Moon Township, Pa. - According to a poll of Northeast Conference (NEC) head coaches, the Robert Morris University football team has been picked to finish sixth in the NEC in 2008.

Tabbed as the 2008 preseason favorite is defending champion Albany (8-4, 6-0 NEC in 2007), which received five first-place votes. Following the Great Danes in the preseason poll were Monmouth (4-6, 3-3), which received two first-place votes, and Central Connecticut State (6-5, 4-2), which earned one first-place tally.

Wagner (7-4, 3-3) was tabbed to finish fourth, while NEC associate member Duquesne (6-4, 2-1 in Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference) was picked to finish fifth. Rounding out the poll and following the Colonials are Sacred Heart (3-8, 0-6) in seventh and Saint Francis (3-7, 2-4) in eighth.

Robert Morris returns 14 starters in 2008, including sophomore punter Nick Schirtzinger (Hurricane, W.Va. / Hurricane), who was named to the 2008 Preseason All-NEC Team. As a freshman in 2007, Schirtzinger led the NEC in punting with an average of 41.7 yards per punt. An All-NEC Second Team honoree in 2007, Schirtzinger established RMU single-season records for punts (61) and punting yards (2,524), while his 415 punting yards in a 28-14 win over Saint Francis (9/15/07) established a single-game record.

On offense, the Colonials return seven starters, including senior quarterback Erik Cwalinski (Jacobsburg, Ohio / Shadyside) and sophomore running back Myles Russ (Boca Raton, Fla. / West Boca). Cwalinski completed 49.6 percent (135-for-272) of his passes for 1,838 yards and 12 touchdowns last season, while Russ finished with 594 yards rushing and three touchdowns.

The Robert Morris defense welcomes six starters back from 2007, including senior defensive lineman Shannon Smoot (Columbus, Ohio / Bishop Hartley), junior defensive lineman Mark Szymanski (Cadogan, Pa. / Ford City) and junior linebacker Adam Lawrence (Big Run, Pa. / Dubois Area). Lawrence is RMU's top returning tackler from a year ago, as he finished with 86 stops as a sophomore. Szymanski led the Colonials with seven and-a-half sacks, while Smoot contributed 42 tackles, including three and-a-half sacks.

"There is no question the potential with our players is there," said 15th-year head coach Joe Walton. "They have the ability to grow into a good football team. We have good athletes with both size and speed, and as a coaching staff we'll work to get them ready each week and get better each week."   

Under the direction of Walton, the only head coach in Robert Morris history, the Colonials open their 2008 season Saturday, Sept. 6, with a 1:00 p.m. tilt against Morehead State at Joe Walton Stadium. The Colonials enter their 15th campaign of Division I football in 2008 winners of five NEC championships and a pair of NCAA I-AA (now FCS) mid-major national championships according to Don Hansen's National Weekly Football Gazette. Robert Morris also is a two-time winner of the ECAC Bowl and boasts an all-time record of 86-55-1 (.609).