Here is a preview of the Echo Cougars for the 2011 Oregon high school football season:

Coach: Rick Thew (1st year).

Last league title: 1986. Last playoff berth: 2010.

Home field: Veterans Memorial Field/Charlie Berry Stadium.

Projected starters

OFFENSE POS YR HT WT

CJ Flores QB So. 5-10 165

Jeramy Cisneros FB Sr. 5-9 170

David Lara TB Jr. 5-5 140

Connor Bettencourt TE Jr. 5-11 150

Dylan Enright C Jr. 6-0 165

Ruben Macias G Sr. 5-10 265

Jacob Murstig G So. 5-10 170

Jacob Easton TE Jr. 5-9 175

Amanda Lancaster K Sr. 5-6 186

DEFENSE POS YR HT WT

Jacob Murstig DE So. 5-10 170

Ruben Macias DT Sr. 5-10 265

Esau Ibarra DT Sr. 5-8 165

Treve Moffit DE Jr. 6-0 150

Jeramy Cisneros LB Sr. 5-9 170

Connor Bettencourt CB Jr. 5-11 150

Jacob Easton CB Jr. 5-9 175

CJ Flores S So. 5-10 165

Brian Gutierrez P Jr. 5-7 140

Others to watch: LG/RDE Glen Swanger, Sr. (5-11, 180); DT Brian Bither, Jr. (6-0, 360); DT Ty Swaggart, Sr. (6-1, 240).

Quick hits

* Thew was promoted after Echo principal Norm Stewart, who had coached the Cougars for nine seasons, stepped down to spend more time with his family. Thew's father, Rich, also was an assistant under Stewart, and he remains on staff.

* Flores, who garnered all-conference first-team honors as a freshman, will be back to lead the offense.

* Echo must replace seven seniors, but the Cougars have good experience at several positions, including fullback, end and cornerback.

* Swaggart, who started last year after coming back from an injury early in his career, has been dealt another health setback. Swaggart blew out his left knee a few years ago, and now he has an ailing right knee. "He hasn't been able to practice, and we don't know when he'll be back," Thew said. It's a frustrating development for Swaggart, who has played for Echo since his freshman year and would have started at DT.

* Bither also was expected to start at DT, but he suffered a shoulder injury and is looking for a brace. "We expect him to be ready in the next few weeks," Thew said.

Outlook

Thew takes over an Echo team that made the eight-man state playoffs four of the last five seasons. Though the Cougars return just two offensive starters and one defensive starter from last season, Thew has been a part of Echo's recent winning tradition, so the transition should be pretty smooth.