IMG is stacked with talent. Now it’s time to see how the Ascenders handle life at the top.

This year’s IMG Academy Blue team isn’t different than in past seasons on a talent level.

Once again, the Ascenders are loaded.

Five- and 4-star recruits dot the roster. There are 11 players at those star rankings who are seniors, with another two that are juniors.

Talent isn’t the biggest hurdle IMG has to deal with on a yearly basis.

It’s the daunting schedule, how quickly all the new faces mesh with the returning players and managing those players’ personalities.

The game everyone nationally wanted to see — IMG and Mater Dei (California) — is scheduled for Sept. 21. Those two programs finished Nos. 1-2 in the final USA Today Super 25 rankings last season, with Mater Dei finishing on top to secure a national title.

Mater Dei will be quite the handful as the country’s No. 3-ranked team heading into the season, while IMG is the preseason No. 1-ranked team and enters on a 37-game winning streak.

Meanwhile, IMG will have two varsity teams for a second straight year, with the White team playing a more local and state schedule compared to the national slate the Blue team faces.

“We have more kids in the program than ever,” IMG Blue head coach Kevin Wright said. “I think we’ll be right around 110-112. ... It’s a pretty fun group to watch. It’s a group that’s a veteran offensive line, a very young defensive line which is just the opposite of what we were last year. So you hope you can continue to build.”

What to watch for

A well-oiled machine with more talent than most high schools dream of having.

Defensive end Nolan Smith II anchors the defense as the No. 2 recruit in the 247Sports composite rankings.

Georgia-bound, Smith has help on defense from other senior 4- or 5-star players such as linebacker Jaleel McRae (Florida State commit), linebacker Mikel Jones (multiple offers) and safety Briton Allen (multiple offers).

Offensively, IMG returns — arguably — the nation’s best running back combo in Trey Sanders and Noah Cain.

Couple them with a line with six returners, and the Ascenders are poised to produce an efficient offense.

What can go right

The team forms a cohesive bond from the get-go, egos are set aside from all the top-level recruits and a brotherhood is featured every game.

The quarterback play, which might be the weakest on the offense, ends up exceeding expectations and takes some of the burden off Sanders and Cain, who each have several D-I offers and are highly rated.

What can go wrong

A brutal three-game stretch in September features rival St. John’s College High in Washington, D.C., on a Saturday afternoon, Mater Dei in California six days later and back at home to face defending Class 6A state champion Miami Northwestern the following week.

If IMG gets through that portion at 3-0, then the Ascenders look good for their first national title.

Difference-makers

On offense, it’s the line with Evan Neal, Dontae Lucas (FSU commit), Deyavie Hammond and Justin Osborne (Auburn) as some of the highly recruited players at their positions.

Wright is high on slot receiver Josh Delgado, who is a 4-star recruit committed to Oregon, as well.

Defensively, Wright said Smith are expected to lead the way.

The last word

“The work here is crazy,” linebacker Jaleel McRae said. “This is no other high school. Some people might call us a college. It’s not like a college. We are regular teenage kids just like everybody else.”

IMG Blue’s 2018 schedule

Aug. 24 at Pine-Richland (Gibsonia, Pa.), 7:30 p.m.

Aug. 31 vs. Miami Norland, 7 p.m.

Sept. 7 at Liberty (Henderson, Nev.), 10 p.m.

Sept. 15 at St. John’s College (Washington, D.C.), 1 p.m.

Sept. 21 at Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.), TBA

Sept. 29 vs. Miami Northwestern, 7 p.m.

Oct. 12 vs. Clearwater Superior Collegiate, 7 p.m.

Oct. 19 vs. Middletown (Middletown, Del.), 7 p.m.

Oct. 26 vs. COF Academy (Columbus, Ohio), 7 p.m.

Nov. 2 at Hoover (Hoover, Ala.), 7 p.m.

IMG White’s 2018 schedule

Aug. 24 at Melbourne Central Catholic, 7 p.m.

Aug. 31 at Cardinal Mooney, 7 p.m.

Sept. 7 at Zephyrhills Christian, 7 p.m.

Sept. 14 vs. Orlando Christian Prep, 7 p.m.

Sept. 28 at Fort Myers Bishop Verot, 7 p.m.

Oct. 5 vs. Orlando West Oaks, 7 p.m.

Oct. 13 vs. Clearwater Academy International, 7 p.m.

Oct. 19 vs. Tampa Berkeley Prep, 7 p.m.

Oct. 26 at Clearwater Calvary Christian, 7 p.m.

Nov. 2 at Brooksville Nature Coast Tech, 7 p.m.

This story was originally published August 16, 2018 at 3:37 PM.