It’s that time of year again. It’s that time of year when schools all across the country are represented by groups of large, highly competitive men that hit the snot out of each other. It’s that time of year when Ashland’s quiet fall evenings are interrupted by a cannon blast that erupts from Jack Miller Stadium. College football is back.

Ashland football will begin its season-long quest for a Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference championship and a spot in the NCAA Division II playoffs tonight under the lights. The Eagles welcome in a familiar rival, the Indianapolis Greyhounds. Though the greyhounds may have recently severed its ties with the GLIAC, they will still remember the heartbreak they suffered at the hands of the Eagles last season in a thrilling game that produced four overtimes, 75 combined points and 755 combined yards.

Ashland head coach Lee Owens is entering his ninth season as head coach of the team. He brings back 14 starters from a year ago, nine of which are on the offensive side of the ball.

One of those nine returning offensive players is Ashland’s leading passer from last season, senior Taylor Housewright. Housewright accumulated 1800 yards and 15 touchdowns through the air last season and he will have his two top receivers from last season in senior Anthony Capasso and sophomore Eric Thompkins. Capasso caught 53 passes for over 700 yards and nine touchdowns while Thompkins had 400 yards receiving and three touchdown catches of his own.

Also returning for the Eagles are their top two rushers from a year ago. Sophomores Jordan McCune and Anthony Taylor combined for over 1200 yards on the ground and 16 scores in 2011.

The defense for Ashland is only returning four starters from last year. The most significant losses include defensive tackle Jeris Pendelton, who was drafted by the Jacksonville Jaguars, and last year’s preseason All-American defensive back Logan Kerr.

Despite those losses, two leaders from the defense still remain from last season. Two-time GLIAC first team defensive lineman Jamie Meder blossomed alongside Pendelton last year and now returns for his junior season. Junior linebacker Cody Bloom was AU’s leading tackler last season and he also returns to shore up the defense in the middle of the field.

This season will also mark the return of junior safety Brian Gamble, who hasn’t played since the 2009 season when he received first team all-GLIAC honors.

The Eagles’ defense will be tested right away when they face the Greyhounds Thursday night. The Greyhounds had a prolific passing offense last year, led by junior quarterback Chris Mills.

Mills was named GLIAC offensive player of the year last season as well as a Division II second team All-American. He threw for 3000 yards and a school record 29 touchdowns in 2011. He too will have most of his top receivers returning from last year, including senior Mar’quone Edmonds. Edmonds ranked eighth in Division II with 14 touchdown receptions and was a first team GLIAC selection.

In last season’s matchup between the two squads, it became the longest football game in Ashland history. It took four overtimes before Ashland won the game by the score of 39-36.

There were a total of nine field goals made in the game, four of which were made by Ashland’s Greg Berkshire, who graduated last year. McCune accounted for two rushing touchdowns in the game, including the game-winner in the fourth overtime. Housewright threw for 170 yards and two scores. Mills threw for 342 yards and three touchdowns that were all hauled in by Edmonds.

Ashland is projected to finish this season atop of the GLIAC South division. AU also received votes to be nationally ranked as one of the top 25 teams in the Division II AFCA Coaches’ preseason poll. Ashland enters this season with a 4-4 record in season openers under head coach Lee Owens.

Indianapolis is no longer a member of the GLIAC as they have moved on to play in the Great Lakes Valley Conference. The Greyhounds are favorites to finish first in their conference this year despite this being their first season in the conference. They also received votes to be in the preseason Top 25 poll.

This will be the first time that the two teams will play each other in a season opener. All odds point to this season opener between Ashland and Indianapolis to be another shootout as it was last season. Don’t be surprised to hear a lot of cannon fire tonight.