Tonight was supposed to be a dress rehearsal for the Allatoona football team.

The spring game was going to be a chance for their fans to see the kind of team they should expect to see when they begin Region 7AAA play in the fall.

Now, instead of wondering about the progress of 1,300-yard running back Miles Jones and quarterback Jared Harris, the big question is much more pertinent.

Who will coach the team when it takes the field in the fall?

Current coach Gary Varner, who has led Allatoona to a pair of 5-5 records during the program's first two years of existence, was a casualty of the $127 million in budget cuts the Cobb County School District made. In addition, two assistant coaches were let go, making an interesting end to spring practice.

"The mindset of everyone is, we're here until we're not here," Varner said. "These kids are out here trying to win starting spots (for the fall), Allatoona football is going to be here next year, so you finish what you start."

Despite knowing he may not be able to see the completion of the program's building process, Varner said he is happy with what he and his staff have done to put the team on the direction toward success, and he is excited for this team's near future.

"Everyone's excited," Varner said. "The kids are growing up a little bit."

That includes Jones, who was one of Cobb County's top rushers a year ago with a season that saw a pair of 300-yard rushing games.

"Miles has had a good spring," Varner said. "He's 10 or 15 pounds (of muscle) heavier and hasn't lost any of his quickness."

Harris returns for his second year under center and Varner said he can see a better understanding of the game and he is showing more leadership.

The biggest surprise in camp this spring may be on the defensive side of the ball at linebacker. K.B. Mason, who started last season as a defensive back before changing positions late in the year, has caught on and is providing a physical presence.

But the biggest difference at Allatoona this year will be the schedule.

No longer playing a Class AAAA schedule, the Bucs will face teams their own size for the first time in three years - that is, after opening night.

Allatoona will face Kennesaw Mountain on Aug. 27 to kick off the season in a game that will likely be the beginning of a close-knit rivalry.

The remainder of the schedule will include other teams that moved down in classification, such as Dalton and Murray County, as well as Cartersville, Cedartown and Pickens County.

The regular season will end Nov. 15 when the Bucs will play a region play-in game with the hopes of advancing to its first playoff game in school history.