For over 10 years, Bulloch Academy opened its football season on a Thursday night against local rival David Emanuel Academy.
    But, as they say, all things must change.
Tonight, the Gators begin the 2012 campaign by traveling about 60 miles in the other direction.  
    “A lot of people feel like we are not familiar with them,” BA head coach Ronnie Hodges said of the St. Andrew’s School Fighting Lions. “We’ve scrimmaged them for the past three years. They have actually already started their season. This will be their third game.”
    A member of the South Carolina Independent School Association (SCISA), the Wilmington Island team hosts the Gators at the Lions’ Den at 7 p.m. A middle school game between the two schools begins at 4:30 p.m.
    The Fighting Lions have dropped their first two games, 42-18 to Bible Baptist of Savannah and a 25-14 Region 1-A loss to Southside Christian from Simpsonville, S.C. Hodges and his coaches were in attendance for second contest.
    “The most impressive player was their big tailback,” Hodges said of Wright Wallace, a 5-10, 180-pound junior. “They run the trap effectively but their bread-and-butter is getting him outside.”
    Another offensive threat is Randolph Solomon, a 5-10, 200-pound junior running back.
    “Our job will be to shut down the running game and make them throw,” said Hodges.
    There are 21 players on the St. Andrew’s roster so depth will be a major factor in their performance.
    “They play real good in the first half but they falter in the second half,” said Hodges. “They have an inexperienced sophomore quarterback and an inexperienced line. They also play an unorthodox defense with two players down on the line and nine standing up.”
    Another new twist to the start of the season for the Gators will be Hodges’ approach to playing time for his 42-man roster.
    “We are going to try and two-platoon,” he said. “We are going to use 11 on offense and a completely new 11 on defense. If it works, it will be beneficial to the team. It will help give our linemen on both sides of the ball a rest. We are hoping that this can take place.”
     The two-platoon system is normally used in bigger schools with more players on their rosters. Although Hodges wants to put his best 11 on the field at any given time, he is giving some of his non-returning starters the opportunity to prove themselves.
    “It’s up to them (the players) if they stay at their position or not,” he said. “Right now, it’s their’s. We’re giving them the opportunity. But we’ve got two or three kids who have to grow up in a hurry.”
    Bulloch has a good stable of returning starters on offense.
    Senior Loy Waters returns for his second season at quarterback with seniors Harrison Averitt and Bailey Smith and junior Matt Sheppard in the backfield.
    Senior Asa Johnson returns at center as well as junior Connor Fordham and sophomore Jake Hagan. But Fordham is switching to a guard while Hagan will be a tackle. Senior Will Lawson, who saw some playing time last season, starts at tackle while sophomore Joshua Bishop gets his first start at a guard. Senior Matthew Blitch and junior Davis Duggan are the offense’s ‘wide blockers.’
    Defense is where Hodges is giving more players their shots to play.
    The only returners are senior Jarret Humphries at defensive end and junior Zach Sapp at linebacker. But both had season-ending injuries early in 2011.
 Scheduled to start are junior Hobby Mills (noseguard), senior C.T. Rushing and sophomore Dylan Stuckey (tackles) and junior Reed Salter at the other defensive end. Sophomores Lee Waters and Andrew Howell get the nod at linebackers. Senior Forrest Spence, junior Daniel Hendrix and sophomore Will Rushing will be in the secondary.
    “We’ve got a lot of raw talent,” said Hodges. “We’ll be aggressive and fly to the ball. But what they do when they get there may be a different story.”