It will be an experienced bunch that takes the field for the Butler County football team this season.

Butler County boasts a senior-laden offensive line and one of the area’s most dynamic quarterbacks in senior Rex Henderson as well as plenty of weapons at his disposal.

The experience has Butler County confident that it can build off a 9-3 season that ended with a loss to eventual Class 2A champion Mayfield in the second round of the playoffs.

“We are a confident group, but we are not cocky,” Henderson said. “We know we can do big things, but we have to stay humble. If we get too cocky then we could go in and get beat by someone we are not supposed to (get beat by).”

Henderson enters his senior year after a breakout junior campaign that saw the dual threat signal caller throw for 3,020 yards and rush for nearly 900 yards.

The Bears lose 1,000 yard receiver Jacob Hixenbaugh, but still return plenty of talent in the skill positions.

Junior Brendan Shanklin will be asked to step into Hixenbaugh’s role. Butler County coach Ryan Emmick said Shanklin is not speed guy like Hixenbaugh, but is an explosive receiver with great hands that can make a big play when needed.

Blake Graham, Gage Ward – back after missing all but one game last year with a broken femur – and Daltyn Havens are also key passing weapons, with Ty Burden and Tavarus Holloway providing depth.

Emmick added Butler County has the deepest set of running backs in quite some time with Houston Hampton, Dillon Brosnan and Ty Smith all expected to have significant roles.

“We are really excited to see how this offense develops this year, just to see how we can package everything together with the experience we have,” Emmick said.

The offensive line will feature five seniors – Isaac Pendley, Kyle Householder, Lake Cameron, Seth Gaskey and Dalton Lee – while seniors Kaleb Hunt, Isaac Flener and Logan Richardson provide experience on the defensive line.

“Communication is key for what we do,” Emmick said. “I like seeing my linemen talk a lot. I’m a line coach and I really stress to know what you are doing before you get to the line of scrimmage and be able to make calls at the line of scrimmage to let your teammates know what is going on. That’s what we are seeing right now.”

Many of the same names on the offensive side will be asked to play on the defensive side.

Smith, Brosnan and Patton Allen are all expected to contribute at linebacker, with Henderson, Shanklin, Graham and Holloway names to watch in the secondary.

Emmick said the Bears have depth, but it is more depth by deception.

“We have a lot of guys that can play multiple spots,” Emmick said. “We really try to look at who is starting for us defensively and try to focus them primarily defensive early on. That’s where some of the depth we are getting at the skill position is so important.”

Henderson said the defense is ready for the challenge this year after Butler County’s offense racked up nearly 40 points a game last season.

“We know we can throw the ball and score a bunch of points,” Henderson said. “Also we learned last year that we need to play more defense. Our defense is really gonna step up this year and people are gonna see a big improvement.”

And the Bears are hopeful that improvement can bring them to the next level and challenge Owensboro Catholic for the Class 2A, District 2 title.

“You can say Owensboro Catholic lost everybody on their team, but they are still going to come back with a good football team,” Emmick said. “You have to prepare to play at your best level. That’s when the little things that you have taken care in the offseason come in to play. I feel like we’ve worked as hard in the offseason as we have in quite some time to be able to be in that position, but again they are the king. They are the king of the hill until you knock them off.”

 — Follow prep sports reporter Micheal Compton on Twitter at twitter.com/mcompton428 or visit bgdailynews.com.