It’s North Rowan time.

Daugherty knows it’s North Rowan time every time he passes a football player or even a football fan in the hallways of his school. Everyone looks nervous. But everyone also looks eager for Friday’s clash between the Hornets and their biggest rival.

This week, there’s extra spring in Daugherty’s step. Added adrenaline flows through his players and his assistants. The aches and pains — physical and emotional — from last Friday’s battle with Davie County don’t hurt anymore. The air smells fresher. The cafeteria food tastes better.

No doubt about it, it’s North Rowan time.

“This is a big week for Salisbury High football,” says Daugherty. “This is the kind of week you stay in this business for.”

Daugherty says that, and then he smiles.

You might wonder how this man can smile — even at a Seinfeld re-run — after what he’s experienced in less than half a season. Because his Hornets aren’t just 0-5. It’s the way they’ve gone 0-5. They’ve been outscored 190-19.

But Daugherty knows if his team beats North, it’s suddenly 1-0 in conference play. And if that happens, the five losses will be ancient history. It will be like they never happened.

Daugherty honestly believes the Hornets have a chance to accomplish a small miracle on Friday night. Somehow, some way, they can do what has to be done.

“This is the week that Salisbury kids do things that they can’t do in an ordinary week,”he says. “I think Friday night is going to be interesting.”

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One reason things might get interesting this Friday is that two Fridays ago — in the waning moments of an otherwise awful 31-0 loss to South Rowan — Daugherty found himself a running back.

That back is a junior named Ken Drye.

Drye had been around all along, of course, but Daugherty hadn’t wanted to turn to him on offense. He didn’t want to ask Drye to carry the ball for two very good reasons.

First, because Drye is the team’s best defensive player.

Second, because Drye’s hard-nosed play at linebacker can’t conceal the fact that he’s only 183 pounds. Asking him to go both ways — at positions where you take a constant beating —might be too much to ask.

“The kid ran it 23 times, caught the ball a couple more and still made 12-15 tackles,” Daugherty says admiringly, pointing a finger at Drye, who pounded out 90 yards against a huge Davie team. No Hornet had managed more than 29 rushing yards in any previous game.

“I’m still beat up for real,” says Drye. “But I thought it was fun. I love football. I don’t care if I never come off the field.”

This Friday night, he may not.

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If anyone can understand exactly what Drye is being asked to do — is eager to do — it’s assistant coach Jason Kluttz.

Because the last time Salisbury was good — the 12-1 season in 1995 — Kluttz went both ways at linebacker and fullback.

“Ken is just a great natural athlete,” said Kluttz. “He also has that nose for the ball. When he’s at linebacker, he just goes to the ball. Right place, right time, every time. It’s like he’s been in the other team’s huddle.”

When the Hornet coaches watch film, they determine where opponents likes to run the ball. Then they put Drye directly in that path on a mission of search and destroy.

“He’s definitely our go-to man on defense,” says Kluttz. “and he’s almost like a coach the way he pumps everyone up. He’s one of the best in the county.”

Now Drye’s mission is to make himself one of the county’s best on that other side of the ball.

He can get better. His running style isn’t exactly polished. He’s saving his dance steps for the prom. What he does best is basically look for people to run over, and then run over them — whether they like it or not.

“Except linebackers,” he says, grinning. “I know enough to watch out for those linebackers.”

Drye, appropriately enough, has chosen a throwback for his running back role model.

“My favorite is John Riggins (the legendary “Diesel” who powered the Washington Redskins in the ‘70s and ‘80s),” he says. “He kept his feet moving and he didn’t like to hit the ground.I’m the same way.”

Drye has learned some lessons from that old film footage of Riggins. Like Riggins, he’s tough enough to run inside for hard yards, but also like Riggins, he’s fast enough to bounce outside for big gains when the opportunity presents itself.

“He’s strong and he’s got better than average speed,” said Daugherty. “It’s like the old saying: ‘If you’ve got a gun, shoot it.’ It looks like Ken’s our best weapon, and we’re going to shoot him as much as we’re able.”

And anyone who doesn’t think Ken Drye can get his double job done, well, he says you’re all wet.

For Hornet fans, there’s no better time for him to prove what he can do than Friday night.