BUTLERTWP — Statistics can lie. But sometimes they don't.

When it comes to Butler's defense, the truth hasn't been pretty the past couple of seasons.

Butler finished 1-9 two years ago, losing its first eight games and allowing 33 points per game in Quad North competition.

Last season, the Golden Tornado finished 4-6 overall, 1-6 in conference play, again allowing 33 points per game to its league opponents.

"It's been tough on our kids because they've been winners,"coach Garry Cathell said. "When they were sophomores, we put them in a position where they couldn't succeed by starting most of them at the varsity level.

"Last year was a personnel issue. A lot of our guys just couldn't get on the field (because of injuries)."

This year, Erich Campbell returns to the Tornado coaching staff after a four-year absence. He is the team's third defensive coordinator in as many years, following Rick Roth and Ralph McElhaney.

Butler is changing its base defense from a 50 to a 43 under Campbell.

"You can't be a successful defense without discipline, and this defense requires that,"Campbell said. "It's an attack defense. You attack first and make your read second, as opposed to the other way around.

"We have linebackers who are smaller and quicker. We need to be aggressive, but every player is responsible for his gap as well."

Alex Tatangelo stands 5-foot-10 and weighs 180 pounds, yet he led Butler with 86 total tackles as a linebacker last year. Eric Petanovich played defensive end last season and led the team with 10 sacks and 23 solo tackles. He had 73 tackles overall.

Petanovich drops back to linebacker in the 43 defense.

"It's going to make him better,"Campbell said. "As an end, everyone knew he was coming. At linebacker, no one's going to know what he's doing.

"We may send him. We may send somebody else. We can keep people guessing."

Petanovich welcomes the change in position.

"I really wanted to play linebacker last year," he said. "You can be more mobile there. You can see the field better and you're able to roam from sideline to sideline to make plays."

With nine starters returning on defense, including interception leader Cory Haley (four) and tackle leaders Tatangelo, Petanovich, Aaron Dorondo (62 tackles) and Reagan Young (59), Butler has a veteran unit on that side of the ball.

"That will help because we have to be able to trust each other,"Petanovich said. "With so many seniors starting, we know we have to turn it up a notch this year."

Cathell concurred.

"Simply put, we've been unable to get our defense to play at the level of the other teams in our league," he said.

The switch to a 43 may help accomplish that mission.

"The 43 is definitely what we need," Tatangelo said. "We're undersized at linebacker. You have to have a mind-set. You have to play big.

"When a blocker hits a gap, our linemen have to get a piece of him and knock him off his route so the linebackers can fill in. We've been playing together since eighth grade. We need to do this for each other."

Campbell began working with the players in the weight room during the off-season and developed the desire to coach again.

"I guess you can say I'm refueled and ready to go,"he said. "These are good kids, hungry kids. They want to attack."

"Erich is a high-energy guy, and you need that in a defensive coordinator,"Cathell said. "He's knowledgeable, has experience and he's doing a good job bringing the kids along."

And the seniors want to bring the program along.

"As a senior, you want to leave a memorable mark, something the underclassmen can strive for,"Petanovich said. "I want to challenge for the state championship. We're capable of doing that."

"This year, this program's eyes are set on us. It's up to us to do something with it."