There's no doubt in senior Taylor Wagner's mind the football team possesses a talented offense.
It's just a matter of keeping them away from injury.
Last season, DePauw was hit hard by afflictions - so hard that during the 118th Monon Bell Classic, the Tigers used their fifth-string quarterback after a bevy of maladies.
"If someone went down, we had a brand new guy who's never played college football before coming in and trying to play," Wagner, a wide receiver, said. "Last year, we never knew who was going to be playing in practice day-in and day-out."
Head coach Robby Long doesn't see his lack of juniors (12) and seniors (22) as a potential weakness.
"We have sophomores who aren't technically sophomores," Long said. "They played a lot of football last year. I'm more concerned with the core. As long as everything fits, we'll have a successful season."
His core extends beyond his offense to the other side of the ball. Second-year defensive coordinator, Scott Srnka, led a talented defense that kept DePauw competitive in games despite low-scoring efforts.
The revolving door of QBs disrupted the offense and was the prime reason for the 4-5 record.
"It's not where we wanted to be at," Wagner said of the Tigers' record. "Talent only goes so far. If you're great, and you can't stay on the field because of injury, we have to find someone else to put in there."
Distributing the ball will most likely be sophomore QB Drew Seaman, who last year was felled by a concussion midseason after starting two games. He entered the season as the team's third string QB, but impressed coaches and teammates with his pocket presence and good athleticism.
His effectiveness, and ability to stay on the field, will determine the success of the season. As is the case for all players, added Wagner.
"We need consistency. We want our playmakers out on the field," he said.