PENN HILLS — Don't expect Penn Hills to panic because of an 0-2 record.

The Big Red, who come to Art Bernardi Stadium for a 7:30 p.m. kickoff against Butler Friday, were 0-2 last year as well.

That team wound up 7-5, winning six of seven games before dropping a 24-7 decision to North Allegheny in the WPIALClass AAAAsemifinals.

Penn Hills is 0-2 again, its losses of 45-17 to Gateway and 20-13 to Bethel Park coming against two opponents considered among the strongest in the WPIALthis year.

"We're not even looking at their record,"Butler coach Jeff McAnallen said. "We know how good they are."

Penn Hills returns plenty of talent on offense and four starters on defense, most notably 6-foot-2, 220-pound senior linebacker Dan Mason, a Division I college prospect.

Mason had 130 tackles, including three sacks, on his way to being named second team all-state in 2007.

About the only thing the Big Red doesn't have is longtime head coach Neil Gordon, who resigned as athletic director toward the end of last school year but planned to return as head coach.

The district's school board decided to go in another director and Gordon, who was 156-74-2 in 22 years at Penn Hills, did not return. He is now the head coach at Shaler.

Gordon was replaced by Ron Graham, his defensive coordinator at Penn Hills for the past seven years.

Among the offensive weapons Graham has at his disposal is third-year starting quarterback Tom Fulton, a 6-1, 195-pound senior.

Fulton completed 18 of 39 passes for 150 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions in last week's loss to Bethel Park. He has thrown for 308 yards in two games.

"They have a new coach, a new system and they're still figuring things out,"McAnallen said. "But that's an explosive team with tons of speed.

"With Coach Gordon, you knew they were gonna run right at you and play a physical brand of football. Now, with a new coach, we don't know what to expect."

Fulton has two stellar receivers in 5-10 sophomore Darius Patton and 6-0 junior Brandon Ifill. The latter caught 42 passes for 682 yards and seven touchdowns last year.

Patton has nine catches for 131 yards while Ifill has seven catches for 94 yards so far this year. Each has scored a touchdown.

The running backs are seniors Chris Darby and Teddy Blakeman. Darby had 14 carries for 51 yards against Bethel Park.

Anchoring the offensive line is 6-3, 262-pound senior Cory Kirchner.

Junior kicker Michael Ferraco has booted a 37-yard field goal this season.

Penn Hills has defeated Butler in the teams' last four meetings. The Golden Tornado have not defeated the Big Red since the 1997 season opener.

Graham could not be reached for comment.