BUTLER TWP — The first 10 minutes were a disaster.

Second-year Butler varsity football coach Rob Densmore remembers it well. In his Golden Tornado coaching debut at Altoona a year ago, his team trailed 21-0 and was without a first down with two minutes left in the first quarter.

“It was like we never got off the bus,” Densmore said.

Butler went on to drop a 28-10 decision that night at Mansion Park Stadium en route to a 2-7 season. The Tornado get a chance at revenge Friday when they host the Lions for a 7:30 p.m. kickoff at Art Bernardi Stadium.

That revenge will come against a different set of players, however. Altoona finished 8-3 in 2014, but graduated 22 seniors and 18 starters.

“That team is gone,” Lions coach John Franco said. “Now we're working on putting another one together.

“Trying to get so many kids acclimated to new positions as first-time varsity starters ... We hope to be much better in the second half of the season than we will be in the first half.”

Last year was a bit of an aberration for Altoona. The Lions have struggled over the past decade and Franco is their third head coach since 2008.

Butler is on its fourth head coach since that time.

“Coach Densmore and I are in similar situations in what we're trying to do — and we're trying to do it the same way, by teaching and playing hard-nosed football,” Franco said.

Altoona graduated 1,600-yard rusher Eli Mencer, who is now at Albany. Defensive end Kevin Givens is now playing at Penn State. Quarterback Devin Miller and leading receiver Sean Steave are gone as well.

The Lions' would-be top returner — 6-foot-3 tight end-defensive end Alec Astray — transferred to State College High School. Altoona's top returnees are two-way tackle Trey Livermore and lineman Jarod Kutz. Josh Russo, a junior, saw late-game action at running back a year ago.

Ed Quinones and Ryan Shope have been battling for the starting quarterback spot.

“They are quick kids who are working hard and are good game managers ... But they're raw,” Franco said.

Densmore said his team came out “flat” in its scrimmage at Knoch last week, but was pleased the offense has made progress in the passing game.

“We're showing we can throw the ball and make plays that way,” the coach said. “If defenses load up the box against us again, we can go to the air.

“For a first year starter, Shad Stepp is making excellent progress at quarterback. Dom Noel and Rhett Wahler have stood out as linebackers in our scrimmages.”

Also defensively, Densmore lauded the efforts of corners Scott Dietrich, Alec Bayer and Lamont Hoy, along with safety Dallas Hays.

Running back Damian Pickett had a promising season hampered by a nagging ankle injury last season.

“Damian worked hard in the off-season and he's strengthened that ankle considerably,” Densmore said. “His attitude has been fantastic and he could be in for a big season.”

Fullback Noah Ryder required surgery on a dislocated shoulder and is out for the season, but Zack Hunka and Colton Frost have been “working in well at that position.”

Franco described Butler as “being strong up the middle and running the ball well.

“They'll be another year better,” he added.

Desmore concurs.

“We can't wait to get started,” he said. “We need to get off to a better start this time ... and that's on us as coaches.”