2005 Season: 2-7 (1-4 NEMC)

Head Coach: Kyle Tobin

Head Coaching Experience: 1 st year at Oscoda; 19 th season overall (128-54, eight playoff appearances, three state title game appearances, one state championship)

Base offensive set: Spread

Base defensive set:

Returning players: Karl Gawne, sr. (OL); Robert Neault, sr. (OL/DL); Todd Kerentoff, jr. (OL/DL); Gerald Martinez, sr. (RB/LB); Bobby Moore, sr. (WR/DB); Mike Lamrock, jr. (WR/LB); Monte Fouchey, jr. (OL/DL); MIke Gondek, sr. (QB - was DL last year); Kevin Mallak, sr. (WR); Brian Patterson, jr. (WR/DDB); Marcus Curley, sr. (WR); Justin Andrick, jr. (DL).

Outlook: Former Whittemore-Prescott coach Kyle Tobin takes over an Oscoda program that has struggled, save for playoff appearances in 1999-2000, since the late '70's. It may take some time, but the bet is the Owls will provide some excitement as they rebuild.

With three starting linemen returning in Gawne, Neault and Kerentoff, as well as five receivers, Tobin has installed the spread offense that local fans saw his last couple of years at W-P.

"We think our skill players have pretty good overall speed," Tobin says. "The spread will give us the best chance to find success."

Moore, Lamrock, Mallak, Patterson and Curley give the Owls depth at the wideout position. But what may be intriguing will be what happens at quarterback, with strong-armed Gondek and 6-6 play-making Barak Henderson, a transfer from Alabama, giving Tobin a couple of different looks behind center.

Martinez and sophomore Tom Lauwers will compete for the starting tailback position.

Defensively, many of the Owls will have to play both ways as the roster currently stands at 25.

"We don't have a lot of depth, and that is a real concern," Tobin says. "Many of our offensive players will at least share time playing defense, if not going both ways most of the time."

The secondary should be solid with Moore, Patterson, Henderson, Davis and Gondek. Andrick, Neault, Kerentoff, Monte Fouchey and Torib Uchel will load up the interior defensive line, with Lauwers and several newcomers at defensive end.

"We need to develop a linebacking corps," Tobin says. "That's going to play a huge role in defining our ability to defend the football."

Competing with the likes of John Glenn, Ogemaw Heights and Standish-Sterling may be a bit much to ask at this stage, but the schedule should provide a bit of intrigue at the very least. Week 2 features Tobin's first varsity contest against W-P, where he coached for 18 years. And the annual rivalry contest with Tawas Area? The Braves' first-year coach, Tim Webb, was a key part of Tobin's W-P team that played for the state title in 1995.