PAYSON — With a new region full of Nebo School District opponents and headed by a new coach, the 2009 Payson Lions are optimistic about the opportunity their fresh start holds this season.

"The optimism, this year, for this group of kids is higher than I've seen in the past," first-year head coach Jeremy Chapman said.

A former Payson Lion himself, Chapman is taking over the reins after serving as defensive coordinator on coach Jared Woolstenhulme's staff last season. Having coached with the team for the past five years, Chapman already has a good relationship with his team. He knows his players' abilities on the field and they know what he expects as a coach.

"These young men know me and I know them," Chapman said. "They understand me and the way I expect things and the differences between me and the previous coach."

After taking part in the season's first practice Monday, Chapman said he's impressed by his team's willingness to take on challenges. He said his players have hit the ground running after a majority of his players prepared well in the off-season.

"We've got great kids," Chapman said. "We've demanded a lot, and I'd say these kids have risen to every challenge... they haven't questioned it. They've gotten down to work and they've met every challenge we've put in front of them."

Even though Payson struggled through a 2-8 (1-5, Region) campaign in 2008, some players experienced winning as freshmen or sophomores, and are excited to for an opportunity to win again.

"A lot of them got varsity playing time last year," Chapman said. "They understand what to expect going into games Friday night and they know how to handle the pressure and the adversity."

Not the biggest team in the state, Chapman said his team isn't going bowl any other teams over. Instead, he said, the Lions should have the most success when relying on an unconventional defensive scheme against opponents.

He said his offense, which will still primarily focus on the run, will also include more passing than before, but only as established by the Lions' run game. In an effort to be less predictable, the Payson offense will be more unconventional than in the past.

"We're going to try to mix it up," he said. "We're just going to move the ball around and, at times, get a little crazy with what we're doing to try to keep things off balance for the defense."