ITHACA, N.Y. -- The Big Red football team said goodbye to an experienced senior class that featured 13 starters, many of them multiple-year letter winners, during the offseason. While many programs might stew for a bit on such a crippling loss of personnel, Cornell head coach Jim Knowles '87 has used a new-look product on the field as an opportunity to look at all aspects of what he has built in guiding the program to one of its most successful periods in 30 years. But taking the next step will be anything but easy ...

The offense brings back several high-profile weapons, including three-year starter Randy Barbour at running back, All-Ivy candidates Quentin Bernhard and Andrew Bohl on the offensive line, and big-play threats Horatio Blackman, Stephen Liuzza and Bryan Walters at wide receiver.

In the backfield, Barbour is the incumbent starter and will look to build on his 890 career yards and 11 touchdowns. A strong back who has the speed to get outside and the strength to go between the tackles, Barbour has great balance thanks to his low center of gravity. He has two career 100-yard games on the ground, but he also is an outstanding pass-catcher who works well in the single back set. Juniors Anthony Ambrosi and Marcus Hendren will also bring their skill sets to the table. Ambrosi is a shifty runner capable of exploding for a big play, while Hendren is a physical runner and an exceptional blocker who can also play fullback. Both are also exceptionally tough and will see time on special teams.

While three line positions are wide open heading into the fall, the two returners will be among the best and will likely anchor the tackle positions. Three-year starter Bernhard will remain at right tackle, while Bohl will move from right guard to left tackle. Bernhard is one of the smaller, but fiercest, tackles in the conference. His speed and aggressiveness make him an outstanding prospect, but it is his strength and toughness that separate him from others. The honorable mention All-Ivy pick from a year ago opens the season with 20 straight starts. Bohl's first varsity season was a strong one, and his newly-gained experience will serve him well at tackle. Junior Paul Ostick, the backup at center a year ago, is a likely candidate to start, and other players who will compete for playing time are juniors Daniel Riggi and Dominic Valdner and sophomore Matt Harrison.  

Despite losing a pair of 100-catch, 1,000-yard career receivers, the Big Red may possess a deeper group of wideouts than any team in the conference. Bryan Walters returns as an honorable mention All-Ivy pick from a year ago after hauling in 43 passes for 643 yards and two touchdowns, including a 96-yard score against Dartmouth. One of the top deep threats in the Ancient Eight, he will be at the top of opponent's scouting reports all season. If defensive coordinators look to the other end of the field, they will get no relief. Fifth-year senior Horatio Blackman presents a big, athletic target opposite Walters and can go deep or over the middle to make plays. He caught 20 passes for 291 yards and a score. The pair was among five players who caught at least 20 passes a season ago. Stephen Liuzza has lined up behind center, at tailback and at receiver, and he is one of the toughest players in the conference to tackle in the open field. An outstanding athlete, he is a threat to find the end zone anytime he touches the ball. Also having a chance to make significant marks on the offense will be senior Nick Zerante and sophomore Shane Savage, who was the breakout player of the spring after missing the fall with an injury.

Cornell's biggest question mark heading into the season will be who will replace three-year starter Nathan Ford at quarterback. The answer will likely be one of three players, as senior Ben Ganter, junior Ty Siam and sophomore Adam Currie will likely jockey for the top position. Ganter has likely earned first crack as Ford's backup the last two seasons. A strong-armed pocket passer who has a good grasp of the offense, he also has taken the only varsity snaps out of the group with 45 career passing attempts. Siam is a great athlete who has the ability to throw on the run, but it is his natural leadership qualities that shine through. Currie may be the best package of the two, but is also the least experienced after just one year as a signal caller for the junior varsity. He is both a good athlete and possesses a strong, accurate arm, but also has picked up the offense in his first year. The Big Red could potentially use converted receiver Stephen Liuzza in some special packages behind center.

Tight end is another position where experience will be at a premium. None of the assembled tight ends has seen a varsity snap. Junior Nick Pizzurro, who missed last year with an injury, classmate Mark Key and sophomore Drew McGowan, who was also snake-bitten in 2008, will battle a group of freshmen hungry to earn immediate playing time. Texas Tech transfer Jack Campbell will also have an opportunity to earn immediate playing time.

The retooled defense will be extremely talented, but one of the least experienced units in quite some time for the Big Red. Only three starters return, including preseason honorable mention All-America linebacker Chris Costello. Cornerbacks Emani Fenton and Andy Wade will provide stability on the outside, while senior Frank Morand will move from corner to safety. Beyond that, Big Red fans will do well to buy a program to learn the names of its new impact defenders.

Costello will anchor the defense after leading the team in tackles (90) and tackles for loss (9.0) as a junior. One of the Ancient Eight's top middle linebackers, he will spearhead a young linebacking corps. Senior Aaron Levine, junior Brandon Lainhart and sophomore Zach Imhoff will also figure into the rotation in 2009. Levine and Imhoff combined for seven tackles in 2008, primarily on special teams. Lainhart missed his sophomore season with an injury, but he'll be a big part of the plans this year after being penciled in as a preseason starter.

The entire defensive line was lost to graduation, but significant talent will suit up as Cornell attempts to find ways to put more pressure on opposing quarterbacks. Senior Trevin Cowman is a big, powerful tackle who can clog up running lanes and has seen significant action as a backup his last two seasons. Cowman had seven tackles while seeing action in all 10 games. Senior Ricky Ballou, junior Chris Ciarvella and sophomore Emile Chang will be among those also in the running for starting spots on the line. Ballou is a pass rushing end who can create havoc in the backfield as evidenced by his nine tackles and 1.5 sacks as a reserve a season ago, while Ciarvella is a similar player who returns after missing the 2008 campaign. The Tucson, Ariz., native had an impressive rookie campaign, posting four tackles and a sack after moving to the position from linebacker. Chang has the ability to be an All-Ivy performer early in his career thanks to his explosion off the line and his quickness to the ball.

The cornerback position will be a strength for Cornell, as both Fenton and Wade, as well as sophomore Rashad Campbell, are all athletic playmakers with great ball skills. Fenton had a team-high nine pass breakups and ranked among the Ivy leaders in the category. He finished the year with 47 tackles and 4.5 tackles for loss. Wade was outstanding in his first full varsity season, posting 37 tackles and ranking second to Fenton with seven pass breakups. Campbell played in the team's final four games after opening the year on the junior varsity and accumulated nine tackles and an interception.

The entire starting safety position group also graduated, but several experienced letter winners return to lend their talents. Senior Frank Morand and juniors Ben Heller and Dempsey Quinn will be the key factors in filling the gaps. Senior #T.J. Hochanadel and sophomore K.C. Aharanwa# also have a leg up on the returners thanks to their experience. Morand is a two-year starter at corner whose big-hitting skills and cover ability will be critical in his move deeper into the defensive backfield. Heller has been outstanding in limited action after sitting behind All-Ivy free safety Tim Bax. He had nine tackles and a sack in eight contests a year ago. Quinn was just as effective with 14 tackles in nine games, including a career-best 10 against Columbia. Both Hochanadel and Aharanwa made their marks on special teams in 2008, with both earning their first varsity letters. Each will have big opportunities in the fall to step into the fray.

Special teams will be a bit of a mixed bag, as junior place-kicker Brad Greenway and Ivy record-breaking return man Bryan Walters highlight the returners, while the Big Red will be looking for a new punter, long-snapper and holder after graduation took away all three.

Greenway is an accurate and strong-legged kicker who led the Big Red in scoring as a sophomore. He nailed 9-of-13 field goals from inside of 40 yards and converted 18-of-19 extra-point kicks, while his five touchbacks on kickoffs ranked among the league's best. He had three games with multiple field goals made, including two in the last-second win at Lehigh.

Walters, an All-Ivy receiver and dangerous returner, will be back for his final season. He enters the 2009 season already holding school records for career kick return (2,013) and punt return (798) yardage. His kick return yardage is already a conference record, while his punt return mark ranks fourth. He also holds numerous school marks for returns and return average.