Logan County football players practice Thursday, August 4, 2016, at the school. (Bac Totrong/photo@bgdailynews.com)

RUSSELLVILLE – A record no team wants to be identified with is currently haunting Logan County’s football team.

Since Todd Adler took the job at his alma mater last December, the first-year head coach has been doing everything he can to instill a confident mindset in a team that hasn’t won a game since 2012.

Logan County’s current 33-game losing streak is the longest in Kentucky history, but Adler sees a mindset in an anxious locker room that hasn’t been there in quite some time.

“We started in January and everything we did was a competition, whether you’re trying to beat your guy in weight reps or we would go outside and do some conditioning competition,” Adler said. “We had winners and losers every day, so we wanted to get that mindset of winning right off the bat.

“They’re moving at a high level and they’re committed and really, that’s all I can ask for. At this point in the season, that hasn’t been here the past four or five years since this losing streak has occurred. There’s a different feel. There’s a different mentality from these guys.”

Adler accepts the reality that winning is a process, which will start Aug. 19 when the Cougars host Butler County to kick off the 2016 season.

Lineman Nate Offutt is one of three seniors that stuck out two winless seasons under Steve Duncan and a winless freshman year under Dain Gregory.

Offutt agrees that everything has changed at Logan County.

“It’s been more enthusiastic and (Adler) has brought more mental toughness than we’ve had the past three years,” Offutt said. “There’s more confidence than there’s been in three years. I can’t imagine what would happen (with a win).”

Adler said he’s expecting a big year from Offutt, who will lead the offensive line in a new spread offense based on the run game with options and sweeps.

Sophomores Dontavius Blann and Anthony Dancer will be the primary running backs. Dancer’s older brother, Robert, led Logan County at quarterback last year and led the team in rushes (86) for four touchdowns.

The senior Dancer will move to wide receiver this year, while sophomore Nate Woodall and freshman Tyler Ezell battle for the quarterback job.

Adler said Friday night’s scrimmage against Trigg County will probably determine who wins that quarterback battle.

The idea of a spread offense is catching the eyes of other athletes in the school. Logan County has 60 players in fall camp and other experienced players are embracing the change.

“The problem the last couple of years is the kids just didn’t have the heart for it and didn’t push themselves hard enough,” Dancer said. “Our new coach is leading us the right way. I’m pushing a few people and we’re fixing each other and pushing each other.”

Adler isn’t necessarily looking for a win in Week 1 against Butler County. Although ending the streak sooner rather than later would be nice, getting better week after week is what the coach wants to see by the time the first district game against Hopkins County Central rolls around on Sept. 23.

After the home opener against Butler County, the Cougars travel to Muhlenberg County on Aug. 26 and Apollo on Sept. 2.

Then comes a home game against crosstown rival Russellville on Sept. 9 and a home game against Greenwood on Sept. 16.

“Wins and losses matter, yes, but we want to see if we’re getting better and, at this stage in the game, we are getting better than we have been in the past three years as a program,” Adler said. “The excitement is there for the kids, the school, the community, so we’re going to strap it up and go out there and play and see if we can get better every day.”

Logan County gets a bye after its first district game before starting on the road at Hopkinsville on Oct. 6. The Cougars host Madisonville-North Hopkins in the final home game on Oct. 14 before closing out with two road games at Calloway County (Oct. 21) and Todd County Central (Oct. 28).

– Follow sports reporter Elliott Pratt on Twitter @EPrattBGDN or visit bgdailynews.com.