JEFFERSON TWP — Knoch is getting ready for the school of hard knocks — otherwise known as Hopewell football.

The Knights open the 2008 season with a 7:30 p.m. kickoff Friday at Hopewell, marking the first meeting of the teams since the Vikings bounced Knoch from the 2002 WPIALplayoffs with a 28-14 victory at Highlands.

"We scrimmaged Brashear and Burrell and those teams used a lot of spread and shotgun formations,"Knoch coach Mike King said. "Hopewell looks a lot like we do in terms of schemes.

"Their quarterback will linme up under center, two backs in the backfield and they'll come right at you."

Hopewell had fullback-linebacker Paul Posluszny — former Penn State great and present Buffalo Bills linebacker — on the field during that playoff win six years ago.

"There is no Posluszny there now,"King said. "That's one good thing."

David Posluszny was a two-way starter for the Vikings last year and is now at Notre Dame. Hopewell returns only two starters on both sides of the ball and will utilize three tailbacks:senior Drew Howard, junior Brendan Taylor and freshman Rushel Shell..

The Vikings are coming off a 4-5 season, dropping five of their final six games after a 3-0 start under veteran coach Dave Vestal.

"We were senior-dominated, but most of them were first-year starters,"Vestal said. "Then we were hit with a bunch of injuries in the middle of the year.

"We went 9-1 in 2006 with a large group of experienced seniors."

Regardless of the inexperience in the backfield and an offensive line that averages 210 pounds, the Vikings will try to run the football.

That's Vestal's syle. Hopewell averaged 252 yards rushing per game last year — and only 34 passing.

"We'll rely on our quickness and leverage,"Vestal said. "Knoch will definitely outweigh us up front."

Hopewell is 53-23 in Vestal's seven years as head coach.

Knoch will play Friday without receiver-safety Michael Gallagher (19 catches, 283 yards in 2007). He is out indefinitely with a fractured hip.

"We're hoping to get him back in time for regular conference play,"King said. "We're not gonna rush anything. Doctor's orders are for him to stay off it for a while and that's what he has to do."

Without Gallagher, first-year starting quarterback Jake McTighe will see double duty and line up at safety on defense.

Brandon Flick and Mitchell Shaw will be the Knights' primary receivers Friday.

"I don't have a problem with Jake playing defense,"King said. "It shouldn't take away from his performance at quarterback. When Jordan Shoop played here, he rarely came off the field at all.

"Sometimes you have to take the kid gloves off and let these kids play the sport they love to play,"King added.

Knoch's attack begins with McNerney, who rushed for 1,785 yards and 24 touchdowns last season. Fullback Kevin Brodeur, who added 322 yards and three TDs rushing himself, complements him in the backfield.

The Knights do sport a number of first-year starters on both sides of the ball.

"The average person judges scrimmages by how many times the leather winds up in the end zone,"King said. "Coaches are looking for who's coming off the ball well, how the kids are executing and reading assignments.

"That's what's important."