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New Wheaton football coach Joe Ortega is hoping for a fast turnaround, with an emphasis on the fast part.

As his youthful squad tries to improve upon a 2-8 season, and a winless 2007 before that, speed is the modus operandi for a Knights team excited about its ball-hawking defense and cautiously optimistic about its run-heavy offense.

They have chopped more than an hour off preseason two-a-days.

"We like fast practices," said Ortega, who fed his team and sometimes held meetings after the morning session, in exchange for a shorter break between practices, and less downtime during them. "We like to be organized, and we like to try to keep the kids as busy as possible, which we've had pretty good luck doing so far. They didn't do this last year. I saw a lot of standing around."

Ortega served as junior varsity coach that season after coming over from Kennedy, and most of this year's varsity looks similar to last year's JV squad. But despite entering the season with only seven seniors, explosive, brawny players like Anthony Randel (6-foot-3, 245 pounds) and Daniel Alegbeleye (5-11, 210) could make that class an impactful one.

"I want to be remembered as the team that came from 0-10 to 2-8 to state champs," said Alegbeleye, a strong-side linebacker in Wheaton's 4-4 defensive scheme.

Randel, a defensive end who Ortega says calls nearly unblockable, tempered expectations: "If we put forth the effort, if we keep up the intensity every game, and we happen to lose, there's nothing you can do about it. But it's very realistic. Seeing who we're playing with, and the people we have on this team."

Inside linebacker Mac Juniorson is another front-eight player Ortega expects to be near the ball on nearly every play. Rashaun Taylor at safety leads a secondary that Ortega believes is key to the defense's success.

"These guys have the ability to be really, really good defensively," said Ortega of a unit that allowed nearly 28 points per game last season. "We have some real speed out there. … That allows us to do some different things up front, because they can cover for us."

On offense, the Knights will run a Wing-T, with four backs in regular use. Quarterback Leonel Cruz, a rising sophomore, averaged more than 9 yards a carry on the JV level last year, according to Ortega. He will mostly either run or hand off to Taylor, Carlos Santana, or basketball crossover Ricardo McLeod.

They hope the potential for a dominant offensive line in front of them comes to fruition.

"Once they gel and learn to play with the proper intensity, they're going to be good," said Ortega, who has Randel and Tanasak Viriya (6-0, 260) at the tackles and Ajit Bahra (6-2, 240) at guard. "They're a lot bigger than I thought they were going to be."

That gelling is where Ortega hopes midday lunches and after-hours hangouts at the public pool will pay off. Some say they already notice the difference.

"The last few years, our chemistry has been off," said Alegbeleye. "Guys don't really know each other, and some didn't really like each other. …

"This bonding that we have … we actually feel for each other. We're family now. We actually know what we're going out there for."

Wheaton

Head coach: Joe Ortega, 1st season

League affiliation: Montgomery 2A

Last year's record: 2-8

Last playoff appearance: 1996 (4th)

Last state title: 1996 (1st)

Players to watch: QB/FB Leonel Cruz, RB Carlos Santana, OT/DT Anthony Randel, LB Daniel Alegbeleye

2008 schedule

Sept. 5 — Einstein (L), 10-7

Sept. 12 — Gaithersburg (L), 28-7

Sept. 19 — Watkins Mill (L), 17-14

Sept. 26 — Damascus 35 (L), 35-0

Oct. 3 — Rockville (L), 38-6

Oct. 10 — Seneca Valley (L), 49-0

Oct. 17 — Paint Branch (L), 41-0

Oct. 25 — Northwood (W), 18-16

Oct. 31 — Kennedy (W), 23-13

Nov. 7 — B-CC (L), 30-7

2009 Schedule

Sept. 4 — B-CC, 6:30 p.m.

Sept. 11 — at Wilson (D.C.), 6:30 p.m.

Sept. 17 — Blair, 6:30 p.m.

Sept. 25 — at Kennedy, 6:30 p.m.

Oct. 2 — Fairmont Heights, 6:30 p.m.

Oct. 9 — at Rockville, 6:30 p.m.

Oct. 16 — at Northwood, 6:30 p.m.

Oct. 23 — Richard Montgomery, 6:30 p.m.

Oct. 30 — at Poolesville, 6:30 p.m.

Nov. 6 — Einstein, 6:30 p.m.