Oh what a difference a year makes, at least in some regards.

Prior to last year’s season opening matchup with Stephens County, the Flowery Branch football team was looking for its identity in the post-Jaybo Shaw era, and a new quarterback was under center for the first time in three years.

“Last year in my first game as starting quarterback I was so nervous I wanted to throw up,” said second-year starting quarterback Connor Shaw. “But this year I’m just excited, I can’t wait to play.”

In the year that followed the Indians 28-25 win against the Falcons, Flowery Branch came a long way. The Falcons played for a region title, avenged the first game loss by ending the Indians’ season with a 42-21 win in the opening round of the Class AAA playoffs, played for a state title and Shaw committed to play quarterback at the University of South Carolina.

“I feel a whole lot more confident under center than I did last year,” said Shaw, who passed for 2,146 yards and 22 touchdowns in 2008. “I mean, we beat teams like Baldwin and LaGrange at their place during the playoffs – this team has more confidence as a whole because of that.”

One thing however remains the same entering this year’s season-opening matchup with Stephens County: Flowery Branch is looking for its identity after the loss of not one, but a few key players.

Gone from last year’s 12-3 team is leading rusher Daniel Drummond (1,102 yards and 13 touchdowns), secondary leaders Greg Palmer and Chris Lipscomb (207 tackles and eight interceptions combined), sacks leader Izaan Cross (20 tackles for loss and 12 sacks) and offensive line stalwart Bucky Free.

“We’re still at the same place we were last year,” said Flowery Branch coach Lee Shaw. “We had a so-so scrimmage and haven’t yet found the identity of this team.”

An intangible holdover from 2008, however, has coach Shaw more excited about the possibilities than worried about the lack thereof.

“This team is all business,” he said. “They’re not intimidated by anything and they’ve got a swagger about them and I think it’s a great thing.

“People buy into swagger and I think to be a great team you’ve got to have it.”

Stephens County comes into tonight’s game fresh off an 8-3 season in which the Indians just missed winning their fourth straight region title.

“It’s by design that we’re playing a team like Stephens County to open the season,” coach Shaw said. “We want to see where we are and want to play a team we know will hit us in the mouth and that has a rich, winning tradition.”

The Indians return starting quarterback Dacen Cash (1,328 yards passing and 10 touchdowns) who according to Shaw is the most underrated player on the team.

“(Cash) throws well and is an invaluable leader,” Shaw said. “He’s a dual threat at the position and can really hurt you.”

Among the other standouts returning for Stephens County are running back Dre Cunningham (417 yards rushing in 2008), wide receiver and defensive back Quan Trammell (303 yards receiving and two touchdowns in 2008) and Kadaryl Burtch.

Burtch, who was the team’s second-leading receiver and third-leading tackler as a sophomore in 2007 missed all of the 2008 season with a knee injury but is back this year at full speed.

“This is going to be a typical Stephens County team,” Shaw said. “They’ve got good athletes, they’re going to play hard and never give up.

“They always have running backs that can take it the distance and their offensive line coach Brian Johnson coaches his guys up and they’re going to create the necessary holes,” he added.

Flowery Branch has a bevy of talent returning in the backfield, on the offensive line and at the receiver positions including Imani Cross, Darius Kimbrough, Rodriquez Frazier and Rodney Young.

It’s on defense, however, that the Falcons will be vulnerable due to inexperience and position changes.

“Stephens County is going to exploit our weaknesses and make us better,” Shaw said. “We’re going to do what we do and see how it does, but we aren’t scheming and planning for them.

“We need to be good at what we do before we can scheme and plan for anybody,” he added.

If 2009 is anything like 2008, however, the Falcons will be just fine regardless of tonight’s outcome.

“I don’t care about scrimmages or the word on the street,” Shaw said. “This game — every game — we’re going to have to play well to win.”