OLD TOWN – There is often one player on a football team who is not the biggest, strongest, or fastest, but has the biggest heart and most desire.

Back in the 1970s, Notre Dame had a guy named Rudy Ruettiger who fit that description, and Old Town coach Peter Kenney said he has a player who fits that same description: senior wide receiver-defensive back Craig Nichols.

“He’s the heart of the team, he’s awesome, I call him my Rudy,” Kenney said. “He’s got a lot of heart, that’s what I look for in all my players. He gets the guys going on and off the field.”

The first-year head coach has a long-term goal of turning the Old Town program around, and so far so good, as 35 players are out.

“The guys are real excited right now, and they’re having fun,” Kenney said.

The Coyotes have three key elements to success – talent, speed and leadership – but lack depth.

“We’re pretty strong on both sides of the ball, [however] numbers are killing us as far as guys going both ways,” Kenney said.

Old Town will rely on the balance and leadership of quarterback-linebacker Jarrett Lukas, tailback-defensive back Justin Morin, Nichols and fullback-linebacker Zach Levesque, all seniors.

“We have great balance, we have three running backs right now, running basically out of I-formations,” Kenney said, who added that the Coyotes will run out of a straight-I.

The coach also hopes to utilize the speed of his backfield.

“We’re pretty quick, we’ve got some guys who can motor,” Kenney said.

Kenney added that Morin is a speedster who can break a big run while Levesque is a bruising blocking back who can run in the trenches.

Junior Josh Boucher will also see time out of the backfield.

“He’s probably 155 pounds, and benches like 270, he’s just strong, and he’ll hit people,” Kenney said. “He’ll run right over you and he’s got good heart.”

The Coyotes players and coaches have modest goals this season, and Kenney feels that a .500 record is not out of the question.

“That’s my goal, I preach to these guys to have short-term goals,” he said. “Mine and the coaching staff is .500, I definitely don’t think it’s out of reach with this team because of the talent alone.”

In LTC Class B, eight teams qualify for the postseason, so a 4-4 mark just may get the Coyotes to the playoffs for the first time in nearly a decade (1997).

And with the support the players are getting not only from their families but from the entire community, Kenney feels it can be done.

“I’m impressed with the support we’ve had from parents, things seem to be clicking pretty good right now,” Kenney said.

OLD TOWN COYOTES

2005 results: 1-7, 6th in PTC B North

Head coach: Peter Kenney, first year

Key players: Jarrett Lukas, QB-OLB, Sr.; Justin Morin, TB-DB, Sr.; Zach Levesque, FB-DT, Sr.; Craig Nichols, WR-CB, Sr.; Lance Getchell, WR-DE, Jr.; Ryan Murphy, TE-DE, Jr.

Outlook: First-year coach Kenney is optimistic about what the Coyotes can do. Coming off a 1-7 season in 2005, the .500 mark seems like a realistic goal. Old Town has speed, but not much depth with only 35 players out so the Coyotes must avoid injuries.