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"Please believe," Springbrook receiver Mitchell Pollard said, "we're still going to pound it out on the ground. But we're just going to put in different things to get the ball to a lot of the guys on this team who can make plays."

Pollard, one of the county's fastest football players, is one of those playmakers. And players like him could be the difference this year for Springbrook.

The team's hard-nosed philosophy has proven successful over the years. Since 2005, the Blue Devils are 23-17, and have not had a losing season.

On the other hand, they have made only one playoff appearance since 1994, and that was six seasons ago now.

"The last three years, we've been a game out," head coach Rob Wendel said. "We had every opportunity last year. We lost several games by three points, and we win one more game, we're in. That's the way it's been the last couple of years; we haven't been able to finish the deal."

Wendel and his players, as always, flatly refuse to look past the next game: The opener against Northeast Consortium rival Blake. But there is an opportunity for the Blue Devils this fall.

The 2005 and 2007 Class 4A state champions, Damascus and Quince Orchard, respectively, are now both in Class 3A. The defending champion, Sherwood, appears to be rebuilding.

More than a wide-open field, Springbrook's opportunity has to do with its own team. The Blue Devils still have a physical offensive line, led by senior Errol Brewster (6-foot-2, 230 pounds). They still have a stout 3-4 defense, with 375-pound Ray Vernet on the nose, a solid corps of veteran linebackers, and four returning starters in the secondary.

But it won't all be 3 yards, a cloud of dust, and a 10-7 final score this season.

Pollard and classmate Chris Tolbert bring some excitement to the passing game at receiver. Senior quarterback Eric Freniere, who transferred from Paint Branch last winter after beginning the 2008 season as the Panthers' starter, has the arm to get them the ball.

"I think it helps us to run the ball," Wendel said. "They've got to respect a little bit of the passing game, or else they'll get beat on the outside."

Junior Devon Pestano brings more big-play ability to the tailback position he won over the summer, behind a rotation of fullbacks suited to Springbrook's typical battering-ram style.

Wendel's biggest concern coming out of two-a-days was depth, especially on the lines.

"We're good across the board," he said, "[but] we're going to have a lot of guys that need to be in shape."

Brewster said that will not be a problem, following a well-attended offseason conditioning program. He also said the team is galvanized in pursuit of a common goal: that goal, though unspoken, is of an 11th game.

"This year, more than any other year, I feel like we have a lot better chemistry," Brewster said. "We're all playing for the same goal. … We haven't even really had any bad practices, since two-a-days. And last year we had some bad practices."

Springbrook

Head coach: Rob Wendel, 5th year (23-17 record)

League: Montgomery 4A East

Last year's record: 6-4

Last playoff appearance: 2003 (11th)

Last state title: 1989 (6th)

Players to watch: WR/DB Mitchell Pollard, RB Devon Pestano, OL/DE Errol Brewster

2008 results

Sept. 5 — Gaithersburg (L), 10-7

Sept. 12 — Kennedy (W), 45-0

Sept. 19 — Magruder (W), 16-13

Sept. 26 — Richard Montgomery (W), 24-6

Oct. 3 — Sherwood (L), 35-27

Oct. 10 — Paint Branch (W), 15-12

Oct. 17 — Blake (W), 38-14

Oct. 25 — Northwest (L), 14-11

Oct. 31 — Whitman (L), 21-19

Nov. 7 — Blair (W), 41-33

2009 schedule

Sept. 4 — Blake, 6:30 p.m.

Sept. 11 — at Northwest, 6:30 p.m.

Sept. 17 — Wootton, 6:30 p.m.

Sept. 25 — at Blair, 6:30 p.m.

Oct. 2 — at Damascus, 6:30 p.m.

Oct. 9 — Richard Montgomery, 6:30 p.m.

Oct. 17 — Magruder, 2 p.m.

Oct. 23 — at Whitman, 6:30 p.m.

Oct. 30 — Sherwood, 6:30 p.m.

Nov. 6 — at Paint Branch, 6:30 p.m.