photo by: Nick Krug

Lawrence High School head coach Dirk Wedd has a laugh with Kansas head football coach David Beaty on Tuesday, June 7, 2016 at Memorial Stadium.

Lawrence High’s football team will feature a different look next season.

Sure, the Lions will be without last year’s talented senior class. But beyond that, the Lions are planning to platoon players for the first time under 18th-year coach Dirk Wedd.

In a platoon, usually no player starts on both offense and defense. There might be a few exceptions, but the Lions will limit the number of players who take significant snaps on both sides of the ball.

Two years ago, Shawnee Mission East was believed to be the only team in the Sunflower League to implement a platoon system, which helps keep players fresh.

“We’re trying to get more kids the opportunity to play,” Wedd said. “We don’t have a bunch of great players, so we think with a lot more coaching, we can get those guys up to a good level. We’re excited.”

Playing on the second and final day of Kansas University camp on Tuesday at Memorial Stadium, the Lions scrimmaged against a few other schools in helmets and shoulder pads.

With platoons, the Lions are becoming more comfortable focusing on just one position whether it’s on offense or defense.

“We’re kind of using this and next week to kind of evaluate,” Wedd said, “and then we’ll sit down as a staff. When we have camp in July, we’ll kind of break them down and kind of go from there. Some of the skill guys, they may go both ways a little bit.”

The thought of platooning is exciting for the players, too.

“It’s different. It’s more high-paced,” senior center Mark Greene said. “Everyone is fresh and new.”

The biggest question mark for the LHS offensive and defensive lines is how to replace All-Sunflower League linemen Amani Bledsoe and Trey Georgie. The Lions know they don’t have two players who can step up and fill those roles, but they are confident they can match production from last season.

From last year, the Lions will return Greene on the offensive line and senior Jacob Unruh will likely play defensive end, moving over from defensive tackle. Greene and Unruh could end up taking snaps on both sides of the ball, depending on how younger players fill into starting roles.

“It does feel like a different line,” Unruh said. “I wouldn’t describe it as weak, just as less experienced players replacing those two. To me, as I’m taking over one of their spots, I would say I’m not as experienced at defensive end, but I’m going to do as best as I can.”

“It feels way different because I’m a senior now so I have to step up more and help the younger guys out, like Amani and Trey were doing for me,” senior defensive lineman James Murry added. “Now I have to make sure they are doing everything right, as well as me.”

During the KU camp, the LHS linemen were focused on defining their roles and working on their techniques.

One of the benefits of the camp is light hitting, which Wedd said is important because it’s so much different than blocking dummies in practice.

“I think here in a few months, we’ll be good,” Greene said of the offensive and defensive lines. “We’ll be moving.”