BLUE & GOLD FRIDAY: Eagles Open A New Era Tonight

A new era of Eagles football begins Friday night.

Aberdeen opens the 2011 season under new head coach  looking to rebound from 1-9 last year and begin a return to the school's football glory years.

Brooks has a resume of success over the last decade in Havre de Grace—his alma mater—where he took a struggling, once-proud program and led it to a state championship appearance in 2010.

Brooks a penchant for throwing the football. The Eagles of 2011 are likely to look vastly different from the 2010 version—even if the uptick in results is marginal.

The Eagles open at 7 p.m., Friday at home against rival Edgewood. The game will be broadcast live on SFMSports, and on a tape-delayed broadcast on AM 970 WAMD Saturday morning.

Here are some storylines to follow in 2011:

Eagles Storylines

1. Expectations. The Eagles went from conference power to league laughing stock in short order. A change was going to be made, but by bringing in Brooks—a likeable players’ coach with a history of powerful passing attacks—the Eagles could be in for a quick turnaround. Brooks has brought a number of coaches from Havre de Grace down Route 40 to Aberdeen, and the change in mindset alone might be enough to get the Eagles back on the right track.

2. Exciting offense. With a load of talent on offense last year, the Havre de Grace Warriors scored their way to the state championship. Brooks will need time to cultivate such a system at Aberdeen, but he certainly has the athletes to make his famous quick-strike offense effective from time to time.

3. Familiar faces. The Eagles open against Edgewood—which has former Aberdeen coach John Siemsen on its coaching staff. Meanwhile, the Eagles also host Havre de Grace making for an interesting meeting of Aberdeen's new coach and his former team.

What They're Saying

The Aegis’ Inky Webb calls for Aberdeen to beat Edgewood by eight points, and for Elkton to top Havre de Grace by 10.

The Record’s Shad Roe also predicts an Eagles win: 

Edgewood at Aberdeen. New Eagles skipper Johnny Brooks will start with a Route 40 match-up, as Aberdeen hosts the Rams. I'm betting the Eagles pull out the stops and pick up a win. The pick: Aberdeen tops Edgewood, 21-20.

Patch Says

The Eagles have enough athletes and are looking to make a splash. They do so in Week 1. Eagles 22, Edgewood 13.

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