ROYAL CITY — With about as much potential as last year’s state champs, the Royal High School football team opened fall practice sessions yesterday.

The Knights are pointing toward an exciting start of the 2016 campaign. After a jamboree on their field with Wahluke, Quincy and Okanogan on August 26, they will face 2A power Ellensburg at home and always tough Zillah on the road.

Coach Wiley Allred was expecting 70-75 players yesterday. That’s up about 10 from last year. There are four returning starters on offense and defense.

That may seem like a paltry number, but Allred will field a team that has talent and experience at every position. The first unit was so good last year that reserves played the second half of every regular season game except for the Connell clash.

Most of this year’s players have playoff experience.

If there is a change this year, it could be greater reliance on senior quarterback Kaden Jenks. Fans got a hint of that in the state title game last year when his passing led the early charge.

Jenks recently emerged as the top senior quarterback in the Northwest at a competition at Kirkland. Jenks is still 6-2 and still possesses a rifle of a right arm. He may be more bruising on the run, bulking up from 200 to 215 pounds.

The offense was evenly split last year. Allred hopes to have the same mix this year, but he will need to find someone to replace all-state tailback Joe Lang. The known candidates as camp started were Danny Cuevas, Isaac Ellis, Yovani Cruz and Alonso Hernandez. Cuevas carried the ball a lot the last two years.

Royal returns several capable receivers. The starting line will be mostly new, but that group will be experienced. And it may have taller, bigger boys.

The defense, which was nails last year, will have a lot of new starters. But again, they will be experienced because of last year’s opportunities.

The jamboree will include junior varsity and freshman competitions. Each school will get 10 offensive plays against each other school.

The Knights will practice at 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. today and tomorrow. They will practice at 9 a.m. on Saturday.