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New Manchester is coming off back-to-back eight-win seasons in 2024 and 2025 — both school records — that have signaled to the rest of the state that the Jaguars are a force to be reckoned with.

While the Jaguars lost key starters from those squads — including quarterback DJ Alexander, who won the Howard Thompson Award as the county's top senior football player and is now playing at Florida International, and offensive lineman Donald Akhibi, who's now playing at Florida State — fourth-year head football coach Olten Downs said this year's group has been "closer" and "hungrier."

"This group, they've got the ability to take it to the next level," Downs said at the recent DCSS Media Day.

Downs highlighted four key veterans: senior tight end Adrian Guilford and senior defensive backs Dontae Moore, Marley Thomas and Joshua Williams.

The 6-foot-3, 220-pound Guilford was a first-team All-Region selection last year and already has offers from Austin Peay, Alabama A&M, Florida International, Tennessee State and the University of Alabama at Birmingham.

"He's got tremendous hands, some of the best hands I've ever seen in my life," Downs said of Guilford.

Moore, Thomas and Williams are returning starters in the defensive secondary, which Downs said is the "strongest and the most experienced group" on the team. Moore plays cornerback and also wide receiver and has committed to play for New Mexico, a Division I program, and Williams was a first-team All-Region selection a year ago.

Heading into the season, Downs said the Jaguars had three quarterbacks getting reps to compete for the starting job: seniors KJ Clepper and Malachi Pace and sophomore Allen Parks.

New Manchester is now in Region 5-AAAAAA with this year's reclassification, where the Jaguars will compete against Alexander, Chapel Hill, East Paulding, Hiram, Osborne, South Cobb and South Paulding.

The Jaguars open the season at home against Mays in a non-region contest on Aug. 21.