Lindale senior quarterback Clay Price and the Lindale Eagles are looking to improve upon their 2010 season, when they made the second round of the postseason. (Jaime R. Carrero | Tyler Morning Telegraph)

The Lindale football team expects big things in 2011. So much so, the Eagles are planning to take flight in the near future.

“We talked all spring about how we are going to take it to the next level,” coach Mike Meador said. “The next level would be taking it to a state championship, and we’ve never been to that level.”

Of course, Meador isn’t penciling in a berth in the Class 3A Division I final. But that said, the Eagles are working each morning to be a major player when the postseason gets under way in November.

“I think our kids believe we can do that, and that’s part of it,” Meador said. “You’ve got to get your kids to believe you can do it. I’ve got an excellent coaching staff and we’ve got great support from our town and our administration, and I believe we can take it to another level.”

Lindale, which begins the season ranked No. 13 in 3A by Texas Football, brings back six offensive and four defensive starters from an 8-4 area finalist. Part of the confidence comes on the offensive front, where five seniors start and two are NCAA Division I Bowl Subdivision recruits — Sam Schomp at 6-4, 305 and Micah Simmons at 6-4, 265.

“I can’t remember another time when we had an entire senior offensive line,” Meador said. “We’ve got five guys that are working hard to be the starters. Of those five, three were starters last year and a fourth one played a bit.”

Lindale also returns a standout quarterback in senior Clay Price, who passed for 2,212 yards and 16 touchdowns and rushed for 344 yards and eight scores. The Eagles are replacing running back John Ryzman, who ran for 1,425 yards and 29 touchdowns last season as a senior.

“My quarterback had an in-credible year last year,” Meador said. “He’s one of the smartest kids in the school and one of the best leaders we’ve had come through in many, many years.”

Meador, an offensive coach, is most looking forward to witnessing the Eagles defense living up to its potential. The defensive leaders include linebackers Alex Cardenas and Jesse Hobbs, plus defensive end Donte Marsh, among others.

“(Defense) is what I’m really fired up about,” he said. “I know that if you don’t have a good defense, it’s tough to win. Our strength is our linebackers and our D-line.

We’ve got some experienced linebackers I really think that are going to play big for us.”

Lindale is scheduled to host Sulphur Springs in scrimmage action Friday at Eagle Stadium. The junior varsity and freshman start at 6:30 p.m. and the varsity follows at 8 p.m.

The Eagles scrimmage defending 3A Division I champion Henderson the following week, before meeting three-time defending 3A Division II champion Carthage and 2010 3A Division I finalist Chapel Hill in non-district.

Last season, Lindale fell by five points to Carthage and led Henderson by 15 points at half-time before coming up short. Having been competitive against two state champs is another reason for the Eagles’ optimism.

“I think it does help our psyche going into the season and preparing each day and preparing each week,” Meador said. “But we also have to be humble enough to say that if we don’t play well, anybody can beat us. It’s a tough 3A region in East Texas and I think we are one of those teams. We have to go out there and prove it.”