In a lot of ways, the 2004 version of the Skowhegan Indians varsity football team is totally different than last year’s. But in at least one, it hasn’t changed that much.

When a team loses all 22 starters and 25 total players to graduation, AND its head football coach as well as 90 percent of its coaching staff, it’s a safe bet that big changes are in store. But head coach Mike Marston doesn’t plan on reinventing the wheel.

The faces may change but the system won’t as Marston, the defensive coordinator for the Indians the past three seasons, will continue to go with the same basic philosophy and style that made Skowhegan a perennial playoff team and Pine Tree Conference contender the last four years.

“We’ll still be using our 50 [5-0] base defense and wing-T offense,” said Marston.

Marston’s challenge might be considerably more formidable if not for the fact that he has served as an assistant coach at Skowhegan and already knows the crop of kids he will guide.

“I’ve been coaching 25 years and never experienced the kind of wholesale changes we’re having to make to this degree,” Marston said. “We had to replace 17 starters at Colby [College] one year, but never all 22.”

Marston’s not overstating things. The only kind of experienced players he has are kids who logged some playing time on special teams last year, and there are really only two of them.

Even Marston’s staff is almost totally revamped. He and volunteer assistant Joe Clark are the only returnees.

The team’s strengths, as Marston sees them, are attitude, chemistry, offensive execution and protecting the ball.

Weaknesses?

“Experience. I mean, our team has pretty good depth overall, but nobody’s played any significant varsity minutes and there isn’t anyone we can really lean on yet,” he said.

Ironically, the team’s inexperience doesn’t mean it’s young or thin. Of the 45 players on the roster, 15 are seniors, 14 are juniors and 16 are sophomores.

The trick is to minimize mistakes that can frustrate an inexperienced team. Marston’s coaching staff is trying to do that by simplifying the playbook and paying a lot of attention to fundamentals.

“I feel really good about this team. I really do,” said Marston. “I think we’ll surprise some people. “I see us having to work very hard to get there, but I think we could be a playoff team.”

But to get there, Marston knows the journey will take one particular human quality.

“I have to be patient, but the sooner we come together and start executing, the better off we’ll be,” Marston said.

That will be tough, as there’s really no such thing as an easy week in the Pine Tree Conference.

SKOWHEGAN INDIANS

2003 results: 5-4, lost in PTC quarterfinals

Head coach: Mike Marston, 1st year

Key players: Mike LaCasse, QB, Jr.; Devin Provenchal, TE-DE, Sr.; Eric Dostie, TE-DE, Sr.; Jason Lisherness, HB-CB, Sr.; Tom Jenness, HB-FS, So.; Tyler Coen, OT-DT. Sr.; Chris Mitchell, OC-DT, Sr.; Chris Belyew, FB-NG, Sr.; Derek Beane, FL-SS, Jr.; Aaron Chambers, HB-CB, Jr.

Outlook: The Indians feature depth and balance on both sides of the ball. They look well-suited to run and should be able to mix in the pass to keep defenses hones more and more as LaCasse, a good athlete whose father Barry pitched for the University of Maine, develops. Defensive development could take longer, but Marston’s attention to fundamental skills and execution is intended to minimize mistakes inherent on inexperienced teams.