CANONSBURG — Butler and Canon-McMillan have first-year head coaches and 0-2 records.

Big Macs coach Tim Sohyda says the similarities stop there.

"They have Jim Rankin, a seasoned and successful coach who knows how to handle situations like we're both in," Sohyda said.

"Me? I'm just trying to feel my way through this."

Sohyda is a 1992 Canon-McMillan graduate who coached under Dan Pallante with the Big Macs from 1999 through 2005. He earned his teaching certificate and was hired at Ringgold after that.

Now he's back. But not many players from last season are back with him.

Linebackers and offensive skilled players Mike Hull and Chad Hagan have moved on to Penn State and Ohio State, respectively.

The lone returning starters on offense are wide receiver Alec Schram, running back Alex Adams, right tackle Pat Cummings and guard Robert Semulka.

No starters returned on defense.

The early-season results have been predictable: losses of 40-22 to Trinity and 27-0 to Latrobe.

"Latrobe did to us what we want to do to people, possess the ball," Sohyda said. "My offense is double-tight, double-slot. Canon-Mac is one of the smaller Quad-A schools in the WPIAL.

"We're not very big, so we want to try to possess the ball most of the game. If we're playing defense for 34 minutes, we're in trouble," he added.

The Big Macs have only five players weighing more than 230 pounds and two of them are sophomores. Butler has only six players listed at more than 230 pounds.

Senior Evan Spencer is a first-year starter at quarterback. The Big Macs rarely throw, but have already suffered four interceptions.

"We'll throw six to eight times a game to keep a defense honest," Sohyda said. "Schram was a nice receiver for us last year, but he'll run the ball more from the slot this season."

Schram and Luke Martin each have 13-yard touchdown runs for Canon-McMillan in 2010.

"I put in an entirely new system this year and we're still struggling with it a bit," Sohyda said. "We're also pretty beaten up.

"I've got at least six kids starting both ways right now. That's not an ideal situation. My original plan was to start as many kids as possible, but we don't have the available numbers because of injuries."

While Butler has yet to score a point in 2010 and the Big Macs hung a 31-0 loss on the Tornado here last year, Sohyda remains wary.

"They've played two of the best teams out there in New Castle and North Allegheny," he said. "That team is only going to get better. We have to do the same."