The Toledo football program almost had it all last season.

With a 10-2 record, a share of the MAC West title, a conference championship and a victory over Cincinnati in the Motor City Bowl, about the only thing missing in head coach Tom Amstutz’s first season with the Rockets was a national championship. Toledo ended up ranked No. 22 in the final coaches poll.

"I was trying to find a way to retire [in the off-season]," said Amstutz, with a chuckle. "It was a real fun year."

Reality set in for Amstutz when he arrived back in Toledo after the bowl and realized some of his guys would not be coming back. Losing All-America running back Chester Taylor, All-MAC quarterback Tavares Bolden and 10 other senior starters -- including the entire defensive line -- can quickly jolt a coach back to earth.

"I enjoyed last season for about a day," he said. "When you start taking names off your board like Bolden, Taylor and all those D-linemen, I could see we had a great task ahead of us."

It’s a task that "Toledo Tom" and the rest of the Rockets are eager to tackle.

Seven starters are back on offense -- plus senior tailback William Bratton (5-8, 225) has been granted another year of eligibility by the NCAA. The question mark, however, remains at quarterback, with Bolden moving on to the Montreal Alouettes of the CFL and no clear-cut replacement emerging from spring ball.

On defense, the Rockets return their top two tacklers -- senior inside linebackers Tom Ward (6-1, 236) and David Gardner (6-2, 231) -- and their starting cornerbacks -- senior Jehu Anderson (6-1, 188) and junior Brandon Hefflin (6-1, 181). Unfortunately, that’s all they have back from a starting unit that allowed the second fewest yards per game (321.8) in the MAC.

"We lost 23 seniors who were real outstanding players and performers," Amstutz said. "We have to patch [our team] back together."

Despite the losses, the Rockets have a rich tradition to uphold, which Amstutz helped build as a player and coach. He has been part of the program for 23 of the last 25 years, excluding a two-year coaching stint at Navy.

Two new coaches arrive to help carry the torch in defensive line coach Jimmy Williams and wide receivers coach Garrick McGee. Williams played linebacker for 12 years in the NFL, including nine with the Detroit Lions, and figures to be an asset coaching an inexperienced line.

It seems like just about everyone in the MAC West had a quarterback battle this spring, and the Rockets were no exception. There are big shoes to fill with Bolden, a second-team All-MAC selection, gone.

Senior Brian Jones (6-2, 215) might have had the inside track on Bolden’s job going into spring ball, but Amstutz decided to make it a three-way race. Red-shirt freshman Bruce Gradkowski (6-2, 190) and sophomore Cedric Stevens (6-4, 217) also have a chance to win the job of running the four-receiver spread offense before the season kicks off.

Jones played in five games last year and started in the loss to BGU. He finished the year 17-of-33 passing for 193 yards, with three touchdowns and three interceptions.

Gradkowski, who threw for 30 touchdowns and almost 3,000 yards his final season at Seton-LaSalle High School in Pittsburgh, came on strong in spring practice and is pushing for the job.

Stevens transferred in from Butler County (Kansas) Community College, where he threw for 1,266 yards and 14 touchdowns leading BCCC to the Kansas JUCO championship.

Amstutz said he expects the battle to continue into August, but would like to tab a starter early enough so that he can develop a rhythm with the rest of the offense.

Juniors David Barrow (6-2, 200) and Keon Frazier (6-1, 190) were also listed down on the spring depth charts along with red-shirt freshman Cullen Finnerty (6-2, 193).

The Rockets added one more quarterback, freshman Kenley Horton (6-2, 180) from North Clayton High in Riverdale, Ga., to the mix.

UT has an even bigger hole to fill at tailback with the MAC’s second all-time leading rusher, Taylor, heading off to the NFL after being drafted in the sixth round by the Baltimore Ravens in April.

Taylor rolled up 1,430 yards and 20 touchdowns on the ground last season and finished his career with 4,659 yards and 60 touchdowns. He was selected to the All-MAC first team for three consecutive seasons and leaves as UT’s all-time leading rusher.

Now the Rockets are left with a collection of players fighting to carry the ball in the one-back offense. Bratton has the inside track on the job after being cleared to play one more season, but he has battled health problems throughout his six-year college career.

Last year, Bratton rushed for only six yards on two carries before being sidelined with a stress fracture in his fifth vertebrae. In 2000, he played in 10 games and rushed for 169 yards and three scores despite battling a blood disorder called sickle thalassemia, which figures to limit his carries this season.

The other backs are sophomore Webster Jackson (5-10, 200), red-shirt freshman Trinity Dawson (5-10, 180) and junior Adam Cuomo (5-9, 195).

Jackson rushed for 104 yards on 26 carries last season, while Cuomo touched the ball only a couple times the entire year. Dawson sat out last season, but rushed for 1,500 his senior season at Union in Tulsa, Okla.

Red-shirt freshman Kamal Macon (5-7, 180) went into spring practice fifth on the depth chart.

The Rockets landed a trio of standout freshmen that will jump into the backfield battle when they arrive in August.

Quinton Broussard (5-9, 180) led the state of Texas with 2,124 rushing yards -- including three 300-yard games -- at The Colony in Carrollton last fall en route to earning first-team all-state honors. His older brother, Michael, is the starting strong safety for Wisconsin.

Astin Martin (5-8, 190) rolled up 1,676 yards and 19 touchdowns at Creston in Grand Rapids, Mich. his senior season and was a first-team all-state selection by the Detroit News. He runs the 100-meter dash in 10.6 seconds.

Rodney Gamby (5-10, 186) played high school football just down the street from UT at Toledo-St. Francis. He racked up 2,409 yards and 31 touchdowns in his senior season, which ended with a state title and Gamby being selected the Ohio Division II Player of the Year.

The Rockets might not know who is going to throw the ball yet, but they have a pretty good idea who can catch it. The team returns its top-three receivers from last season in seniors Donta Greene (5-7, 180), Carl Ford (6-1, 170) and Manny Johnson (5-7, 155).

Greene, who lines up at the A-receiver, was the most consistent of the "Three Amigos." He had a team-high 62 receptions for 630 yards in 2001, but did not score a touchdown. Ford, the X-receiver, was the big-play guy with 46 receptions for 646 yards and six touchdowns.

Johnson, the fastest player on the team, caught 31 passes for 386 yards and two scores in the Z spot. The trio has combined to start 72 games during their careers.

UT is looking to fill its W receiver position and sophomore Lance Moore (5-10, 175) has the edge.

Seven other receivers, not including the incoming freshmen, are vying for spots, but the group does not have a lot of experience.

Sophomore Corterris Reese (6-2, 175) and freshman Terrance Hudson (6-1, 180) bring some height to the position. Red-shirt freshman Dan Ulrich (6-0, 180), freshmen Shannon Brinson (5-11, 170) and Brandon Langston (5-9, 165), and senior Delano Scott (5-9, 175) also figure into the mix.

Junior Chad Mickelson (6-1, 185) transferred in from Snow College in Utah. He had 67 catches for 972 yards and nine touchdowns last fall.

Included in the freshman class are speedster Deion Washington (6-1, 195) from Cooley High in Detroit and Frederick Wilson (6-4, 190), who was Horton’s favorite target at North Clayton.

At tight end, sophomores Chris Holmes (6-5, 259) and Andrew Clarke (6-4, 240) are ranked one-two, respectively. Holmes started the final 10 games last year and had 19 receptions for 203 yards and three touchdowns.

This is one of the units that get Amstutz pumped, and it has nothing to do with the fact he’s a former O-lineman at Toledo. It does have a lot to do with sophomore tackle Nick Kaczur (6-6, 300) and senior center Chris Tuminello (6-3, 282) being back, though.

After hauling wheel barrels of cement in Brantford, Ontario, Kaczur decided to try his luck against defensive linemen last fall. He became the first freshman at Toledo to start on the line since 1978, and was one of the top left tackles in the MAC by the end of the season. The second-team All-MAC selection helped UT rush for 213.5 yards per game (17th in the nation) and allow only 11 sacks all season.

"He was the oldest true freshman in the country," Amstutz joked about Kaczur, who turns 23 in July.

Tuminello, who is two months younger than Kaczur, moves to center after starting 10 games at guard a year ago. The second-team Academic All-American is the leader of the line.

The Rockets have two new starters up front. Senior Noah Swartz (6-5, 302) started twice last season at guard and will move into one of the jobs this year. The other guard will be junior Darric Randolph (6-3, 272).

Junior giant Erik Faasen (6-8, 335) filled in for injured starter Tim Dirksen (6-4, 285) in the spring and could push the fellow junior inside when he returns.

Depth should not be a problem here. Sophomores Wael Jarbou (6-5, 285) and Mike Sacco (6-7, 280) strengthen the tackle spot along with red-shirt freshman Steve Vierk (6-6, 300) and converted tight end Nate Jones (6-5, 254), a junior. Red-shirt freshman Jon Polczak (6-2, 290) was slowed in the spring with a foot injury.

Todd Francis re-wrote the Toledo record books during his four-year career and left as the MAC’s all-time leading kicker with 320 points.

Red-shirt freshman Jason Robbins (5-10, 180) served as Francis’ apprentice last year, but now the job belongs to him. He kicked a 47-yard field goal in the spring game.

With seven players gone and a new position coach, the Rockets’ biggest off-season hit came on this unit. The search is on for four new starters and key back-up roles.

UT has been waiting for junior Frank Ofili (6-3, 240) to have a breakout season and now would be a good time for it. He had six sacks as a freshman, but regressed last year and had only two despite starting five games and finishing with a career-high 24 tackles.

A knee injury slowed Ofili in spring camp, but he’s expected to take part in fall workouts.

Junior tackle Chaz Williams (6-3, 287) and sophomore end Don Gaines (6-3, 226) are the other veterans on the line and expect to fill starting roles.

Sophomore Phil Alexander (6-3, 230) has the inside track on the other end job. Providing some depth are freshman Bret Quiroga (6-2, 225), junior Anthony Abron (6-2, 220), a converted linebacker, and senior Brian King (6-3, 210).

On the inside, freshman Zach Kiesch (6-5, 240) enrolled at UT in January and took part in spring drills after attending the Naval Academy Prep School last year. He will battle junior Didier Ormejuste (6-4, 245), and sophomores R.J. Cameron (6-4, 294) and Qunnen Burdine (6-1, 215), another converted linebacker, for trench time.

"The enthusiasm on the defensive line has been great," Amstutz said. "They really grew a lot [in the spring]."

JUCO transfer Lantz Jeudy (6-2, 285) and freshman Dontriel Coates (6-5, 280) are also potential additions to the line.

Ward and Gardner were the heart and soul of the defense in 2001, but they need to find some new running mates. Both seniors are coming off 100-plus tackles seasons, with Ward finishing second in the MAC with 129.

Gardner had 106 stops and was selected the Motor City Bowl Defensive Player of the Game after making 11 tackles, one sack and a pass deflection. He was limited in spring ball with an ankle injury, but Amstutz said he would be ready to go for the season.

"They are both excellent leaders," the coach said. "The defense starts up front and in the middle."

Sophomore Brock Dodrill (6-1, 202) has the last name to be a linebacker. He filled in for Gardner during the spring and can also play outside. Junior Ray Turner (6-0, 205) and junior transfer Scott Genord (6-2, 230), who came from Indiana, are also back ups.

On the outside, the Rockets lost both starters, but junior Paul Dye (6-2, 206) and sophomore Patrick Body (6-2, 180) are the frontrunners to fill the rover and whip positions, respectively. In the UT’s 4-4 defense, the outside backers are more like extra safeties.

Dye has the most experience in that role and made 16 tackles last season. Freshman Hannibal Pearson (6-2, 185) and sophomore Paul Bockmore (6-0, 195) can also play there.

In-state freshman Seth Thitoff (6-2, 200) rushed for 1,445 yards and 30 touchdowns his junior year at Jefferson in Delphos, but figures to be a linebacker at UT. Detroit product Oral Hylton (6-0, 210) did a little of everything at Cooley, but also arrives as a linebacker after a 101-tackle senior season.

The return of Anderson and Hefflin allows Amstutz to sleep better at night. Both players have started since their freshmen season, and should help cushion the blow of losing four-year starter Andy Boyd at free safety. Hefflin has started 22 straight games.

"It feels good to have those guys back, their experience would be hard to replace," the UT coach said.

The two cornerbacks each had 41 tackles last season and combined for three interceptions.

Senior Demetris Simms (6-2, 196) has the most experience among the candidates to replace Boyd, making 14 tackles last season as a reserve. Red-shirt freshman Keon Jackson (6-0, 190) and junior Tim Averhart (5-10, 175) are also fighting for the job.

Among the backup cornerbacks are freshman Raymond Gamble ( 5-8, 158), juniors Brandon Carter (5-9, 170) and David Mentlow (5-9, 170) and senior James Staley (6-1, 185). Mentlow has gone back and forth between receiver and cornerback since arriving at UT.

Junior Brandon Hannum (6-3, 222) grew into his job last season, averaging 47.6 yards per kick in his final three games to finish with a 40.9 average. He also set a MAC record with a 92-yard punt against Bowling Green.

The return game remains in good hands with Greene back to handle kicks and punts. Last year, he led the MAC with 12.4 yards per punt return and was fifth in kick returns with a 21.0 average. Greene also returned one punt for a touchdown.

Dye and Hefflin are also experienced in the return game, and Tuminello is back as the long-snapper.

The Rockets have established a winning tradition on the field and they stopped at nothing in the off-season to keep it going, recruiting across the country to fill needs. Amstutz ended up with 24 players from eight states to help replace the large senior class.

The bulk of the recruits hail from Ohio and Michigan, with seven apiece, but UT also dipped into New York, Texas and Georgia for players, and Pennsylvania, Kentucky and Oklahoma.

"I’m excited about this class," he said. "We needed a lot of everything."

Someone needs to replace Taylor and the Rockets addressed the need at tailback with three highly regarded prospects. If one of them can come close to Taylor’s career numbers, it could go a long way to making this class a winner.

Stevens comes in as a seasoned sophomore to compete for the quarterback job, and UT added some size and depth on both lines. It definitely will need it on the D-line.

The Rockets return a solid core of starters, but how much will they miss Taylor and Bolden?

If the answer turns out to be "not much," then UT could be on its way to a ninth-straight winning season and maybe even another bowl bid.

With their spread offense, finding a quarterback might be the biggest off-season task for the Rockets. There should be plenty of candidates to battle for the tailback job, and running behind a monster line should help whomever gets the job.

Another major concern is the lack of experience on the defensive line. Ward and Gardner will not be able to thrive in their roles of tackling machines if the front four can’t stand its ground.

If Amstutz can repeat last season’s success, he might become the mayor of Toledo. The Rockets are a good team, but a third straight 10-win season appears to be a stretch.

They should, however, continue to be one of the better MAC West teams and have a say in the league title once again.