ASHLAND – No, the Southern Oregon University football coaching staff has not completely settled on a starting quarterback to replace last season's NAIA player of the year. Yes, the top-ranked Raiders' Sept. 5 opener at No. 4 Carroll is just days away.

Fifth-year head coach Craig Howard has said that reps will be distributed equally up until gameday between sophomore Kamerun Smith, Austin Dodge's backup last year, and Tanner Trosin, a junior transfer from American River C.C., and he isn't saying more for now.

With that out of the way, the rest of the offense has given co-coordinators Ken Fasnacht and Chris Fisk reason to believe that it might not make much difference who claims that job. They expect the unit responsible for producing north of 48 points and 594 yards per game over the last three seasons to approach those same numbers, even if it doesn't take quite the same path to them.

A sturdy offensive line, a stable of runners who combined to net over 2,300 yards on the ground in 2014 and another full batch of receivers will also be at their disposal. This, however, is not the team that returned 10 offensive starters last season.

"In years past, with such experienced teams, you could almost just roll the ball out and let them go play," Fasnacht said. "The installation process went a little slower than we're used to but we still threw a lot at them and forced them to respond. We're moving in the right direction and I think we'll look similar from the standpoint of skill-level, speed and tempo. We're still going to be able to execute well enough that the offense is dictated by what the defense gives us."


RUNNING BACKS: Fasnacht doesn't hesitate to proclaim the strength of the team is in the backfield. And between the physicality of junior Melvin Mason (6-foot, 200 pounds), the low-to-the-ground zip of junior Sean Tow (5-7, 165) and the balance provided by sophomore Keegan Lawrence (6-0, 185), there are several strengths to choose from.

All three led the team in carries at some point in 2014, helping the Raiders average 4.9 yards per try – their highest mark in over a decade. Mason totaled 1,013 yards on 194 attempts and was SOU's go-to rusher in the playoffs, during which he scored eight touchdowns in four games to give him 18 for the season. Tow was next in line with 135 carries for 754 yards, netting over 100 on three different occasions and scoring seven TDs. Lawrence, meanwhile, led the pack in yards per rush (seven) and receptions (19 for 157 yards), giving him 676 all-purpose yards and six TDs as a true freshman.

SOU will add one more back to the list in speedy sophomore Louis Macklin (5-8, 180), who got four touches last season but made himself a factor with big showings in the spring and fall.

"Those guys would probably start for every other team in the country and we have to figure out how to get all of them the ball in space," Fasnacht said. "The biggest thing is they're unselfish. But they also allow us to have a lot of looks and a change of pace with each one that really gives defenses fits."


OFFENSIVE LINEMEN: The Raiders return three starters – all seniors – on the offensive line, though replacing All-American tackle Drew Gibson and All-Frontier center Bubba Rylance was among the greatest concerns entering the offseason. They still have reliable anchors in guard Max Proudfit (6-3, 280), who has started every game since his freshman season and was an All-Frontier selection last season; and guard Dylan Bratlie (6-4, 305), who will be a third-year starter. At tackle, Fasnacht says the offense really began clicking when Tylor King (6-6, 300) became a starter early last season and that he might be the best athlete on the team.

Entering the fold at center is junior Jose Sanchez (6-3, 306), a transfer from Glendale C.C. (Calif.) who joined the program during the spring. Vying for the other starting tackle position are rangy returners Connor Astley (6-4, 260), a junior, and Larry Bowen (6-4, 300), a sophomore. Both made appearances on the field in 2014. The Raiders have other capable backups returning in Kolby Koberstein (6-4, 275), Carter Latno (6-4, 260), Sheridan Olds (6-4, 235) and Nathaniel Timoteo (6-3, 295).

While allowing the offense to thrive, the linemen have also allowed Raider quarterbacks to be sacked less than once per game over the last three seasons.

"If the running backs are the strength of the offense, the O-line is next in line," Fasnacht said. "They're still big, strong, and know our system. They have to make a lot of calls and do it fast, and because of the experience there they haven't missed a beat."


RECEIVERS: The losses of Ryan Retzlaff and Dylan Young are hard to ignore: Together, they combined for 57 touchdown catches the last two seasons and left as Nos. 1 and 2 on the program's all-time reception yardage list in only a half-career's work. The Raiders maintained stability in the slots though, starting with hard-nosed All-Frontier junior Matt Retzlaff (5-10, 190). As a freshman, the younger Retzlaff brother amassed 59 catches for 850 yards, 15 receiving TDs and four rushing TDs. Last year he compiled 56 more catches for 785 yards and six TDs, and was a terror in the playoffs as he made 23 grabs and averaged 90 yards in four outings.

"Our conference knew about him," Fasnacht said. "Everyone knows that if you're playing SOU, you gotta handle Matt Retzlaff. Once we got outside the conference, everyone was worried about the outside guys and Matt got loose."

Another Medford product, senior Jeremy Scottow (5-9, 165), is also back in the slot. His versatility is similar to Retzlaff's, and he made 28 catches for 432 yards a season ago. Senior Teran Togia (6-0, 185) will again serve as a well-regarded backup, and joining him will be explosive redshirt-freshman Chase Cole (5-8, 162) and converted-receiver JJ Latu (5-7, 170). Latu – a senior return specialist whose 85-yard kickoff TD return in the first round of the 2014 playoffs was SOU's first in two years – formerly served as a backup running back but has been a frequent and reliable target this fall.

"As a group, the slot guys are going to drive this offense and do the things that make sure our outside guys get the 1-on-1 matchups," Fasnacht said. "You're gonna have to cover these guys."

On the outside SOU turns to Adonis Griffin (6-4, 225), who transferred in from American River C.C. before last season. An unmistakable physical presence, Griffin had to wait in line last season while making eight catches over five games, but now will get a chance to run through defenses. The Raiders have also moved sophomore Lantz Worthington (5-9, 180) from running back to the outside in an effort to better utilize his speed, which is among the best on the team.

Explosive junior transfer D.J. Willingham (6-2, 210), a product of Portland's Grant High, is in the mix for a starting spot after making 38 catches at Foothill C.C. last season. So too are Zack Davis (6-0, 185) – who hasn't seen action since scoring four TDs at Sierra C.C. (Calif.) in 2011 – and senior Devin DesJarlais (5-11, 190), who appeared in 12 games at University of New Mexico in 2014. Sophomore Dominic Giampaoli (6-1, 205) will also serve as a reserve in his third year in the program.

"We want to continue to put a deep threat in every scheme and make the defense honor that, and these guys allow us to do that," Fasnacht said.


QUARTERBACKS: The Raiders have options at quarterback. Maybe not the unprecedented option they've had in the past, but a wide variety. Originally they hoped to pick one by the second week of camp, but that has proven to be difficult.

Smith (6-7, 210), a sophomore and the only one who has been in the program for three years, features perhaps the most reliable arm. The Raiders had little use for it last season, though he completed 16 of 23 passes for 121 yards in two games. Trosin (6-0, 180) is creative on his feet and the kind of dual-threat SOU hasn't seen, though he also passed for 20 TDs and 2,268 yards on 62-percent accuracy last season at American River. Fasnacht calls the third option, junior Jack Singler (6-3, 195), "brilliantly smart," with the ability to manufacture ways to get the ball in the right hands.

"I think we can repeat as champions with any of those guys becoming the starter," Fasnach said. "We're going to be explosive either way. We were fortunate to have Austin Dodge, but it's a unique situation we're in right now and I'm comfortable with all three of them."