By Mark Schmetzer
Enquirer contributor

The red bands adorn the wrists of every member of the Miami football program in sight.

The message is simple: "Miami Football 2004 - Defend What Is Ours."

"Ours" would include a nation's-best 13-game winning streak and Mid-American Conference and GMAC Bowl championships.

The RedHawks can't wait to get started. Kickoff for their opener tonight against Division I-AA Indiana State at Yager Stadium is scheduled for 7 p.m., making Miami the first Division I-A team to play this season.

It's not soon enough for coach Terry Hoeppner

"Finally, we get to play football again," Hoeppner said. "We're tired of practicing against each other. We're eager to take that next step. We're really ready to play somebody."

Hoeppner is confident that Miami has come up with satisfactory answers to the questions that cropped up with the end of the 2003 season. The primary concern, of course, was at quarterback, where fourth-year junior Josh Betts steps in to replace Ben Roethlisberger, whose exploits generated national attention that helped the RedHawks finish 10th in the Associated Press poll. They are tied for 47th in this year's preseason poll, behind three other MAC teams.

"I'm sick of that question," Hoeppner said in mock rage. "It's natural. It's a tremendous void to fill. Obviously, the national media and the polls thought it was too big of a void to fill. He must've been doing it by himself, in their minds."

Miami also had to fill three open slots on the offensive line and three overall on defense, but Hoeppner is confident about all of the new starters.

"We've improved since (the first day of practice)," he said. "We've answered the questions. We're not a finished product. We're still a work in progress.

"We feel pretty good. We've got some good football players on this team."

Hoeppner has more questions about Indiana State, the RedHawks' first opponent from the Gateway Football Conference and their first Division I-AA opponent since a 35-17 win over William and Mary in 1982. After going 3-9 last season, Sycamores coach Tim McGuire went the transfer route, fortifying the roster with eight players from junior colleges and 12 from Division I-A programs. They include starting fullback Kenny Smith, a sophomore transfer from Cincinnati, and others from programs such as Michigan State, Colorado, Missouri, Indiana, Central Michigan, Southern Mississippi and Hawaii.

"They have some guys with talent, and there's an element of the unknown with a new offensive coordinator," Hoeppner said. "They've added some guys from the higher-profile programs. They're a dangerous opponent."

Hoeppner reverted to a recurring theme from last season, adding, "This is playoff game No. 1."

Indiana State at Miami
Kickoff: 7:06  p.m. today, Yager Stadium, Oxford.
Records: Indiana State 3-9 last season, Miami 13-1.
TV: Channel 64.
Radio: WMOH-AM (1450).
Series: First meeting.
Line: No line.
What to watch: Even with a new quarterback and mostly new offensive line, Yager Stadium's new scoreboard and video board might be tested in the RedHawks' first game against a Division I-AA team since 1982.

MU	2003 stats	ISU
501.1	Offense avg.	267.8
160.3	Avg. by rush	131.6
340.9	Avg. by pass	136.2
341.1	Defense avg.	341.1
111.6	Avg. by rush	180.4
229.5	Avg. by pass	160.7
43.0	Avg. pts. for	14.2
19.4	Avg. pts. against	29.7