Veritas Christian High is coming off a best-ever 8-2 varsity football record and is looking to improve on that, according to coach Doug Bennett.

“We’re really excited about this season,” Bennett said. “Expectations are very high. We’re going into the season with a lot of confidence. Hopefully, it’s not overconfidence, and I don’t think it is. I think the guys know they have to prove it on the field. There are a lot of excited guys.”

The Eagles have six returning starters on offense and six on defense, which means they have 75 percent of both units back since they play eight-man football.

Twins Nate and Ethan Scott, the team’s slot back and running back, rank high among the reasons Bennett expresses confidence in his team heading into today’s season opener, at home against Flint Hills Christian, 7 p.m. kickoff.

Ethan Scott led the team with 976 rushing yards, and Nate, who suffered a broken collarbone in the fifth game of the season, rushed for 379 yards. Junior Nick Bennett, the coach’s son, is back at quarterback. He threw for 790 yards and 13 touchdowns and rushed for 242 yards last season.

Bennett also praised the leadership of center/linebacker Kelvin Rask. The coach said he is excited to see how adding close to 30 pounds will help 6-foot-2-inch, 218-pound sophomore nose guard Bryce Boland.

Senior linebacker Jerrid Cadue (5-11, 225) is a transfer from Free State. Said Bennett: “We have high expectations for him.”

Bennett said the abundance of returning starters and the football aptitude of transfers has enabled the team to “get very deep in our playbook right off the bat.”

Two-way star Hogan Randall, now playing for the junior varsity at Washington University in St. Louis, will be missed, Bennett said.