At the top of 7-4A sits a state champion and teams loaded with talent, while the bottom two are the only ones who didn't have a winning record in 2015.
Five out of eight conference teams won at least eight games last fall, with Nashville completing a perfect 15-0 season in Mike Volarvich's first season as the Scrappers' head coach. Ashdown, Arkadelphia and Fountain Lake each won eight games, and Joe T. Robinson was 9-3. Malvern was 6-5, while Mena (3-7) and Bauxite (1-9) combined for just four wins.
Nashville starts the year ranked No. 1 in the statewide poll, while the Panthers and Senators (Robinson) join them in the top 10.
NASHVILLE
After nipping Hope by a point in the season opener and edging Fountain Lake by the same margin in the second conference game, the closest anyone came to the Scrappers was a 5-point win at Warren.
Nashville has six starters on offense and five on defense returning, and Darius Hopkins ran 202 times for 1,614 yards and 27 scores as a junior.
Trent Harris is another returning running back. Kirby Adcock and two other linemen are returning starters on the line.
Jarvis Holmes at noseguard and linebacker Garrett Gordon will help the defense, which held opponents to 2- points per game.
ASHDOWN
Bringing back a plethora of experience has Ashdown excited about the possibilities, and the experienced players are talented as well.
Montaric Brown is labeled the top recruit in the state, having verbally committed to Arkansas, as a defensive back. Tre Green moved to running back and rushed for nearly 900 yards in six games, and Jaden Hill is back for his junior year after starting at QB all of last year.
Tajhnick Bishop plays a multiple number of positions for Ashdown, which has six starters back on each side of the ball. Alex Day had 12 sacks from his end position for the Panthers, ranked No. 6 in the preseason state poll.
JOE T. ROBINSON
Robinson is back in 7-4A and lost two games by a point each last season, including a 28-27 decision to Pea Ridge.
The Senators, who run a spread offense, bring back five starters on offense and six on defense.
Hunter Eskola will take over at QB for his dad-head coach Todd Eskola-and Myles Fells is expected to be fully recovered for his senior year after having his sophomore (ACL) and junior (MCL) seasons cut short. Fells was offered by Navy in the spring. Edmond Robinson also helps in the backfield.
Kolan Jackson, who transferred from Parkview, will help the receiving corps.
MLB Hunter Swaboda collected 119 tackles for a defense that forced 31 turnovers last season.
ARKADELPHIA
The Badgers proved to be road warriors after losing offensive spark plug Ty Kosters in the season opener.
Arkadelphia finished 5-5 before making it to the state semifinals for the first time since 1987, picking up seven of its eight wins on the road. After over 1,300 miles of playoff travel, the Badgers lost at state finalist Prairie Grove.
Arkadelphia returns five starters each way for 2016 with the biggest strength being the returning linemen. An unproven QB and smaller in size team are concerns as the Badgers begin the season.
MALVERN
Two of the Leopards' three conference losses were by a TD or less, and Malvern made an early exit with a 3-point playoff loss to CAC in the first round.
They return five on offense and seven defensive starters for this fall. Demise Jimerson will take over at quarterback after missing last year with injuries.
Devin Shaw racked up 700 yards while splitting time in the backfield, and Tevin Smith had nearly 700 yards receiving and took back a couple of kickoffs for scores.
Damien Blaschke will be the anchor of the defense from his middle linebacker spot.
FOUNTAIN LAKE
Counted down and out prior to the season, the Cobras finished tied for second and played two rounds, losing to Arkadelphia (which they beat by 22 during the regular season).
Fountain Lake has plenty of holes to fill this season after graduation took almost the entire starting lineup. Only two defensive starters return, and just one on offense.
MENA
A year removed from playing for the 4A state title, the Bearcats lost two games by a TD or less and managed just three wins.
Mena brings back seven on offense and four defensive starters into a once-again loaded conference. With low numbers, injuries played a part, and the Bearcats will need to stay healthy to have a chance to get out of the conference.
BAUXITE
The Miners have won just one game four times in the past six seasons (won two in 2012) and with the loss of Waldron-Bauxite's win in conference last year-things aren't looking good for the team, which will be led by former Fayetteville coach Daryl Patton, who led Fayetteville to 115 win and four state titles from 2003-15.
Bauxite will have its work cut out for it, still, with just one returning starter on each side of the ball.