EAGLES STADIUM — Piedmont head coach Steve Smith had all summer to devise complicated schemes and a sophisticated game plan for his team's 2011 season opener against Hokes Bluff.  

In the end, though, Smith decided to keep it simple.  

“When you can win the line of scrimmage you’ve got a chance to beat anybody,” Smith said afterwards. “Our offensive and defensive lines controlled the game tonight.” 

Indeed, they did. The Bulldogs muscled out 264 yards rushing, throwing only when they had to, and held the Eagles to 47 yards on the ground and 122 total yards en route to a 21-0 win here Thursday night. 

Behind an all-senior front line, quarterback Chris Strott led the charge. The senior racked up 129 yards and a score on 20 carries as the No. 2-ranked Bulldogs took an early lead in the Class 3A Region 6 standings.

Senior running back Jamie Major added another TD on the ground for Piedmont. Strott tossed an eight-yarder to Sloan Garner for another score.  

“Chris Strott is a gamer,” Smith said. “He’s another running back in the backfield taking snaps. Everyone thinks of us as a finesse team, but our talent is more geared to playing ball-control, power football.” 

Senior running back Jacob Pennington, who rushed for 1,400 yards last season for Hokes Bluff, was held to 67 yards on 15 carries and fumbled twice. Quarterback Brad Robertson was the lone bright spot for the Eagles. The junior ended the night 9-of-13 for 75 yards. 

Both teams looked less than crisp in their season opener.  

Hokes Bluff returned an early kickoff for an apparent touchdown, only to have the play negated by offsetting unsportsmanlike conduct penalties. On the other side of the line of scrimmage, Piedmont committed several penalties and fumbled once while driving deep into Hokes Bluff territory.  

“As long as we didn’t have penalties we could sustain drives and keep the chains moving,” Smith said. 

Smith’s kickers also missed three field goals. Overall, however, the 2009 state title-winning head coach headed home pleased with what he saw in week one. 

“We came in here tonight and beat a playoff-caliber team at their home stadium, and I’m tickled at the effort our guys gave,” Smith said.

Next week the Bulldogs host Susan Moore at the newly-renovated Field of Champions. The $5 million overhaul of the athletics facilities at Piedmont includes a new press box and home-side bleachers (previously the visitor's side), a custom-painted artificial turf field, and a 14x8 video screen in the south end zone.

Hokes Bluff travels to Saks.