Butler football 2025 preview: What to watch, 3 things to know and schedule
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Butler's Tyson Pino works on footwork during football practice Monday, Aug. 4, 2025, at Butler High School. Jared Todhunter/Special to the Eagle
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Butler head coach Eric Christy instructs players of a drill during football practice Monday, Aug. 4, 2025, at Butler High School. Jared Todhunter/Special to the Eagle
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Butler's Nicco Baggetta runs through an agility drill during football practice Monday, Aug. 4, 2025, at Butler High School. Jared Todhunter/Special to the Eagle
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Butler's Chase Boden runs through a tackling drill during football practice Monday, Aug. 4, 2025, at Butler High School. Jared Todhunter/Special to the Eagle
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Butler's Mark Klemz participates in agility drills during football practice Monday, Aug. 4, 2025, at Butler High School. Jared Todhunter/Special to the Eagle
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Butler's Kevin Shriver runs with the ball during football practice Monday, Aug. 4, 2025, at Butler High School. Jared Todhunter/Special to the Eagle
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Butler's Beau Burchett (47) talks to teammates during football practice Monday, Aug. 4, 2025, at Butler High School. Jared Todhunter/Special to the Eagle
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Butler's Stone Spack tackles a teammate during football practice Monday, Aug. 4, 2025, at Butler High School. Jared Todhunter/Special to the Eagle
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Butler's Nicco Baggetta hands the ball off to Mark Klemz during football practice Monday, Aug. 4, 2025, at Butler High School. Jared Todhunter/Special to the Eagle
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Butler assistant coach Chip McGuire talks offensive schemes during a team meeting ahead of football practice Monday, Aug. 4, 2025, at Butler High School. Jared Todhunter/Special to the Eagle
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Butler head coach Eric Christy talks to his football team at the end of practice Monday, Aug. 4, 2025, at Butler High School. Jared Todhunter/Special to the Eagle
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The Butler Golden Tornado held their first mandatory practice Monday, Aug. 4, 2025, at Butler High School. Jared Todhunter/Special to the Eagle
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The Butler Golden Tornado officially started the 2025 season with their first mandatory practice held on Monday, Aug. 4, 2025, at Butler High School. Jared Todhunter/Special to the Eagle
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Butler Eagle sports editor Jake Merda Adams, right, talks with the Butler football team during the Butler Eagle Football Media Day podcast on Friday, Aug. 1, 2025, at Butler High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Butler Eagle sports editor Jake Merda Adams, right, talks with the Butler football team during the Butler Eagle Football Media Day podcast on Friday, Aug. 1, 2025, at Butler High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Butler’s Stone Spack answers a question from Butler Eagle sports editor Jake Merda Adams during the Butler Eagle Football Media Day podcast on Friday, Aug. 1, 2025, at Butler High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Butler’s Beau Burchett, left, and Stone Spack answer a question from Butler Eagle sports editor Jake Merda Adams during the Butler Eagle Football Media Day podcast on Friday, Aug. 1, 2025, at Butler High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Butler’s Stone Spack laughs during an interview with Butler Eagle sports editor Jake Merda Adams during the Butler Eagle Football Media Day podcast on Friday, Aug. 1, 2025, at Butler High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Butler’s Beau Burchett, left, and Stone Spack answer a question from Butler Eagle sports editor Jake Merda Adams during the Butler Eagle Football Media Day podcast on Friday, Aug. 1, 2025, at Butler High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Butler’s Stone Spack answers a question from Butler Eagle sports editor Jake Merda Adams during the Butler Eagle Football Media Day podcast on Friday, Aug. 1, 2025, at Butler High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Butler’s Stone Spack answers a question from Butler Eagle sports editor Jake Merda Adams during the Butler Eagle Football Media Day podcast on Friday, Aug. 1, 2025, at Butler High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Butler Eagle sports editor Jake Merda Adams, right, talks with the Butler’s Tyson Pino during the Butler Eagle Football Media Day podcast on Friday, Aug. 1, 2025, at Butler High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Butler Eagle sports editor Jake Merda Adams, right , talks with the Butler’s Tyson Pino during the Butler Eagle Football Media Day podcast on Friday, Aug. 1, 2025, at Butler High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Butler’s Beau Burchett answers a question from Butler Eagle sports editor Jake Merda Adams during the Butler Eagle Football Media Day podcast on Friday, Aug. 1, 2025, at Butler High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Butler’s Stone Spack during the Butler Eagle Football Media Day on Friday, Aug. 1, 2025, at Butler High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Butler’s Stone Spack during the Butler Eagle Football Media Day on Friday, Aug. 1, 2025, at Butler High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Butler’s Beau Burchett during the Butler Eagle Football Media Day on Friday, Aug. 1, 2025, at Butler High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Butler’s Beau Burchett during the Butler Eagle Football Media Day on Friday, Aug. 1, 2025, at Butler High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Butler’s Tyson Pino during the Butler Eagle Football Media Day on Friday, Aug. 1, 2025, at Butler High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Butler’s Tyson Pino during the Butler Eagle Football Media Day on Friday, Aug. 1, 2025, at Butler High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
As it hit the road for a handful of far-away road games last season, Eric Christy’s Butler program made some strides. Now, the Golden Tornado are focused on bettering the program while playing an independent schedule for the second year in a row.
Butler’s looking for a change in mindset. A winning record will come of it on the football field, the team believes.
“This is our best chance to push the program forward,” senior receiver Tyson Pino said. “With all the players we have, all the players that wanna work hard and pursue this goal that we have, our goal this year is to have an above-.500 record.”
Christy isn’t asking for a knockout right away, but a good jab to start and blow after blow to close things out. Such will be the Golden Tornado’s plan of action this fall.
“What we want to keep working towards is being fast starters,” Christy said. “You want to get something going soon, early — get some belief going in there. It feels like we like to be a boxing team a lot. It’s what we’ve had traditionally. We kind of go out and feel the opponent out like, ‘Where are we going to go? Are they coming at us or where are we going to be?’
“We want to get away from that mentality.”
Christy stressed splash plays, defining them as gains of at least 17 yards. Senior center Stone Spack detailed an example for the team to follow: against Brashear last season, he drove a defender 15 yards backward twice in a row, paving the way on run plays.
“It kind of set the tone for the game,” Spack said. “You could just see heads drop when that happens. (Opposing) players’ confidence just kind of drops. … We’re going to come out, we’re going to punch you and see what you can do.”
It’s the same the other way. Christy would like for his crew not to hang its head after giving up an early big play. Butler worked with a psychologist to combat that reaction before last season.
Entering camp, Christy said the Golden Tornado were trying to go two deep at each position. Steady attendees during offseason workouts were given the first crack at locking up jobs.
“We always say, ‘We don’t want starters, we want finishers,’” Christy said. “You might start the game, but it’s (about) who’s the guy with his hand down … making plays at the end of the game or in the second half?”
Christy listed Beau Burchett, Pino and Spack as guys who could be closing games out.
“You can be physically worn out, but it really comes down to the mental side,” Spack said. “You can be the same physical strength, somebody could even be a little bit stronger than you. If you beat them up mentally and if you’re there in the fourth quarter still with the same energy you brought in the first quarter, you’re going to win.”
1. Runaway QB: Junior Nicco Baggetta doesn’t fit the typical quarterback mold. Standing 5-foot-10 and weighing around 220 pounds, he looks a lot more like a thumper on the defensive side of the ball.
Well, yeah, he’s that, too.
Moonlighting as a middle linebacker, Baggetta has the arm strength to throw all over the field, but is still working on his touch as a passer.
“He’s aware that the next level, for him, is probably on the defensive side,” Christy said. “He’s not necessarily Division I quarterback sized or maybe even, for that part, Division II.”
Baggetta rushed for 239 yards and six touchdowns on 53 carries a season ago. Don’t be surprised to see keepers drawn up for him this fall.
“If you spread out, he can still run it,” Christy said. “It’s an equalizer. You’re not playing 10-on-11 football. You’re playing 11-on-11 when the quarterback can run.”
“You’ll never see a quarterback lowering his shoulder and head like Nicco,” Spack said. “(When) he runs outside, you’re not tackling a quarterback. You’re tackling a full-on running back. So get ready.”
Pino has worked with Baggetta throughout the offseason, including throwing javelin with him during the track and field season.
“If a play breaks down and I see him rolling out, I can break off my route and get open for him,” Pino said.
2. Helping Klemz: Klemz was a two-way player for the Golden Tornado last season. Along with rushing for 698 yards and a half-dozen touchdowns on 134 totes, he worked as a middle linebacker. His 39 total tackles were the second-most of any Butler defender, but Christy slid him to safety this offseason.
Klemz had 301 yards on the ground through three games last season. He had his sights set on 1,000 for the campaign but couldn’t quite get there, in part because of the demands of playing both sides.
“That, to me, was the biggest (reason for the) drop-off,” Christy said. “Maybe getting more time on the defensive end, he might’ve got tired and worn out. … Mark was leaving it out on the field there. This year, maybe stories are different on that one. Maybe he can get it this year.”
3. All we’ve got: Returning from a torn ACL suffered late last season, Spack slides from guard to fulcrum. Burchett will jump in right beside him and Lucas Martin at left tackle. Senior Alex Fulmer has experience playing tackle, while juniors Kyle Newton-Boston and Jace Frederick are in the mix for spots, as well.
“Currently, other than that, we have no depth,” Spack said. “So that’s our biggest worry, is injury.”
Spack brings an aggressive style of play, wanting to exert his will. Burchett steps in with a workmanlike attitude.
“Everywhere else, I feel pretty good with,” Christy said. “That (depth issue) does carry over a little to the D-line, but we can sub some guys in. Defensive line, it’s easier to sub, where O-line, you wanna keep your core.”
- Aug. 22, 7 p.m. — Butler at Shaler
- Aug. 29, 7 p.m. — Brashear at Butler
- Sept. 5, 7 p.m. — Meadville at Butler
- Sept. 12, 7 p.m. — Hollidaysburg at Butler
- Sept. 19, 7 p.m. — Butler at Westinghouse
- Sept. 26, 7 p.m. — Connellsville at Butler
- Oct. 3, 7 p.m. — University at Butler
- Oct. 10, 3:30 p.m. — Butler at Taylor Allderdice
- Oct. 17, 7 p.m. — Wheeling Park at Butler
- Oct. 24, 7 p.m. — Butler at Clarion Area, at Clarion University Memorial Stadium
