FAIRVIEW — Like most football programs, the Aggies have a specific list of goals they’d like to accomplish this season.

Win their opener.

Win their county games.

And make the playoffs … hopefully as region champs.

Just making it hasn’t been the easiest of tasks these past two falls for Fairview, though. It’s been especially painful considering the squad’s previous six-year reputation as a postseason mainstay.

The downward trend hasn’t gone unnoticed by George Redding. In fact, the 10th-year coach said securing an 11th game has been a major emphasis throughout the offseason.

“I think you’re lying if you don’t say you’ve been very, very disappointed in missing the playoffs,” he said. “That’s got to be a driving force, and it is. It’s part of what we do.”

The Aggies head into 2016 with lower numbers than usual and a number of fresh faces on both sides of the ball. They return five starters on offense and just four on defense, with two-way veteran Austin Harris, Caleb Chambers, Antonio Taylor, Ethan Hopson and the entire inside six on D serving as the biggest departures.

“In the 50s is where we’d like to be. The thing is, I think we’ve got 42 good guys that are willing to make the sacrifices that are necessary to play the game,” Redding said. “And I’m not talking about playing just this game, but playing a game, a sport. It’s tough. Playing ball’s tough. You’ve got to get out and grind. Kids have to make decisions to be a part of it, and I’m very proud of the 42 young men that’ve decided to do that.”

The pieces Fairview has back have the potential to be dynamic. Ragan Ashley and Logan Brooks are a potent 1-2 punch at quarterback and running back, and Sambo Woods is more than capable of repeating as the team’s top receiver. He’ll be joined out wide by Scoot Bennett, Garrett Dunn and Noah Garnett, while Tyler Pendergrass, Hayden Richards and Andrew Morris will again push their weight around up front.

Each of the aforementioned players also factor in somewhere on the defense, which has given up more points than the offense has scored three years running.

“We’ve got to get better,” Redding said. “That’s just all there is to it.”

Consider it done, according to Brooks.

“I feel like this year we’ll come out and we’ll actually stop teams and make it actually competitive,” the versatile standout said.

Ryan Walters will now be making the calls at mike linebacker. Redding pointed to Ethan Satterfield, Brett Garner and Ethan Holland as other key newcomers on either side.

Redding said it seems funny Jaxxon Swann is a returner because of his youth. Just a sophomore, the soccer whiz will resume kicking duties.

“He’s a young guy, but he has worked,” Redding said. “It’s unbelievable how far he’s come.”

The Aggies’ schedule features two teams they’ve never played and seven they haven’t faced in at least three years — most generally longer. The Purple and Gold will open Friday at North Sand Mountain and close the regular season at Holly Pond, their only repeat opponent from 2015.

Until construction is completed on Dafford Smith Stadium, Fairview will play its home games at West Point, starting Aug. 26 against East Lawrence.

Mortimer Jordan, West Point, Corner, Curry, Hayden and Springville make up Fairview’s new region. Mortimer Jordan is coming off a state runner-up campaign, and West Point has won the last three meetings between the county rivals. Priceville and Hayden are also hoping to build off their first playoff berths in awhile, leaving the Aggies with a potentially tricky path back to the postseason.

“We always feel like we’re in that deal where we’ve got to stay competitive in our league. That’s just the way it is,” Redding said. “If you want to get in, you’re going to have to beat some teams that maybe people think you can’t beat — and that’s OK. We just feel like that’s our role here. We’ve had a lot of teams in the past that have had to live and travel that path. I hope these guys understand that, realize it and thrive in it to prove themselves.”

Brooks, for one, is up for the challenge.

“It’s important because we deserve a chance to go, and I feel like we have one,” he said.

So does Ashley … under a couple stipulations.

“It’s going to take us not hurting ourselves,” he said. “That’s what mainly caused us to have problems in the past. If we play to our capabilities and don’t hurt ourselves, we’ll be in the playoffs.”

Like his coach, Walters would be let down by missing out on another round of November football. If it ultimately isn’t to be, though, that’s OK, too.

The senior just wants 100 percent and nothing less.

“If we didn’t go because of self treasons like tearing our team apart and not making plays, then yeah, it’d be kind of disappointing,” he said. “But if we do our best, I’m not really worried about it.”

➤ Aug. 19 at North Sand Mountain

➤ Aug. 26 vs. East Lawrence

➤ Sept. 2 at Corner*

➤ Sept. 9 BYE

➤ Sept. 16 vs. Mortimer Jordan*

➤ Sept. 23 vs. Priceville*

➤ Sept. 30 at West Point* **

➤ Oct. 7 vs. Curry*

➤ Oct. 14 at Hayden*

➤ Oct. 21 vs. Springville*

➤ Oct. 28 at Holly Pond**

* Class 5A, Region 6 game

** Cullman County game

➤ Coach: George Redding (10th year)

➤ Record at school: 58-39

➤ Last year: 5-5, 1-5 (Class 5A, Region 7)

➤ Key departure(s): Austin Harris, Caleb Chambers, Antonio Taylor

➤ Key returners: Logan Brooks, Ragan Ashley, Sambo Woods

➤ Last playoff berth: 2013

➤ Last playoff win: 2010 (26-19 West Limestone)

➤ Stadium: Dafford Smith Stadium