Saturday’s game against the Bobcats of Ohio University could give Cyclone fans an implication of just how high to set their expectations for the 2000 season. The Bobcats come to Ames returning seven starters each on offense and defense, some dangerous special teams units completely intact from last season and 36 letterwinners from last season’s 5-6 (5-3 MAC) team that finished third in its conference. The strength for coach Jim Grobe’s team will certainly be on the offensive side of the ball, where returning starting quarterback Dontrell Jackson was the only true freshmen in the country last year to start every game at quarterback. With Jackson in the backfield will be sophomore fullback Joe Sherril, sophomore tailback Chad Brinker and junior tailback Jamel Patterson, all starters from last season. This unit accounted for the sixth most rushing yards in the nation last season, sporting an offensive style that mostly features its triple-option attack, one that utilizes counters and straight-ahead runs. Z-back Ronald Ray will be another player to watch in this high-powered offense. This senior led last year’s squad in receiving with 22 catches for 466 yards and four touchdowns and was the team’s fourth-leading rusher accounting for 577 yards and four more scores. Starting at split end will be sophomore Joe Mohler, and at tight end will be junior Chris Knaack. The most glaring weakness on offense, though, is the offensive line, where only two players with any real game experience return. Guards Nick Glowacki and Zach Holt will be joined by newcomers Chris Jackson, Doug Wooten and Erik Grahovac. Defensively, Ohio runs the “50” defense, which allows the team to be aggressive and move around a lot, a tactic it employs hoping to confuse opponents. Junior strong safety Chris London highlights a Bobcat secondary that returns three out of four starters from a year ago and is the strongest area of the Ohio defense. Joining London are sophomore cornerback Bop White, sophomore free safety Joe Sellers and senior cornerback Donnie White, who helped to combine for a league best 17 interceptions a year ago. At linebacker, sophomore Tom Weilbacher returns as the team’s second-leading tackler behind London. Weilbacher, an inside linebacker, is known for his big hits, while teammate and fellow inside linebacker Matt Spitler is known throughout the MAC as a tough and gritty player. Juniors Greg Baskin and Trendale Perkins will fill the outside linebacker positions. Ohio’s three-man front will be lead by junior end Mike Fox, who started all 11 games last season while notching 36 tackles, three of them going for a loss. In the middle will be senior noseguard Damion Washington and next to him senior Art Adams at the other end. The Bobcats’ only clear advantage will be the kicking game, where junior punter Dave Zastudil, last year’s MAC Special Teams Player of the Year, returns with his career 44.2-yards-per-punt average. Zastudil landed 13 punts inside the 20 and averaged 43.2 yards per punt a year ago. The place-kicking duties will be resumed by sophomore Kevin Kerr, who was nine of 13 on field goals and 24 of 28 on PATs while leading the Bobcats in scoring with 51 points last season. Kerr was six of six on field goals under 40 yards and two of two on field goals over 50 yards, including a 55-yarder against Miami University in Ohio. Kerr and Zastudil will share the kickoff duties.