ELDORA – When one thing after another doesn’t go one’s way, and the team stumbles to a 2-7 finish, the best thing to do when the calendar rolls over to the new season is to forget everything that happened a year ago.

That is exactly what the South Hardin football team will look to do as the Tigers turn their attention to the 2016 season. A new commitment to football and a change of how things are done has the Tigers looking to improve on the two-win season from a year ago.

“Last year is a good year to forget. Last year was the most bizarre thing I’ve ever seen. Not to make excuses, but we had kids just dropping like flies,” said South Hardin coach Barry Scott. “We still had some issues with poor choices. Hopefully we’ve gotten those kind of demons exercised. Last year, we’re looking at having 17 kids sitting out due to injuries or poor choices at one particular point and time in the year. You just can’t have that out of your upper three grades.”

New coordinators on both sides of the ball means a new look for the Tigers as they enter play in Class 2A District 3. New coaches and new schemes means a shake-up of positions, and guys may not be lining up where they were a year ago. Kolten Rewoldt is the favorite to win the starting quarterback position coming out of camp, though Ty Cook returns after throwing for 793 yards and five touchdowns in his junior year last season.

“New system, new kid. We’re looking for a two-year deal out of Kolten. Again a kid who works hard and gets it,” Scott said. “I like to say he’s a linebacker playing quarterback, not a quarterback who also happens to play linebacker. He’s like a bull in a china shop, but we’re working on that.

“We’ve got to have leadership out of our skill positions. Starting with the quarterback in what we’re doing. He has to be right in his mechanics. He has to be able to lead and weather the storm. Our linebackers are the core of our defense, and we’ve got guys with tremendous experience and great buy-in.”

South Hardin is tasked with replacing its three top rushers, who ran for a combined 902 yards in 2015. Cook is top returning rusher, having tallied four scores on the ground last year. Scott expects a committee of guys to contribute in the backfield.

Seniors Ryland Duchane and Jeff Thompson, guys who were dinged up last year, will get an opportunity to show off what they can do from the backfield. Senior Hunter Nessa is South Hardin’s returning leader receiver, but he is moving into the backfield. Scott said junior Logan Spindler and sophomore Tyrell Todd will be in the mix for carries, and expects big, explosive plays out of the underclassmen ball carriers.

“Ryland Duchane has just been licking his chops here. He’s been a heck of a wrestler for us at the school, and been a great a staple in the football program,” Scott said. “Last year he hurt his wrist early on. Who knows, he could’ve been in the mix on being a leader rusher last year. Jeff Thompson, another senior, a kid who got his ankle dinged up early or he might’ve been in the varsity mix last year.”

The defense will be anchored by senior Dane Butler, second on the team in 2015 with 68 tackles, he led the team with six tackles for loss and also tied for the team lead with three sacks. Outside of Butler, Alex Gustafson (33.5 tackles), Malcolm Wright (27.5) and Duchane (22), the Tigers were pretty senior-heavy a year ago, but the youth of the program isn’t concerning to Scott.

“We’ve got a good solid group of guys that have been working at it extremely hard since Christmas break, buying into the program, buying into the system and changing their bodies. Just overall commitment is up,” Scott said. “We’ve had 70 percent buy-in in the weight room from Jan. 1 to Aug. 1. Coming off a 2-7, it’s kind of a hard sell. Just having those 35 kids consistently in the weight room is going to help.”

South Hardin begins the season hosting South Hamilton before playing the likes of Grundy Center, East Marshall, Aplington-Parkersburg, Dike-New Hartford and West Marshall throughout the season. A schedule Scott likes to see.

“I’m a big believer of playing the local teams. I like playing teams you’re going to see all year,” Scott said. “Maybe I’m biased as a football coach, but we have to take a lot of pride in that. It ups the ante on game night that there’s a little more on the line when you’re going to see these guys in a couple weeks playing basketball.

“We’re extremely excited we get a chance to play our boundary rival of South Hamilton. Couldn’t be more excited. Especially when we share some kids within our district lines. Some coming our way, and some coming their way. Pretty excited about that one in particular to start the year off.”