When Wabash opens the 2013 football season at home against Hanover this Saturday, every eye will turn to the quarterback position to see who takes over the starting job. However, head coach Erik Raeburn still isn't sure who fans will see taking that first snap.
 
"We will play multiple guys at quarterback Saturday," Raeburn, who enters his sixth season at Wabash and 14^th overall as a head coach, said. "All of the guys competing at the position have had great moments, but no one has played at a consistently high level enough to separate from the rest of the guys. They've all done great things in practice, which is encouraging. We're going to need someone to step up and win the job completely."
 
Wabash lost three-year starter Chase Belton to graduation. Belton threw for 1,799 yards and 16 TDs and rushed for 486 yards and eight scores in 2012. He ended his career with a record of 24-3 as starter.
 
 
Joining that trio are three talented freshmen. Connor Rice (6-3/220/Indianapolis, IN/Cathedral) and Drake Christen (5-8/160/Indianapolis, IN/Lawrence Central) each led their high schools to Indiana state championships last year. The third freshman quarterback, Cameron Belton (6-2/192/Dayton, OH/Northmont), is the brother of Chase and has also been competing for the starting job.
 
Regardless of who walks out on the field first, a solid running game and experience offensive line should help ease the transition. Tyler Holmes (SR/6-1/225/Bluffton, IN/Bluffton) returns after becoming the 11^th player in Wabash history to rush for 1,000 yards in a season. Holmes ran for 1,067 yards and five TDs despite playing in just eight games for the Little Giants. Mason Zurek (SO/6-0/208/Saint John, IN/Andrean) saw limited action as a freshman, but will backup Homes at running back this year. Anthony Stella (SO/5-10/221/Indianapolis, IN/Ben Davis) moved from defensive back to running back this year and could also earn playing time in the backfield.

"Last year at this time Tyler wasn't healthy," Raeburn said. "We had some different guys at tight end and on the offensive line at the end of the year that we didn't have earlier in the season. That helped us be better at running the ball at the end of the year. We just don't have that luxury of waiting and maturing in the running game. We need to come out game one and be able to execute."

 
James Kraus (SR/5-11/183/North Judson, IN/North Judson) recorded 11 receptions for 106 yards. Charlie Kolisek (SR/6-1/243/Indianapolis, IN/Roncalli) converted from defensive end to tight end last year. He made an interception and caught a touchdown pass playing both ways against Wittenberg last year. He finished the season with three receptions for 41 yards before an injury forced him to miss the last two games of the year.

Mark Riffle (SR/6-3/275/Greenwood, IN/Center Grove) earned All-North Coast Athletic Conference honors last season as a member of the offensive line. He's joined by returning starters Michael Del Busto (SR/6-0/247/Carmel, IN/Carmel), Tré Taylor (SO/6-2/315/Indianapolis, IN/Ben Davis), Nathan Brock (JR/6-7/290/Valparaiso, IN/Chesterton), and Patrick Singleton (SR/6-5/310/Indianapolis, IN/Scecina). Wes Brown (SO/6-8/271/Lawrenceburg, IN/East Central) moves into the starting left tackle position to replace three-time All-NCAC player and All-American Weston Kitley.

"We've just been OK on the offensive line in camp to this point," Raeburn added. "With all of the guys we have back I expected them to be further ahead, but we've had some guys get dinged up and miss time. I'm not convinced we are where we need to be up front to be able to run the ball better than we did a year ago."
 
The defense brings back nine starters from the 2012 that finished eighth in Division III in opponent's scoring average (13.1 points per game). Linebackers Nate Scola (SR/5-10/234/Gold Canyon, AZ/Apache Junction), AJ Akinribade (JR/5-11/200/Indianapolis, IN/Brownsburg), and Cody Buresh (JR/6-1/211/Holland, MI/Hamilton) have combined for 73 starts and 441 tackles. Scola led the Little Giants with 90 tackles last year. Akinribade made 83, while Buresh finished the year with 71.
 
Joining the three linebackers again this season are defensive backs Hodges, Denzel Wilkins JR/5-10/185/Richton Park, IL/Homewood-Flossmor) and Justin Woods (SO/6-1/198/Dayton, OH/Northmont). Hodges made 25 tackles in 10 starts along with one interception. Injuries limited Wilkins' time on the field to seven games, but he tallied 43 tackles and one pick when he was able to be on the field. Woods played in all ten games as a freshman, earning seven starts. He recorded 69 tackles
 
Jorge Diaz-Aguilar (SR/6-6/240/South Bend, IN/St. Joseph's), Zach Breuckman (SR/6-2/263/Crown Point, IN/Crown Point), and Tyler McCullen (SO/6-5/239/Apache Junction. AZ/Apache Junction) anchor the front line on defense. Diaz-Aguilar battled through a knee injury last season after earning All-NCAC honors as a sophomore. Breuckman started nine of the ten games for the Little Giants, recording 6-1/2 tackles for losses and three sacks as an interior defensive lineman, but he will miss the first couple of games due to a knee injury. McCullen started all ten games for Wabash in his rookie season, finishing with 33 tackles, nine sacks, and 14 tackles for losses totaling 52 yards.
 
 
All-NCAC punter Cam Sobleski (SR/6-1/187/Noblesville, IN/Park Tudor) averaged 40.6 yards per punt last season, with 19 of his 52 tries downed inside the 20-yard line. Ian MacDougall (SR/6-1/201/Westfield, IN/Westfield) suffered an injury midway through the season that limited his performance, but Brock Smith (JR/5-11/201/Plymouth, IN/Plymouth) stepped in to share the duties in the final few games. The two combined to go 33-of-39 in extra-point attempts and 8-of-15 in field goal tries. Hodges averaged 8.9 yards per punt return and 22.4 yards per kickoff return. Woods finished the season with averages of 23.2 per kickoff return and 7.6 per punt return.
 
Wabash will honor the 33 senior members of the team prior to Saturday's kickoff. The home opener is also Community Day. Admission to the game is free of charge to thank the Crawfordsville and Montgomery County communities for their continued support.
 
Read more about Saturday's game in the Wabash College Sports Release dated September 10, 2013 (pdf).