GLASGOW – The great locker room tour is about to begin for Barren County’s football team.

With the Trojans’ home field and locker room facilities in full tear down mode this summer – renovations are expected to be complete in time for the opening game of the 2018 season – Barren County is looking at a long season of bus trips and visitor’s locker rooms this year.

The Trojans technically have one home game on the schedule – the season finale Oct. 27 against Edmonson County will take place at Warren Central on a Thursday night. Homecoming on Sept. 1 against Adair County will be held at Lindsey Wilson College in Columbia. Otherwise, it’s road jerseys for the Trojans this season.

“We’re making it work,” first-year Barren County coach Jackson Arnett said. “We’ve got kind of a makeshift locker room right now in the weight room and we’ve rearranged it and got it the way we want, got our film set up in there. We’re embracing it. It’s only going to make us appreciate more when the new stuff gets here. Our seniors are embracing it, and that’s what I was worried about. So I’m happy that we’re embracing it.”

Arnett, who grew up in neighboring Monroe County playing against the Trojans, has embraced the challenge of turning around a program that posted just a 1-9 record last season. Arnett, who served last season as the offensive coordinator at Louisville Ballard, brings a youthful energy and enthusiasm to his first head coaching job.

The challenge is real – Barren County resides in the tough Class 5A, District 2 where perennial state power Bowling Green has long ruled the standings. As if facing the Purples and always-tough Greenwood wasn’t enough, Arnett arrived just in time to begin facing district newcomer South Warren on a yearly basis.

“I feel confident until the clock goes off and I’ve lost that I’m going to win them all,” Arnett said. “As a competitor, that’s just the way I think about it. You can say, well, we’re in a tough district. This is going to suck. But at the end of the day it’s football – anything can happen and we’re going to make it competitive.”

Arnett likes what he’s seen of sophomore quarterback Dalton Ford, who saw extensive time in a starting role last season. Ford is tasked with making the Trojans’ power spread offense work this season.

“He got thrown into the fire due to an injury, then he ended up getting hurt,” Arnett said. “I liked what I saw of him on film. I think he’s got a chance to be really good.”

Barren County, which scored its lone win last season with a 19-18 victory over district rival Grayson County, has some additional experience back at the skill positions. Arnett expects sophomore running back Tyler Bush as well as a quartet of wideouts – seniors Matt Goldsmith, Andy Emmitt, Blake Tarry and junior Kaleb Spillman – to be productive.

The Trojans will rotate seven or eight players on the offensive line, with senior Britton Davis, juniors Wyatt Pedigo and Cameron Hurt, and sophomores Cody Rogers and Easton Frazier among those expected to see time.

“We’re thinner than we want to be, but we’ve got a good rotation going,” Arnett said. “We’ve got some good pieces there.”

With about 50 players on the roster, Arnett expects most if not all of his offensive players to also have roles on the defensive side this season.

Pedigo (linebacker), Hurt (defensive line) and sophomore safety Jackson Coots are among those who have stood out in camp.

“Defensively we’re going to be good and balanced, and we’ll try to force you back inside and make you play what we want you to,” Arnett said. “We’ve got more depth than we thought we had. We’re not as deep as we want to be, but we have more than we thought we would.”

One game not on the schedule this year is the annual matchup with cross-town rival Glasgow, which Barren County dropped starting this season. Arnett wants to bring that natural rivalry back as soon as possible, hopefully by the 2019 season.

“It’s going to come back, as long as they’ll do it,” Arnett said. “I’m all for it. I guess it’s up to them at this point.”

Barren County Schedule

8/18 – at Casey County

8/25 – at Allen County-Scottsville

9/1 – vs. Adair County (at Lindsey Wilson)

9/8 – at Monroe County

9/15 – at Greenwood

9/22 – at South Warren

9/29 – at Taylor County

10/13 – at Bowling Green

10/20 – at Grayson County

10/27 – vs. Edmonson County (at Warren Central).{&end}