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The Lowdown 2006 Schedule Coach: Shane Montgomery (2nd season, 7-4) 2005 record: 7-4 MAC finish: 5-3 (t-1st East) 2005 I-A offensive rankings: Rushing: 75th (134.0 ypg) Passing: 15th (291.6 ypg) 2005 I-A defensive rankings: Rushing: 44th (139.6 ypg) Passing: 41st (207.8 ypg) Date Opponent Aug. 31 Northwestern Sept. 9 at Purdue Sept. 16 Kent State Sept. 23 at Syracuse Sept. 30 at Cincinnati Oct. 7 Northern Illinois Oct. 14 at Buffalo Oct. 21 at Akron Oct. 28 Ball State Nov. 4 at Western Michigan Nov. 15 at Bowling Green Nov. 24 Ohio Depth Chart: Offense 4 returning starters in red Ps. No. Player Yr. No. Player Yr. WR 2 Ryne Robinson Sr. 27 Marcus Tate Sr. WR 4 Josh Williams Sr. 82 R.J. Corbin Sr. WR 81 Patrick O’Bryan Jr. 9 E.J. Morton-Green Fr. LT 68 Dave DiFranco So. 79 John Buckman Jr. LG 72 Steve Meister Jr. 77 Brian Klesmith Fr. C 53 Steve Kosky Sr. 56 Kyle Lovas So. RG 50 Matt McKeown So. 73 Pete Walters Jr. RT 76 Charlie Norden Jr. - Steve Sutter So. TE 80 Tom Crabtree So. 83 Jake O’Connell So. QB 3 Mike Kokal Jr. 12 Daniel Raudabaugh Fr. TB 24 Brandon Murphy Jr. 25 Jimmy Murray Sr. Depth Chart: Defense 2 returning starters in red Ps. No. Player Yr. No. Player Yr. DE 51 Joe Coniglio So. 95 Tranaine Sills Jr. DT 69 Otto Linwood Jr. 94 Ben Huddle So. DT 92 Seth Painter Sr. 91 Kevin Samy Fr. DE 58 Craig Mester Jr. - Jordan Stevens Fr. OLB 37 Dontae Wright Sr. 49 Mickey Mann So. MLB 48 Joe Hudson So. 45 Brad Goatley So. OLB 9 Clayton Mullins Jr. 20 Chris Shula So. CB 16 Bryan Roland So. 3 Jeff Thompson Fr. CB 5 Frank Wiwo Sr. 26 Antonio Brunson Fr. SS 6 Robbie Wilson So. 17 Sean Kavanagh So. FS 1 Joey Card Sr. 34 Tersee Nande Jr. Special Teams Ps. No. Player Yr. Ps. No. Player Yr. K 95 Nathan Parseghian So. P 4 Jacob Richardson So. KR 18 Sean McVay So. PR 2 Ryne Robinson Sr.

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Game programs will be as hot as best-sellers at Yager Stadium this fall as fans try to figure out who's playing for Miami. The RedHawks lost 19 seniors from last year's team. They include two-year starting quarterback Josh Betts, career receiving leader Martin Nance, three starters on the offensive line, all five players who started at the three linebacker positions, three of the four defensive backfield starters and the placekicker. The competition for starting jobs at spring camp tested Miami's depth and second-year coach Shane Montgomery's recruiting.

OFFENSE

The last time Miami's quarterback job was this wide open, survivor Mike Bath went on to set school records for passing yards and touchdowns that since have been smashed by Super Bowl-champion Ben Roethlisberger. Bath now is the RedHawks' tight ends coach, giving him a front-row seat for the battle between junior Mike Kokal, sophomore Jared Elliott and redshirt freshman Daniel Raudabaugh.

The winner will have to overcome a significant lack of experience, which could be offset by a heavier reliance on a running game led by junior Brandon Murphy, who averaged 107 yards per game last season. The diminutive (5'8") Murphy also was Miami's fourth-leading receiver, which helps him avoid wear-and-tear between the tackles.

Murphy's success will depend on how quickly an offensive line that lost one four-year starter, two three-year starters and the starting tight end can mature.

An experienced and deep receiving corps led by explosive senior Ryne Robinson also could ease the transition for the new quarterback. Senior Josh Williams averaged 17.0 yards per catch last season.

DEFENSE

Junior defensive end Craig Mester and senior free safety Joey Card are the only returning starters from last season's defense. Senior Frank Wiwo will start at one cornerback spot after leading the RedHawks with four interceptions last season. Mester led Miami with 5.5 sacks last season, and his penetration skills should be complemented by the return of junior defensive end Tranaine Sills, who redshirted last season, and the emergence of former linebacker Joe Coniglio. Sills recorded a sack on the first play from scrimmage of his career.

Card was second on the team in tackles last season, but he is the only one of team's top 11 tacklers to return. Among the graduates were all five players who started at least once at one of the three linebacker spots, leaving senior Dontae Wright with the most experience. True freshman defensive end Jordan Stevens could have an immediate impact.

SPECIALISTS

Nathan Parseghian, great-grandnephew of the legendary Ara Parseghian and brother of record-holding kicker Jared Parseghian, will take over placekicking duties, though true freshman Trevor Cook could be called on to handle longer efforts. The rest of the specialists return, including Dave McClain for a fourth season as long snapper.

FINAL ANALYSIS

Shane Montgomery has his work cut out for him in his second season as head coach. His first priority is to settle on a No. 1 quarterback. The RedHawks have talent at receiver and tailback, but they must find someone to run the show.

If Montgomery still was playing, he'd probably be licking his chops over facing a defense as inexperienced as Miami's. As the coach, he'll be worrying about how long it will take for the newcomers to gain the experience they'll need to play with confidence and the reckless abandon that has marked the RedHawks' units over the past few seasons.

Miami should have a little more time this year to get up to speed than last fall, when the RedHawks opened the season at Ohio State. This year, they open at home against Northwestern, which is coached by former Miami star running back and coach Randy Walker. The Wildcats are coming off a 7-5 season. The other three non-league opponents - Purdue, Syracuse and Cincinnati - all finished below .500 last season. All three games are on the road.