BUTLER TWP — The Butler High football team sees an opportunity coming Friday night.

So does Canon McMillan.

"These are two 0-2 football teams playing each other," Golden Tornado coach Jim Rankin said of Friday's 7:30 p.m. kickoff in Canonsburg. "They're looking to take advantage of the match-up every bit as much as we are."

Butler is trying to snap a 16-game regular-season losing streak. The Tornado still are looking for their first points in 2010, having been blanked 25-0 at New Castle and 48-0 at North Allegheny.

The Tornado's last win was against the Big Macs, an 18-0 decision Sept. 19, 2008, at Art Bernardi Stadium.

Momentum is on the line as well, with the home opener coming up Sept. 24 against Pine-Richland.

"We try to improve each week, and hopefully we'll improve this week," Rankin said. "We can't have the mistakes we've been making.

"We're working on corrections, but it's always hard to tell what's going to happen next week."

Quarterback Jordan Lumley missed the North Allegheny game with a concussion and has yet to be cleared to play this week, though Rankin said there is a possibility that will happen.

Lumley was still experiencing headaches Monday.

Lumley and Zach Rader have combined to complete just eight of 22 passes for 69 yards through two games. Neither has thrown an interception.

Rader has rushed for 58 yards, Cole Baxter for 53. David Hohn has three catches for 43 yards, all in the season opener.

"When you have turnovers, missed assignments and penalties, you're going to struggle offensively no matter what formations you're in," Rankin said.

"We want second-and-6, not second-and-15 or third-and-9. ... It's hard for anybody to function in those situations."

Pass protection has been an issue for the Tornado. Injuries to linemen Ben McKnight (knee) and Chris Huselton (ankle sprain) have played a factor. Both could return to practice this week.

"Because of injuries, we haven't had the same five guys up front every week," Rankin said. "That's an issue in terms of developing consistency. But we seem to be getting healthy."

Rankin said he will rotate four running backs Friday, Cole Baxter, Trevor Wideman, Demetrius Lockey and Matt Pribis, to go with fullback Carlos Sanchez.

Wideman returned from a shoulder injury to gain 44 yards on six carries last week.

One thing the Tornado plan to shore up is shoddy special teams play. Butler fumbled away the opening kickoff last week, leading to a NA score, then allowed a 100-yard kickoff return and a blocked punt to go for touchdowns the other way.

"Things happen in a game that you can't control. We can control things like that and we didn't," Rankin said.

Rankin said Canon McMillan has a good counter running game and prefers to get the ball outside. Defensively, the Big Macs are strong up front.

The Big Macs have suffered losses of 40-12 to Trinity and 27-0 to Latrobe so far this year.

"Latrobe runs our offense, so we were able to get a good look on film at what was working for them," Rankin said. "But their Wing-T isn't quite like ours and I'm sure (Canon McMillan) will make adjustments.

"Bottom line is, we have to line up and execute what we want to do."