You could say that Lawrence High football coach Dirk Wedd is cautiously optimistic about this football season. Or, you could just say he’s really, really cautious about being optimistic.

Any unproven facet of his team leaves Wedd unsure about the season. He understands that a football team needs a complete effort to have the success LHS shoots for, and graduation often hits the Lions hard enough that he just isn’t sure what to expect.

This year is no exception. The 2004 Lions have the potential to be a special team. The key word, though, is potential, and that word alone never has done squat in winning football games.

The Lions’ potential success depends on a lot of variables. Injuries always are a factor. Players simply showing up to play each week is crucial, and, unfortunately, can’t always be counted on. The development of juniors — many of whom haven’t played much high-level football — always is a mystery in preseason.

But this year’s wild card at Lawrence High is the development of an inexperienced offensive line. Senior Aaron Kie returns after a solid junior season at tackle, but after him are big question marks that have to be answered in the next couple of weeks.

“We’re not very good up front yet,” Wedd said. “We return two backs that averaged eight yards a carry. Every time they touch it, they have a chance at going for six. We’ve got to get them the opportunity, somehow, someway, to get them to the linebacker depth and into the secondary so they can do their thing.”

Wedd is talking about Jeff Colter and Ian Handshy, two gifted, experienced running backs with great heads on their shoulders. Like every year, Wedd has some areas of concern, but I guarantee you, running back is not one of them this time around. Colter and Handshy were Lawrence’s top two running backs as juniors last year, when the Lions finished 7-3 and advanced to the Class 6A state playoffs.

Lawrence hasn’t had a returning 1-2 punch like this in years. Even in 2002, when the dandy duo of Brandon McAnderson and Chris Fulton combined for 3,100 rushing yards on what might’ve been Lawrence’s best team since Free State was built, Fulton wasn’t expected to put up the numbers he did. In 2001, Fulton rushed for 157 yards on 21 carries.

Like every running back in the history of football, though, Colter and Handshy need help up front. That’s where the word “cautious” shows up when Wedd evaluates what could be in 2004.

“I wake up in the middle of the night,” Wedd said, “and worry about seeing Colter and Handshy making great runs back to the line of scrimmage.”

6Sports video: Lawrence High kicks off at Leavenworth

Understandably, Lawrence’s offensive line needs a little bit of time to develop and grow accustomed to varsity football. That’s expected, and though LHS has a lot of potential up front, nothing on the sophomore and junior-varsity teams can prepare them for facing the Sunflower League’s best.

Problem is, there’s not much time before the Sept. 3 opener.

The Lions’ first three games probably are three of the toughest games they’ll see this year. They start at Leavenworth, and the Pioneers — led by new coach Tom Young, who had great success at Derby — won’t be the same sub-par Pioneer team of the past. Week Two is at home against Olathe North, and the Eagles will be the same caliber team that’s won state seven of the last eight years. Week Three is Shawnee Mission North, a well-coached team led by quarterback Mack Brown, who’s receiving loads of Division One interest.

Wedd would like nothing more than to see Colter and Handshy have huge senior years. The way they work on the practice field and in the weightroom, they deserve as much. It’d mean more success for Lawrence High. And it’d mean that the LHS offensive line came around and developed into a darn good facet on what has the potential to be a darn good football team.

Time will tell. Wedd just wishes he had a little more of it.