I'll admit that I gave the 2006 Miami University football team a lot of flack after their dismal season, its first losing season since 1989.
But who could blame me?
The team went just 2-10 and was unable to win a game at Yager Stadium. They consistently gave away the game with interceptions or other careless mistakes when leading late or were attempting to make a last-minute comeback. Game after game students and fans left Yager or turned off their TV's and radios, disappointed and winless.
So why am I so excited for the 2007 season?
First off, the team knows that they were in a lot of games last season. In fact, six of the RedHawks' 10 losses were by 10 points or less. A year older and a year wiser, some of the mistakes down the stretch will hopefully be corrected.
But numbers don't win football games, so I headed down to Yager to watch a little bit of the summer practice sessions.
Instead of finding a team kicking itself from last year, I saw a team focused and determined to bring themselves back to the storied program they once were.
The team that left the field after losing to Ohio University the day after Thanksgiving last year came back to Oxford this summer with a completely different look.
I can't explain it, but there was a buzz in the air during the workouts that made me believe that this team turned the page on the 2006 season.
I noticed several big changes from the 2006 to the 2007 summer sessions.
Unlike during the 2006 summer workouts, the RedHawks have remained healthy during the intense heat and long practices. Besides some minor bumps and bruises the team's conditioning looks sharp.
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The team's star running back, Brandon Murphy, who battled injuries all last season and played in just eight games, is healthy and will hopefully lead the ground attack.
In addition to key injured players staying healthy, the leaders of the team are stepping up and helping fill the gap left by star players Ryne Robinson and Joey Card.
Quarterback Mike Kokal, who started his first full season last year, looked sharp in practice and seems like he has used last season as a learning tool.
Wide receivers Dustin Woods and Sean McVay will be called upon to take the place of Robinson and Josh Williams, both of whom were primary targets for Kokal last season.
In addition to the returning players, the incoming first-year players are being thrown right into the thick of things and some might even see some playing time during their first year.
"There's a very good chance that several of them could make a major contribution this coming season," Head Coach Shane Montgomery said.
There are 27 first-year players on the roster for the RedHawks, led by standout quarterback Clay Belton. Watching tape of this kid in high school was one thing, getting to see him in person was quite another. He still hasn't taken the field in a NCAA game, yet the coaches are already taking note of his sharp skills and cannon for an arm.
Besides Belton, the RedHawks sport several young wide receivers including Jamal Rogers and Chris Givens, both players caught the attention of the coaching staff during the summersession workouts.
"Our freshmen continue to improve on a daily basis," Montgomery said. "We're going to take a long, hard look at them throughout the balance of the preseason drills."
The team scrimmaged a couple of times during the summer practice sessions and players really worked hard to make sure they separated themselves from the pack.
In the first team scrimmage, Belton completed 6-10 passes for 93 and one touchdown. Returning starter Kokal completed 12-17 passes for 117 yards and two touchdowns.
Whether or not Belton will be redshirted this season hasn't been decided yet, but it seems that he is the quarterback of the future for the 'Hawks.
I never thought after a 2-10 season there could be this much excitement about this football team. But after watching them practice it seems as if the 2006 season has been forgotten and both players and coaches are focused on bringing home another Mid-American Conference championship this season.
Miami's first home game of the season takes place Sept. 15 against the Cincinnati Bearcats in the Battle for the Victory Bell. The annual game is the fifth longest rivalry in college football, with Miami leading the overall series 55-42-7. After losing the bell last season in Cincinnati, the RedHawks are focused on bringing it back to Oxford.
Believe it or not RedHawk fans, there might be something to root for at Yager this season.
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