potential in the passing game out of the backfield.
"We are probably going to throw more than we've thrown before," said Hambor, who has an 81-47 career record entering his 13th season as head coach.
The running back position was also depleted by graduation.
Senior Ken'yon Webb (6-0, 220) is the top returning rusher. He ran for 108 yards and a touchdown on 16 carries last season.
That was fifth most on the 2015 team. The four backs in front of him were Brian Taylor, Raynard Minter, Daymon Jones and receiver Jamal Johnson. That quartet ran for 1,547 yards and 12 touchdowns. Johnson also had 10 touchdowns receptions.
Owens will help in the running game along with senior Trey Glover (5-8, 165) and junior Mike Robinson (5-9, 160).
"We have a lot of new starters," Hambor said.
That is most evident on the offensive line where they will have to replace six starters, including top tight end receiving threat John Huchrowski. He averaged 15.1 yards per catch and caught four touchdowns.
Junior center Tim Pfeifer (5-11, 175) has the most starting varsity experience, and he was only thrust into service as an understudy for three games early in the season after an injury to four-year starting center Jake Faircloth.
Candidates to start on the offensive line are senior guards Devin Dunlap (5-10, 210) and Mikellen Dunn (5-11, 250) and senior tackles Elijah Henderson (6-0, 265) and Everett Miller (6-4, 285).
"The offensive line probably has the least game experience," Hambor said. "Everybody needs work and they are probably doing more work than anybody else."
Last year, the defense created problems for opposing teams because the secondary was solid in man-to-man coverage.
Hambor hopes his unit can blanket receivers and fly to the ball again.
"I think we have three of four guys that can cover and that will help the pass rush; that's what we want to try and do," he said.
Seniors Keyon Mays (5-7, 155), Hayes and Owens are solid defensive back candidates.
Leading the rush on the defensive line are seniors Johnson, Robert Adams (5-11, 170), Josh Lambert (6-1, 200) and Webb.
Top linebackers are seniors Tony Smith (5-4, 175), Dunlap and Glover and junior T.J. Hebron (6-0, 175).
Senior Graham Smith (6-1, 185) is the kicker and punter.
The Comets play the same teams they played last year, starting on the road at Patapsco on Sept. 3 at 1 p.m.
They open the home slate Sept. 9 against Kenwood at 7 p.m.
Following an away game at Dulaney (Sept. 17), Catonsville play at Franklin (Sept. 23) and Perry Hall (Sept. 30) before returning home against Dundalk (Oct. 7).
Franklin, Perry Hall and Dundalk handed the Comets their only losses last year.
After facing Milford Mill (Oct. 15) on the road, they finish the season with home games against Lansdowne (Oct. 20), Woodlawn (Oct. 27) and Parkville (Nov. 4).
"If we want to get back in the playoffs, it's going to be a tough road; our schedule is very difficult and our region is killer," said Hambor, whose Comets last went to the playoffs in 2012. "We can't look past anyone, but we know the big picture too."
The players know the road to the postseason will be challenging and they are preparing for it by working overtime on the practice field.
"It's been a long time since I've seen a group of seniors who want to squeeze every drop they can out of practice," Hambor said.