JEFFERSON TWP — Time to turn the page.

Knoch is coming off one of the best football seasons in school history, going undefeated in the regular season and reaching the WPIAL Class AAA championship game at Heinz Field.

Gone is the bulk of an offense that averaged 36.5 points per game. Quarterback Ky Kenyon accounted for 2,100 yards and 30 touchdowns passing and running, Andrew Rumburg-Goodlin 1,382 yards and 18 TDs rushing, Mac Megahan 364 yards and seven TDs receiving.

Veteran coach Mike King isn't phased by the losses.

“I think we have the personnel to get back there,” King said of the WPIAL finals.

“If you don't believe in your own kids, who are you going to believe in?”

The lone returning offensive player with big numbers from last season is senior running back Ben Tackett, who rushed for 279 yards and four TDs and was the Knights' leading receiver with 25 catches for 413 yards and five scores.

“Last year was exactly that — last year,” Tackett said. “It was fun, but it's over. This is a new team. This is the seniors' story.”

Besides Tackett, Knoch has tight end Luke Kroneberg and offensive linemen Nate Anuskiewicz and Eric Klein returning as starters offensively. Another returnee, senior Dakota Bruggeman, is switching from wide receiver to quarterback.

“He's always been a quarterback, through junior high and freshman football,” King said. “We had Ky up here, so we moved Dakota to wideout and he produced for us.

“He's been chomping at the bit to get back behind center. Dakota is a big kid, a straight drop-back passer who will find the open receiver if we give him time.”

Anuskiewicz and Klein are returning at tackle for Knoch. Guards will come from Matt Miller, Jon Whalen and Joe Colonello. Travis Fogel is moving from guard to center this year.

Bruggeman caught eight passes for 136 yards last season. He completed three of 10 aerials and had a touchdown pass.

“The team needed me at receiver and I was happy to go there and help us win,” Bruggeman said. “I'm excited about going back to quarterback. I feel like I can make plays and show some leadership there, just like Ky did the last couple of years.”

The Knights will be relatively inexperienced at receiver, where Jim Larrimer, Austin Thomas, Kaleb Dietz and Adam Albert will vie for time.

Mike Cunningham, who saw limited action offensively last year, will join Tackett in the backfield.

“Those guys are very capable, all-purpose backs,” King said. “They're aggressive runners who can catch the football.”

Defensively, Knoch will use its 35 formation and returns nine players who saw significant time last year. Kroneberg, Cunningham and Colonello return as starting linebackers. Colonello suffered a concussion in Week 3 last season and missed a lot of action.

Whalen is the nose guard with Tackett and Bruggeman anchoring the secondary.

Other returning defensive starters include Anuskiewicz, Fogel and Connor Shinsky.

“The strength of our team is our defense,” King said. “We have a willingness to get after it on that side of the ball. Our kids get excited about it. Our mentality defensively is a definite strength.”

Cunningham said the team's line play in general will be a strength.

“We have a lot of linemen back and that's different for us over the last couple of years,” he said. “Those guys can all bench well over 300. ... They're big guys who know how to get after people and create space.”

Three players — including receiver Thomas — are battling for the place-kicking position vacated by the graduated Kory Wood.

“This may be the first time in years we'll have a position player doing our kicking,” King said.

Knoch is playing in a revamped nine-team section this season that welcomes in Franklin Regional, Greensburg Salem, Hollidaysburg and Derry Area.

“This was a tough league to begin with,” King said. “If you can get through this league, it does prepare you for the playoffs. Teams from our section have proven that year in and year out.”