BUTLER TWP — Safe to say, the numbers are against Butler this week.

The Golden Tornado football team (2-3, 0-3) heads to Martorelli Stadium for a 7:30 p.m. kickoff against North Hills (3-2, 1-1) Friday night.

• Butler has not defeated the Indians since 2000 and has been outscored in the series 154-16 over the past five years.

• The Tornado’s first-string offense has not scored a point in their first three Northern Seven conference games this season.

• Butler has not won a conference game since the final game of the 2006 season.

“Nobody said this was going to be easy,” first-year Tornado coach Clyde Conti said.

He added that the biggest thing he’s noticed about the Northern Seven in his debut season is the quality of quarterbacks in the league.

“You can look at Ryan Mincher of Shaler last week. ... That’s a different team with him in there,” Conti said. “Mack Leftwich of North Allegheny brings that team to another level and (Austin) Whipple at Pine-Richland is very good.”

The Tornado face a first-year starter in 5-foot-8, 150-pound North Hills senior Anthony Rizzitano this Friday. He’s thrown for approximately 500 yards and is one of a bevy of backs who can run with the football.

“They are like a bunch of over-sized water bugs out there,” Conti said. “Their backs can really scoot.”

While Butler has been gashed for 49, 35 and 34 points in its first three conference games this year, the Tornado offense is averaging only 10.6 points and 171.8 yards — 50.6 passing — this season.

“That 10.6 points per game isn’t on our quarterbacks,” Conti was quick to point out. “We’ve struggled as a unit on that side of the ball.

“It’s all about technique, fundamentals, execution. ... We’re making too many mistakes and not making plays when they’re there.”

Senior Zach Rader has completed 17 of 45 passes for 199 yards, one touchdown and one interception through five games. Sophomore Tom Jendesky has completed seven of 15 passes for 68 yards, no touchdowns and two interceptions.

Butler has not completed 10 passes nor thrown for 100 yards in a game this season. On the rushing side, Bob Vernick leads the team with 215 yards while Kolby Kriess has 130.

“We’re still playing different kids, evaluating and re-evaluating,” Conti said. “We’ve been playing through injuries, no excuses.

“Yeah, we’ve been struggling, but kids on these other teams haven’t been through what our kids have gone through the past few years. Just the fact our guys have stuck with it speaks well for their character.

“These kids are going to be successful in whatever they do in life,” Conti added.

Turnovers have played a factor for Butler thus far this season. The Tornado are at minus-3 in the turnover/takeaway category this year — not an alarming differential — but have lost the turnover battle in all three of their losses and won it in both of their wins.

“We can’t afford to put the ball on the ground,” Conti said. “We’re doing that a little too much.”

North Hills runs a spread offense and runs the ball quite a bit out of that formation.

“They basically run the wing-T out of the shotgun,” Conti said. “It’s been the same system there and they just plug people into it year after year.

“Our defense has to stay disciplined and read its keys. We have to wrap up our tackles. We can’t make mistakes because I know they won’t make ’em.

“I’ve never been to (Martorelli Stadium) but I hear it’s quite an arena, a great atmosphere,” Conti added. “I’m looking forward to it.”