ALTOONA — Five coaches in the past 20 years, struggling to attain a winning season, trying to build interest in the community.

Sound familiar?

Altoona High School football coach John Franco is trying to do for the Mountain Lions what first-year Butler coach Rob Densmore is trying to do for the Golden Tornado.

Bring back tradition and regain respect.

“That's the reason they brought me back here,” Franco said. “This program has a lot of history, but most of it goes back before 1980.

“It hasn't been too pretty around here lately.”

Altoona has an all-time football record of 575-440-51, but only one winning season in the past eight. Butler is 507-408-47 all-time, but without a winning season since 1997.

The two teams open the 2014 season against each other at 7 p.m. Friday at Mansion Park Stadium.

“We're in the same boat,” Franco said. “We're both trying to establish something, looking for confidence.

“It's important for us to play well in this first game. There has been a ton of problems in the structure of this program. We're just trying to right the ship.”

A teacher at Altoona, Franco is in his third year of a second stint with the Mountain Lions. He coached Altoona for eight years before embarking upon a successful 18-year career at Tyrone. He is entering his 29th year as a head coach.

“We've got six starters back on both sides of the ball, but we're inexperienced in some key spots and we're still learning how to win,” Franco said.

Altoona is coming off a 2-7 season. Senior quarterback Devin Miller started only two games last year, but did engineer a season-closing victory over Connellsville. He completed 38 of 79 passes for 360 yards.

Eli Mencer, a senior running back, rushed for 472 yards and four touchdowns a year ago while receiver Sean Steave had 19 catches for 208 yards.

“We run a multiple Pro-I and we want to run the football,” Franco said. “Make no mistake about that. Controlling the line of scrimmage is important to us and I'm sure Butler's the same way.”

Altoona does have a Pitt recruit in 6-foot-2, 235-pound fullback-defensive end-outside linebacker Kevin Givens. He rushed for 408 yards and five TDs last year.

“Pitt likes him on defense, either at end or linebacker,” Franco said. “He's an aggressive, physical player who leads by example.”

Franco said his team is strong in the defensive secondary, where three starters return in Mencer, Steave and safety Zac McConnell.

“Our defense is designed to stop the inside run, take away the deep pass and adjust to everything else,” Franco said.

Just like Butler has in Devin Fitz, Altoona has a strong place-kicker-punter in senior James Metzgar. He booted a 50-yard field goal in the Lions' scrimmage against State College last week.

“From 40 yards and in, he's a real weapon,” the coach said.