“We have a lot of guys who are biting at the bit to show us what they can do,” said Bell, whose squad numbered more than 100 last fall. “I feel we will be even better than we were last year.”

The fifth-year coached added, “I am very excited about our team due to the fact that we will have some new faces in key areas. I am extremely confident that we have the talent in those areas to step up to the challenge and contribute.”

Gone from the squad that finished 8-2 (a runner-up 8-1 in the MWC) is the league’s Offensive Player of the Year, quarterback Rob Purlee, who was third in the nation in passing efficiency. Four receivers who earned All-MWC honors in their careers have departed with him, as has star linebacker Rob Rogers.

But the Scots also return a lot from a team that ended the 2003 campaign with seven straight victories. Whoever takes over under center for Purlee – Bell said returner Shane Gordon and transfer Mitch Tanney are the top two contenders – will be protected by an experienced offensive line, which includes All-MWC linemen Dan Wingler and Marshall Price and all-conference tight end T.J. Gordon.

Bell and his staff hit the quarterback position hard during last year’s recruiting season. Tanney, a reserve who played in six games last year at Wabash and threw for 189 yards, was just one of eight signal-callers that Monmouth brought in. Another was Kyle Tutt of Class 2A state champion Iroquois West.

“Normally, you don’t expect a recruit to compete immediately at quarterback, but with the talent level we have coming in, it has to be expected,” said Bell.

Gordon played in two games for the Scots last fall and had a 10-yard TD pass among his two completions.

“Gordon is a little more of a movement type of guy who seems more comfortable out of the pocket, while Tanney is a pocket type of guy,” said Bell. “The big thing we are looking for from our quarterback is consistency. We want them to put our offense in good situations.”

Also departed is running back Oscar Scott, who nearly became Monmouth’s first 1,000-yard rusher in 10 years last fall. Several solid backs return, though, including Todd Sabean, Ed McCracken and Adam Chorazy.

“McCracken and Sabean are looking tremendous,” said Bell. “They are two different style backs, but I look for them to be equally productive. McCracken’s finally at his normal position after having to play fullback for us in the past.

“They will split time,” added the coach. “No one back can handle our load anyway. They’re both very capable of doing what we want them to do.”

Both backs had their best season in 2002, when Sabean led the team with 783 yards and McCracken chipped in 463. Sabean added 651 yards last fall and will enter his final season with 1,814 for his career.

Chorazy is slotted as the starting fullback after catching four TD passes at that position a year ago.

“He’s a 250-pound fullback, and he’ll be physical, physical, physical,” praised Bell.

Junior Matt Hammer’s four career catches for 68 yards are tops among Monmouth’s returning wideouts, as former standouts Nathan Gaskill, Tyler Snyder, Jason Killion and Ryan Wood dominated the receiving stats over the past few seasons.

Bell expects Jeff Wright, Evan Haffner, Danny Morrison and Aaron Hogan and newcomer Josh England to also challenge for time at the position, and as many as four could be on the field at the same time in Monmouth’s high-powered offense, which produced 32.4 points per game last fall.

“Now is their time to step up,” said Bell of the group, adding, “Evan Haffner is the best route runner we’ve had since I’ve been here, and he’s fast.”

Up front, Bell said the “extremely athletic” Wingler is one of the best lineman in the MWC. He’ll play along the right side with Price, who is “really coming into his own.” Ryan Ferry will get the start at center, and Joe Freitag, Matt Woods and freshman Joe Pilger are the three contenders for the two left-side spots.

Like the offense, the defense also has seven returning starters, including an All-MWC returnee at each level – Tyler Dihle (DL), Justin Zigler (LB) and Ryan Bast (DB). Zigler had a team-high 99 total tackles last season, while Bast – “the best corner in the league,” in Bell’s opinion – picked off three passes and broke up eight others.

“The key to our defense is how well the line plays,” said Bell. “We have an extremely good linebacking corps that is full of hard-nosed playmakers, and if we can let them make plays, I’ll think we’ll be very good.”

Joining Zigler in that corps are returning starter Greg Monn and either T.J. Scruggs or Steve Coutts in the middle.

Three converted offensive players give the Scots a strong defensive secondary. Bast is the natural at that position, while cornerback Tyler Yarde, free safety Brian Krier and strong safety Matt Floming have all switched over from skill positions on offense.

“Matt is the quarterback of our defense and calls all the sets and gets us into the right things,” said Bell.

The experienced linebackers and secondary will have a much easier job if Bell finds the right combination out of seven potential defensive line starters. Dihle figures to be a mainstay at tackle, and he’ll be joined inside by either Nick Bush or Kyle Cantwell. Defensive end candidates are Chris Inniss, Zach Kirchner, Wes Levy and Adam Troll.

The Scots will have to start over on special teams, as their punter, placekicker and top return man have all departed. However, one specialist, Woodruff’s Nate Palkovic was recruited, and several of the offensive and defensive newcomers also have kicking skills.

As the season opener nears, Bell feels comfortable with Palkovic handling the place kicking and kickoff duties and England at punter. Palkovic could also punt, if necessary.

In addition to eclipsing several receiving records, Gaskill also established some new kick return standards. Among the candidates to fill his shoes in 2004 are Bobby Gibbs, Morrison and Haffner.

“We call on our special teams to change field position, and the challenge with so many young guys in major spots is to reach a level of consistency,” said Bell.

Monmouth’s toughest test of the season figures to be a home field showdown in the third week with perennial conference power St. Norbert. The Green Knights have won or shared the last five MWC titles, and the Scots didn’t lose again in 2003 after falling 38-15 at St. Norbert in September.

“They’ve proven that they’re great champions,” said Bell of St. Norbert, which is the only MWC team his Scots have failed to beat in his four seasons at the helm. “It would be ridiculous not to have them as the team to beat.”

Bell also believes Lake Forest and Ripon will make strong upper division challenges, and he looks for an improving Carroll squad to also possibly join the top half of the MWC.

“The challenge for us is to develop a level of consistency in our program,” said Bell. “We cannot take a day off in terms of work ethic and intensity in practice and expect to raise the level of our success.”