In upcoming weeks, teams throughout the state will spend 10 days on the practice field preparing for the 2008 football season. In a series of stories, ajc.com will provide an offseason outlook for 25 of the top teams in the metro and state.

Brant Sanderlin / AJC (ENLARGE)

Drayton Calhoun (left, with ball) and the offense may have to carry Tucker in '08.

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It will be remembered as the season that went up in smoke.

Tucker was ahead 28-7 against Northside-Warner Robins, two quarters away from a school-record 14th victory and a trip to the 2007 state finals, when an undefeated season imploded.

After losing nine players on defense to graduation, the questions abound for a team that is widely considered one of the top title contenders in Class AAAA.

"That's a huge hole to fill," coach Franklin Stephens said. "It's going to be a hard hole to fill because, out of those nine kids, you have some very good football players. You're losing kids who played for two or three years. That's a lot of experience."

In 2007, nobody scored on Tucker until the sixth game against Mays. Tucker had seven shutouts, and only three teams scored more than eight points.

Without that level of defense, the offense likely will need to improve. It occasionally sputtered last season against defenses that could match its speed.

Seniors Jonathan Davis and Drayton Calhoun are the only runners with experience.

"Those two individuals are going to have to carry us for a while," Stephens said. "The great thing about last year is we had depth. This year, we're going to have some good players, but we're not going to be nearly as deep. We're going to have to avoid injuries."

Tucker Tigers

Region 6-AAAA

Spring practice dates: May 8-20.

Last year's record: 13-1, lost in the semifinals to Northside-Warner Robins.

Reclassification challenge: Does not apply.

Working on: The biggest challenge for Tucker may be replacing nine starters on defense, including the entire secondary. After that, finding a quarterback is next on the agenda for a team that won its first 13 games last season. Tucker will try to decide who's going to fill the holes on the defense that often carried the team.

Key starters lost: WR/DB Jamoris Slaughter; RB/LB Tristan Carter; WR/DB Derrick Harris; WR/DB Neiko Lipscomb; QB Chris Simpson; TE/LB Marcus Nedd.

Key starters returning: RB/LB Jonathan Davis; RB/DB Drayton Calhoun; OL/DL Malcom Davis; OL/DL Carl Taylor.

2008 strengths: The Tigers should be more athletic and have more speed than most of their opponents. Jonathan Davis is still one of the most talented linebackers in the state.

2008 weaknesses: When depth and experience are two of your biggest strengths one year, they're often your biggest weakness the next. Tucker will have experienced athletes, just not as many.

This season's projection: Southwest DeKalb would appear to be the only true test for the Tigers in the new subregion B. There should be no problem reaching the playoffs.

Comment: "We've been knocking on the door, and we just need to take that next step up," Stephens said. "It could have happened for us last year, but it didn't. That's always going to be our goal, to win a state championship."

Last Week's Lineup

• 4/14: Roswell • 4/15: Norcross • 4/16: Walton • 4/17: Harrison

• 4/18: Camden • 4/19: Newnan • 4/20: Stephenson