The Robert Lee football team lost 11 lettermen and a head coach from last year’s playoff team.

Inheriting a squad that was moving up a wealth of talent from an undefeated JV squad, Karry Owens was hired to replace 11-year coach Shay Avants at the end of the school year and didn’t get to start working with his squad until late summer.

Fast forward to today and Owens’ Steers enter the final week of regular season with a clear path back to the playoffs — win Friday and they’re in.

The Steers will look to get that win against Eden. And adding to the intrigue of that matchup is the fact that the Bulldogs are led by Avants, who took defensive coordinator Manuel Gamboa with him when he left Robert Lee.