JEFFERSON TWP— The key to success for Knoch football in 2007?

Stay out of the trainer's room.

The Knights are coming off a 4-5 season and barely missed the WPIALplayoffs despite battling numerous injuries. Seth Montgomery, their best offensive lineman, tore knee ligaments last year and is playing for Geneva College this year.

Three key returnees — tailback Alex Whisler, receiver-defensive back Kyle Reiser and receiver Rob Briggs — are coming off injury-riddled campaigns.

"Injuries haven't been kind to us the past couple of years," veteran Knoch coach Mike King said. "One thing that it's done is given our younger kids a chance to play.

"We've got a lot more depth on this year's roster than we've had in a long time."

The Knights return eight starters on both sides of the ball. Keeping Whisler, now a senior, healthy may be the biggest key of all.

An injured spleen curtailed a productive sophomore season. A nagging hamstring problem limited Whisler's playing time last year, but he still managed 658 rushing yards and nine touchdowns along with 87 yards on nine receptions.

In three of Knoch's four victories last year, Whisler enjoyed 100-yard rushing efforts.

"Having Alex healthy back there makes such a difference,"senior quarterback Zack Gross said. "Defenses have to pay attention to him and that opens everything else up."

Whisler admitted the thought of getting injured again is always in the back of his mind, but a big senior season is in the forefront.

"You have no control over injuries sometimes, but I feel like this is our year,"Whisler said. "Our goals are high. We want to win the whole thing."

Gross completed 43 of 93 passes for 535 yards, two touchdowns and seven interceptions as the Knights' aerial game struggled. Briggs is the top returning receiver with seven catches for 81 yards.

"My decision-making has gotten a lot better,"Gross said. "We should be much more balanced between run and pass."

Other returning offensive starters include senior center Tyler Krahe, senior tackle Kurtis Schachner, junior guard Bob Yenick and junior tackle Tim McCorkle up front.

Kevin Wood, a member of the Knights' boys soccer team, will do the kicking.

On defense, starters returning are junior nose guard Henry Cypher, Krahe at tackle, seniors John Zellhart and David Govan at end, junior Kevin Brodeur at linebacker, and junior Tim McNerney and Reiser at defensive back.

Despite suffering a broken hand in each of the past two seasons, Reiser was an all-conference performer at strong safety a year ago.

"I broke one hand in a scrimmage my sophomore year, then broke the other hand in our first game last year,"Reiser said. "That's the way it's gone for us around here.

"Concussions, hamstrings, ankles — we've gone through all that stuff. But right now we're healthy. This is the year we want to make up for it."

Playing in the Greater Allegheny Conference against the likes of Franklin Regional, Pine-Richland, Highlands and Hampton, teams have to be ready to play physical football.

"I know I sound like a broken record when I say this every year, but there really are no weeks off in our league,"King said. "It's a grueling schedule, and some of the injuries are a result of that. We have to be physically prepared to stand up to it."

King admitted to growing a bit weary of penciling in Knoch's injury list.

"You're always holding your breath that no one gets hurt,"King said. "After a while, it's like, OK, who's next? But our depth should really help this year.

"We're deep along the offensive line and that's something you really want. TimMcNerney is a viable running back with Alex this year. On defense, we're deepest in the secondary," he added.