BURLINGTON — Wide receiver to quarterback. Defensive lineman to linebacker. There are plenty of changes this season for the Class 2A state runner-up Burlington-Edison football team.

The Tigers’ season ended a year ago on the turf of the Tacoma Dome with a 42-7 loss to Prosser in the state title game.

The Tigers were an impressive 12-2 with their only losses coming at the beginning and end of the season.

Burlington-Edison is looking for redemption, but it won’t be an easy road back to the dome.

The Tigers have had to find a replacement for all-conference quarterback Kolby Arendse. They believe they have found such a player in 6-foot-1, 190-pound senior Troy O’Neill. O’Neill lined up at receiver a year ago. Now he’ll be the one delivering the passes.

Moving a receiver to quarterback is nothing new for Burlington-Edison coach Bruce Shearer — in fact, it’s a strategy.

“I like to start them out at wide receiver, then move them in when it’s their time,” Shearer said. “They understand the patterns. They know when receivers open up. They’ll know that if a quarterback does a certain thing, receivers can get open. They have a better feel for when receivers get open.”

O’Neill welcomes the change and is returning to a position not unfamiliar. He’s played quarterback throughout his football career.

“I’m excited to be back at the position,” O’Neill said. “Now I know what plays are going to be open because I’d ran those plays from the receiver slot last year. I’m seeing things better now. That is really coming along.

“Plus, I have all the guys in the backfield that I am used to having.”

In the backfield are running backs Stetson Shearer (sr., 6-3, 185), Cole Sager (sr., 5-11, 185) and Jeff Adams (sr., 6-0, 200).

Adams led the way with 714 yards on 78 carriers, while Shearer had the most carries with 111 for 617 yards. Sager chipped in 99 carries for 536 yards. The trio combined for 12 rushing touchdowns and four receiving.

“The main thing is that I feel comfortable back there,” O’Neill said.

Bruce Shearer feels confident in the players lining up behind his quarterback as well.

“They’re bigger, stronger and faster,” he said. “Our whole relay team and our whole hurdle crew off the track team, they’ve worked hard in the weight room (for football). They’ve had a great summer and a great spring. I think we’re going to see some good things.

“The biggest thing about these guys is how tough they are.”

A season ago, O’Neill caught 26 passes for 528 yards and four touchdowns. But as a signal caller he feels most comfortable.

“It really feels great to be back at quarterback,” he said. “It really feels like that is where I belong. It’s feels cool to catch balls for touchdowns. It will be just as cool to be throwing them. Plus you get to see a lot more action at quarterback and I get to be more of a leader.

“I think I can get the best out of these guys. We all know what it takes to win.”

And the coach is comfortable with him under center.

“I think you’ll see Troy be able to read defenses a little bit better as a quarterback because he’s been a receiver,” said Shearer. “He knows where the holes are he can throw to when you’re playing against certain teams. He’s a very strong athlete and very smart. We’re going to ask a lot of him.”

Of course the entire backfield will find the going unpleasant if the revamped offensive line (only one returner) stumbles. That lone returner is left tackle Beau Bridgman (sr., 6-1, 185). This year’s line is smaller, but quicker than last year’s, Shearer said.

“My line coach thinks we’re a little more athletic up front,” he said. “We were big last year, but I think we’ll be more athletic. You can do some things with them that you can’t do with big guys. We’re not tall, but we’re scrappy.”

Defensively, the Tigers return just over half of their starters. All 11 starters are seniors.

“We’ve got six back,” Shearer said. “When teams play us, they’re going to see how physically tough we are. They like to hit. They like to get after it. We’re not going to be as much finesse as we were last year.”

One defensive change comes on the line where Jacob Bates (sr., 6-1, 190) moves from nose guard to linebacker.

“There’s a big difference between linebacker and nose guard,” Bates said. “At linebacker, there is not a guarantee you are going to get hit every play. On the line, there is that guarantee. At linebacker, you see things open up and you can go right for that hit.”

There will be plenty of pressure to go around when it comes to improving on last year’s accomplishments.

“There are a lot of people expecting big things out of us,” O’Neill said. “But I think we’ll be up to the challenge. We are definitely ready to go. We want to get back to the state tournament and to the state championship. There’s a lot of excitement.”

Bates added there may be pressure, but they really don’t feel it.

“We know what we need to do and how to do it,” he said. “We know exactly what it takes to get back there. We are going to work hard and we are going to go far.”

• Vince Richardson can be reached at 360-416-2181 or by e-mail at