The smell of fresh cut grass, and yes, even the blaring, summer heat are sure fire sign that football season is right around the corner.

And while most people around town, and around the state really, are more looking forward to the start of college football season, this season has the makings of a very interesting year for high school football in Dallas County.

For starters, there’s something of a youth movement going on within the county’s seven high school football programs. At least three teams — Selma High, Dallas County, and Southside — will enter the season with a different starting quarterback on opening night than they did last year, with the Hornets welcoming a new head coach. While Selma and Southside’s new starting signal callers each saw experience last season, it still creates an interesting scenario for teams with new quarterbacks as they try to establish their identity early in the season in order to set the tone for the entire year. And quarterback isn’t the only position where young players around the county will look to make a name for themselves, as teams that were laden with seniors at key positions last year, such as Morgan Academy, will now have to find someone to step up and help the team find ways to win.

Speaking of the Senators, another reason eyes should be focused heavily on the local gridiron is the return of the Meadowview-Morgan football rivalry after a six-year hiatus. The Senators and Trojans will renew their rivalry on the gridiron for the 40th time, and it’s something that should build excitement and bring the community closer together.

Finally, the biggest reason I think this high school football season will be an exciting one is the recent realignment that could potentially create new rivalries and even boost some of the county’s teams.

One of the biggest moves in the Alabama High School Athletic Association’s new alignments was the move of Ellwood Christian Academy from the Alabama Independent School Association to AHSAA Class 1A.

Ellwood will share a region with county opponent Keith High School, and will also play a non-region game against Selma High. These moves have the opportunity to increase revenue for all programs involved and create rivalries that go beyond the gridiron and will only serve to make each school better.

Changes like these, and the fact that two teams in Keith and Morgan made the postseason last year and some of the area’s other teams could potentially do so this year, are reason to look forward to the kickoff of high school football season in Dallas County.

Late August can’t get here fast enough.