If the 1965 season is remembered as "the year the Govs won it all," feel free to dub the 2012 campaign "the year the Govs wanted it all."

Championship aspirations reign in Kalihi, with a loaded Farrington football team selected No. 4 in the Star-Advertiser’s preseason football poll. But winning a state championship is not the only thing on Farrington fans’ minds. Another question is whether senior tailback Tyler Taumua can break the state’s all-time rushing record.

Taumua ran for 1,722 yards last year. Only five other schoolboys have covered more ground in a single season. But that isn’t enough for the senior. He is aware that Damien’s Kama Bailey broke Mark Atuaia’s record with 2,042 yards in 2007 and sees it as a target.

A lesser target than OIA and state championships, but a target nonetheless.

"Hopefully, if I get enough I would like to try to break 2,000 yards," Taumua said. "Maybe set the record. I am going for it, but winning comes first."

Everything is set up for Taumua to become the fourth member of the 2,000-yard club. His entire offensive line and the tight end are returning from a team that went undefeated last year until getting swamped in the OIA championship by Kahuku and suffering the same fate against Baldwin in the first round of the state tournament.

Things up front start with right guard Colin Ka‘alele, the biggest and strongest of a group built on size and speed. Each of the linemen benches more than 300 pounds, with the 361-pound Ka‘alele leading the way at 380. A.J. White (297 pounds), Mitchell Boyd (314), Michael Boyd (296) and Charles Sataraka (326) join Ka‘alele in keeping Taumua moving forward. Farrington’s offensive line outweighs the University of Hawaii’s by 104 pounds.

"We have a good group that has been together for three years," head coach Randall Okimoto said. "Tyler can’t do it alone. He has a lot of support."

The Governors will need that bulk, given that they have one unknown for this coming season. Sophomore Montana Liana takes over at quarterback for Travis Tamapua and has impressed with his poise and big arm. His pedigree is another plus. His father is quarterbacks coach Carl Liana, who shared the backfield with Okimoto in 1990 on Farrington’s only Prep Bowl team.

But for all of the potential and intangibles, the fact remains that the Governors are going to put the ball into the hands of a kid whose last experience on the field was a loss to Waianae in the 2011 JV championship game.

"The speed is so fast," Montana Liana said. "Varsity is so much faster than JV. It surprised me, but I didn’t have any doubts. It just told me I have to get to work."

Liana also has talented targets Francis Evagelia and tight end Tyler Liana to look to.

As if Liana didn’t have enough help around him, he gets another one when Taumua is taking a break. Abraham Silva will rotate in for the bell cow again this year, and Taumua thinks his understudy might actually be better. Silva had 145 yards against ‘Iolani and led the team with 71 against Moanalua last year.

"Abraham, he could start over me if he wanted to," Taumua said. "He’s humble, comes to practice every day and is a hard-working guy. He is a lot bigger than me. He really helps me get the yards by giving me breathing time, and I know when I am out he is going to do well."

The defense pitched three shutouts and returns nearly as much talent as the offense, thanks to returnees Roger Boyd III, Setefano Lavatai and Manly Williams. Aisea Tavai and Austin Faumui are the playmakers and leaders from the linebacker corps. They would prefer to emulate the job they did in the first seven games last year, when they gave up an average of 7.7 points per game. In the last five games, that total jumped to 23.8.

"The defense is excited," Okimoto said. "The kids, the coaches, everyone is excited to see what this defense can do when it puts the pads on."

Farrington gets its first test Saturday against Waianae before an equally tough preseason game against Saint Louis. The Governors won’t get a shot at revenge from Kahuku until Sept. 29.

"I think I have been looking forward to this since my freshman year," Taumua said. "Everybody coming together, all of the guys I have been playing with since JV are up on the varsity and we are enjoying our senior year. It can’t end with a loss."