BUTLER TWP — Wins have been hard to come by for Butler's varsity football team.

Finding winning teams on the schedule has been no problem.

“You could make an argument that the three best teams in the WPIAL — Central Catholic, Pine-Richland and North Allegheny — are in our section,” third-year Butler coach Rob Densmore said. “And this has to be the toughest football section in the state of Pennsylvania.”

That's not a good mix for a program that's won four games over the past three years and hasn't had a winning season since 1997.

“Our No. 1 goal this year is to be competitive,” Densmore said. “Last year, we were not. My job is to turn that around.”

The Tornado return five starters offensively — quarterback Brandon Fleeger, center Jake Kradel, guard Kyle Heller, fullback Logan Dubyak and wide receiver Luke Michalek.

Fleeger threw for 259 yards and two touchdowns in five games behind center last season. Dubyak ran for 149 yards on just 15 carries. Michalek saw action at quarterback last year and ran for more than 200 yards.

“We'll have some packages for Luke (at quarterback) and some other guys,” Densmore said. “Luke and his brother John (injured last year) should make some plays for us.

“Brandon was thrown to the wolves as a sophomore last year, but he'll benefit from that now. He's got a very strong arm and he'll be ready.”

But make no mistake. Densmore wants to run the football.

“If we can beat somebody by running on every play, I'd do it,” he said. “But the teams we play, I don't see games playing out that way.”

Butler does not have a true tight end this year and will use a stacked backfield at times to counteract that. Noah Ryder, a powerful back who missed all of last year with a shoulder injury, figures to be a starter his senior year and Dallas Hays will line up in the backfield often.

“I can't wait to get out there and show what I can do,” Ryder said. “I think we'll have a good offense. Everybody is pushing each other.

“Our biggest strength is that we're well-coached and we're listening to our coaches.”

Kradel, a junior, is already getting looks from Syracuse and “is our best lineman,” Densmore said.

Butler will have size and depth up front with the likes of Dawson Davenport, Heller, David Michalek and Wilde Gaiser, among others.

Returning starters defensively for Butler are Dubyak at inside linebacker, Heller at end, Seth McCrea at tackle and Hays at safety.

The 6-foot-3, 255-pound Kradel will join 295-pound Trevor Valent at tackle. Heller, Davenport and Gaiser are at end with Ryder joining Dubyak at inside linebacker. Outside linebackers are Jacob Tilko, Aaron Michaux and Dominic Schmidt.

Therre is plenty of competition at cornerback to complement Hays in the defensive backfield.

“We'll be able to rotate guys in and out offensively and defensively with our depth this year,” Densmore said. “We should stay more fresh and that will be a plus.”

Heller said Butler's team chemistry will be a key this season.

“We're all working together as a team,” he said. “Everyone's on the same page. We all hang out together.

“We want to get to the playoffs. It's going to take all of us working together to get there.”

Densmore admitted that the overall team, attitude is better in preseason camp.

“We had some issues with guys playing as individuals last year,” the coach said. “These players got together in the off-season, addressed that and got rid of it.”

The Tornado graduated a stellar placekicker-punter in Devin Fitz. Cade Gratzmiller, a sophomore, will kick from placement this season while Kradel has the inside track at punter.