MOKANE - Peyton Leeper is one of the most electrifying players in mid-Missouri, and he's accustomed to the futile attempts by opposing defenses to chase him down.
As he begins his senior season at South Callaway, Leeper will need the Bulldogs' suddenly raw offense to quickly catch up to speed with him.
South Callaway - coming off a 10-2 finish last year - will find out how that offense is progressing at this early stage when it starts the 2018 season at home tonight against Lafayette County. Kickoff is at 7 p.m.
Leeper is a dazzling ballcarrier and pass-catcher who will now assume the full-time duties at quarterback with the graduation of Landon Horstman. The only other skill player returning for the Bulldogs with appreciable experience is senior running back Bradyn Belcher.
In addition to Horstman, South Callaway lost a bevy of offensive talent to graduation - running backs Kaden Helsel and Dalton Stone, and wide receiver Jarrett Livengood.
Fortunately for the Bulldogs, they have Leeper to reshape their offense around.
"Peyton has done a great job of just being patient with the younger guys as they're learning," said head coach Zack Hess, who is beginning his fourth season at South Callaway. "I think it's just going to take playing together, because that's just something they haven't done a lot of because of the quality of athletes that we've had in the past.
"Getting those guys every rep at practice - every chance that we have - to build that chemistry, we've just got to take advantage. Peyton has been a great leader, he's been patient, but he also expects a lot out of the offense and that's good, trying to hold those guys accountable to playing at a higher level than maybe what they have in the past."
By himself, Leeper makes the Bulldogs dynamic - and dangerous - on offense. He shared the team lead with Helsel with 1,033 yards rushing in 2017, while also running for 14 touchdowns. Leeper tallied nine catches for 150 yards and three scores.
When he spelled Horstman at quarterback, Leeper threw for 377 yards, six touchdowns and only one interception.
"(Peyton's) a gamer, there's no doubt," Hess said. " He's got a great arm, he anticipates well, but he's also athletic enough that if he senses trouble, he can get outside the pocket and make a play.
"I think it opens things up for us offensively, but at the same time - as coaches - we have to be careful about not overusing him."
Hess and offensive coordinator Tucker Bartley will rely on Belcher to be a bruising complement to Leeper in the running game. The fifth option last season when it came to distribution of carries, Belcher gained 245 yards and scored twice.
"I have high expectations for Bradyn," Hess said. "He's a big kid, he's a bowling ball back there. There's some things that we've been working on with him with his pad level, and things like that, but he's going to run really hard.
"He's always going to lean and fall forward, and get that extra yard. He doesn't have quite that breakaway speed, but that's OK - he's a power running back."
Senior running back Wyatt Hager and junior running back Devin Borghardt will also be part of South Callaway's backfield rotation. Junior running back Braden Lallier and sophomore running back Hayden Vaught will get their chances at increased playing time.
Looking to replace Livengood's 49 catches for 742 yards and eight touchdowns from 2017, senior wide receivers Dylan Paschang and Drake Davidson will be Leeper's main targets. Junior Brandon Stoker will also get some looks at the position.
The Bulldogs are incorporating a tight end into their offense this season and junior Caleb Hall is moving from tackle to play the spot. Senior BJ Moffatt - who didn't play football in 2017 - is expected to be Hall's backup.
Senior guard Dustin Loucks is the lone returning starter on an offensive line that helped South Callaway rush for 276.2 yards per game last season. Senior Tyler Wetherell - who also didn't play in 2017 - will be the other guard.
A sophomore trio will be counted on to fill the other spots up front - Tanner Vaughan at center and Tyler Potter and John Hecktor at tackle.
Hess stressed Loucks will be critical in nurturing the newcomers.
"He's the leader of the group, for sure, and he kind of sets the tone," Hess said. "That works out well because Dustin's an energetic kid, he's a little fireball sometimes.
"That works out well because the sophomore group that I mentioned is not necessarily that way - they're kind of quiet. They're going to be nervous, so having a guy like Dustin is going to really help."
Leeper - who plays a hybrid strong safety-linebacker position - is equally brilliant on the defensive side. He earned Class 2 second-team all-state acclaim from the Missouri Football Coaches Association last season as the Bulldogs allowed just 14.2 points per game.
Leeper paced South Callaway with 98 tackles, five interceptions and five fumble recoveries in 2017.
"He's smart, he has a lot of experience, so he's kind of seen it all," Hess said. "That gives him a leg up on anticipation and understanding of what the offense is trying to do - it just helps him play faster and he's already a fast player.
"He's a great leader out there. He's great at getting guys in position and talking through things. He kind of sets the attitude and sets the tone for the defense."
Leeper will head up a secondary that will include Borghardt at free safety and Paschang and Davidson at the cornerback spots.
Hall is back as a starter at an end position on the Bulldogs' defensive line and will be joined by Tyler Wetherell at nose tackle. Hall logged 49 tackles and tied for the team lead with 3.5 sacks last season.
Vaughan, Potter, Hecktor and sophomore Kyle Wetherell will be part of the mix at the end and tackle positions.
Belcher and senior Tyklen Salmons both return as starters at linebacker, while Loucks moves back from the defensive line to join them. Moffatt will fill the other linebacker spot.
Belcher recorded 57 tackles in 2017 and Salmons finished with 47.
"They're different types of players," Hess said. "Bradyn's that bowling ball-type of guy that he's just going to come downhill and hit you.
"Tyklen is more of a dip-and-rip and avoid blockers, but also working downhill. He did a great job with that last year."
South Callaway is definitely not easing itself into the season based on its opening test tonight against Lafayette County. The Huskers were an extraordinary 14-1 last season, with their only loss coming in the Class 2 state title game to now seven-time state champion Lamar.
Lafayette County also bowed to Lamar in the Class 2 semifinals in 2015. The Bulldogs defeated the Huskers 41-6 for a district title in 2014, en route to falling to Lamar for the Class 2 state championship.
"The message that we tried to send to our players at the beginning here was that we really want South Callaway to be at the upper echelon of Class 2 football," Hess said. "In order to do that, you can't schedule cupcake opponents all the time.
"You're going to have to go and challenge yourself. Regardless of the outcome, the idea is we want to just see where we're at - how far we have to go and how much growth that's going to have to take place. Win or lose, that's just kind of our mindset."