Kevin who?

1079 total yards. 135 yards per game. Eight touchdowns.

That is what running back Kevin Kelley brought the Jumbos last season, and that is what the team must try to replace this year if they hope to post back to back winning seasons for the first time since 1990-91.

Ask coach Bill Samko about the six-foot 238 pound freight train running back, and you're likely to get a "Kevin who?" in response.

"It's a new year, with new people," Samko said. "One person doesn't win games, and we've got some guys back this year."

These "guys" include senior running back Chuck McGraw, who will likely have the task of filling the mammoth void left in the Jumbos' offense when Kelley left Tufts after his junior year to get married. For McGraw, however, this might not be as daunting a task as it may seem.

While backing up Kelley last year, McGraw gained 449 yards on the ground, scored three touchdowns, and matched Kelley's 4.7 yards per carry. He was also the team's leading receiver, hauling in 16 catches for 118 yards and one touchdown. With last year's offensive line primarily still intact, Kelley's numbers do not look too far off.

"I think that Chuck was able to make bigger plays for us last year," Samko said. "Kevin could pound the ball up the field for more yards, but Chuck made the bigger plays. If you add his receiving yards to his rushing from last year, his production isn't much different from Kevin's."

McGraw (5'11" 200lbs) is not physically as big as Kelley, and he may have as many carries per game. "But he will likely touch the ball 20-25 times per game," Samko said.

Backing up McGraw at the running back position will be sophomore Steve Cincotta, and junior Matt Malatesta, both of whom saw limited playing time last season. Also impressive so far has been sophomore Matt McMillan, Samko said.

At the helm of the offense will once again be senior Scott Treacy, who quarterbacked the team in its romp through last season. The team relied heavily on the run last year, passing for just 75.8 yards per game, and 5 passing touchdowns on the season.

Treacy completed 49 percent of his passes last season, accumulating 466 of the team's 606 passing yards. So far, it appears that Treacy will be the go-to-guy again this year, while sophomore Jay Casey will back him up. Casey played in three games last year, completing six passes for 82 yards and no touchdowns.

The Jumbos' roster lists four other quarterbacks, all freshmen. But according to Samko, Treacy should see the majority of the snaps.

"Quarterback is a hard position for any freshman to come in and play," he said. "Scott's one of our captains and he's had a few years of experience."

Despite the loss of Kelley, Samko said that he doesn't foresee relying on his passing game anymore than he did last season.

"It's a different year with different people, so some things may change," he said. "But we've always said 'If you can't run you lose.' We were very successful with our game plan last year, so I wouldn't do a whole lot differently this year."

One of the reasons Samko is so confident in his running game may be the team's offensive line. The line opened gaping holes for Kelley last season, and again looks strong this season, despite the loss of All-American lineman Mike Wiley.

A number of last year's starters will return to the line this year, including senior tackle Andy Dickerson (6'1", 315), and junior tackle Adam Collette (6'8" 282). Senior Sean Casey (6'1" 280) will start at center.

"We have some cornerstones in Dickerson and Collette, so it's not like there's nothing," Samko said.

This weekend will provide a first good look at the team, as the Jumbos take on Wesleyan in a preseason scrimmage. The team opened its season last year with a convincing 35-20 victory of Wesleyan, and many players will undoubtedly be eager to start this season off in the same manner. However, Samko says that he will not treat the scrimmage like a real game.

"We're gonna treat it like a scrimmage, and a lot of guys are going to play," he said. "You like to win every time you step on the field, but at the same time, it's just a scrimmage."