Head coach: Chad Brewer (16-44 in six seasons here and overall)
Returning starters: 7 offensive; 6 defensive
Key players: QB Kaleb Jones (5-11, 190); OL-DL Seth Gallman (6-3, 310); WR Tyler Hayes (6-1, 195); RB Cade Petty (5-10, 170); RB Davis Redwine (5-8, 150); LB Carson Violes (5-10, 195); WR Brannon Nuckolls (6-3, 185).
Team strengths: A strong junior class gained valuable experience last season, and key seniors will be starting for their third consecutive year.
"That experience will end up being the key to our success this season," Brewer said. "Our competitive spirit is very high."
Team concerns: Though the starters along the lines are nearly set, the depth behind them is young and thin. Early injuries in the trenches are a major concern.
Breakout candidate: The Indians' new offense, the triple option, will need a competent trigger man, and the athletic Jones fits the bill. He can make defenses pay for keying on the backs and has enough arm to hit big plays downfield.
Season outlook: Brewer didn't expect the Indians to be back in this position, but that hasn't dampened his enthusiasm.
A winless 2018 came two years after Brewer's building efforts produced a 6-4 season, the culmination of a steady climb from an 0-10 record in 2012, the year before he arrived in Chatsworth. Heavy graduation losses, injuries and a small senior class doomed the Indians last season.
"We had a tough year," the coach said. "Our motto this year is 'Feed the Change.' We've changed everything about our team - offense, defense, how we work out in the summer, our schedule, our locker room, everything."
Murray will run the triple option on offense and align in a 4-4 formation defensively. Brewer admits the new schemes have more to do with having a fresh start than anything.
"It's change-driven because we had to do something different," he said. "We're a junior-heavy team, so it was a good time to change because we will have a great group coming back in 2020."