Glasgow head coach Jeff Garmon instructs players during practice on Wednesday, Aug. 3, 2016, at Glasgow High School. (Austin Anthony / photo@bgdailynews.com)

It’s harvest time for Glasgow High School’s football team.

Missing just one starter total from last year’s youthful squad, the Scotties are loaded with hard-earned experience heading into coach Jeff Garmon’s second season as head coach. Last season, Glasgow had its ups and downs during a 6-6 season that ended with a loss to Louisville Christian Academy in the second round of the Class 2A state playoffs.

The Scotties are expecting much more success this season.

“Expectations are high, but you don’t know until you get out and play the game,” Garmon said. “We’ve got to perform on Friday nights, and that’s the bottom line.

“We only had three seniors last year, one starter, so that’s all we lost. We’ve got a lot of kids coming back. It’s a different atmosphere this year than what it was last year. Last year we played a lot of younger kids. When I say younger, a couple freshmen and about eight or nine sophomores and about eight or nine juniors.”

Junior quarterback Dessi Austin returns to lead the Scotties’ spread offense, and sophomore Dalvin Smith should also see time there after missing all but three games last season with a broken ankle.

Austin (6-foot-3, 220 pounds) grew two inches and bulked up over the summer, and enters the season expecting to produce even more after passing for 1,948 yards and 19 touchdowns last season.

“My footwork is a whole lot better and my reads have gotten better throughout the years,” Austin said. “I have a lot more run plays this year. I’m bigger, and coach wants to run the ball a little bit more and hopefully help out some of the running backs.”

Leading rusher Jasper Mundy (335 yards, 7 TDs) and Selverio Greer should get plenty of touches out of the backfield.

“I think Jasper Mundy has really looked good at running back,” Garmon said. “He really looks into it. I’ve been really impressed with him.”

Top receivers Ben Hughes (43 catches, 707 yards, 11 TDs) and Griffin Murphy (43-512-3 TDs) headline a deep group of pass catchers that also included Gavin Burd and Smith.

Glasgow’s offensive line is deeper this season, Garmon said. Four starters are back – center Mitchell Ponder, guards Elijan Barnett and Connor Cassady, and tackle Tanner Bowles. Senior Steven Franklin, a standout on the defensive line last season, will become a two-way player this year as he fills another tackle spot on the offensive line.

“We’re going to play him a little more on offense,” Garmon said of Franklin. “The theory is for me, early in the year we’re going to have to sub him some on offense, but once it cools down a little bit I think Steven will be able to play both ways and do well.”

Burd has shifted from defensive end to inside linebacker to play opposite returning starter Henry Harris in the Scotties’ ’50’ defense.

Franklin, Draven Pope, Erick Bradshaw and Dayshawn Mitchell will help form what Garmon hopes is a more physical defensive front.

Evan Riddle (team-high six interceptions this year) is back as the top playmaker from a completely intact secondary that also returns starters Mundy, Smith and Greer.

“We’re really athletic on the back end,” Garmon said. “We’re pretty quick, we’ve got good size up front. I feel like with Burd playing at inside linebacker, it gives us even more size.”

The Scotties will be tested from the get-go, starting with a rematch against Campbellsville in the season-opening Scottie Bowl on Aug. 19. That game will be the only one this season that Glasgow will be the higher-classified program – and Campbellsville, a 1A team, beat the Scotties 22-16 last season.

Glasgow will face cross-town rival Barren County – a 5A team – one last time (Sept. 2) before the two schools take a break from their annual rivalry game. The Scotties also tangle with 4A teams Allen County-Scottsville (Sept. 9) and Warren East (Sept. 16), and 5A Greenwood (Sept. 23) this season.

Hughes, one of 13 seniors on the roster, said the Scotties have been working hard to prepare for the season.

“There’s a lot of bigger teams out there that we’re going to have to play,” Hughes said. “We’ve just got to pull through with toughness and step out on the field with all the heart we can.”

– Follow Daily News Sports Editor Jeff Nations on Twitter @Jeff_NationsBG or visit bgdailynews.com.