The anticipation and enthusiasm are still there for Joe Walton, who will head into his 50th fall football camp tomorrow -- the first 35 with NFL teams, the past 14 with Robert Morris.

"It's a special feeling, the start of [a] new season," said Walton, the only coach the Colonials have had. "When I don't have that, I'll know it's time to get out."

Robert Morris' football history can be divided into seven-year stages: The construction of the program and a glorious start; a leveling off once the Northeast Conference caught up to the Colonials. Now, it's time for a fresh start with a young team heavy on talent but thin on experience. Only three of the 14 returning starters from a 4-6 team are seniors.

"There is no question the potential with our players is there," Walton said. "They have the ability to grow into a good football team. We [the coaches] are going to have to be patient because you know young players are going to make mistakes. One day, they'll look great; the next, they'll look like they've never played the game."

Walton is hoping Erik Cwalinski, a three-year starter at quarterback, will provide a steadying influence on offense.

"Erik has a lot of ability, and he's shown it at times," Walton said of Cwalinski, who completed 49.6 percent of his passes for 1,838 yards and 12 touchdowns last season. "When Erik's confident, he's proven to be a good quarterback."

But Cwalinski has a tendency to hold onto the ball too long and take sacks rather than throw it away to avoid the loss.

"He needs to make quicker decisions," Walton said. "He can't hang his head."

A veteran offensive line and an emphasis on upgrading the running game should take some pressure off Cwalinski, who will be throwing to unproven wideouts because the top three from last season are gone. The receiving corps will be strengthened by the return of Sherrod Evers, who missed last season with injuries, and freshmen James O'Quinn and Shadrae King. The ground game, which averaged an anemic 81.4 yards per game last fall, will again revolve around Myles Russ (594 yards, 3 touchdowns) and Raphael Johnson (222 yards).

"One of our problems the past few years has been running the ball," Walton said. "We've just had too many situations where we were faced with second and long or third and long. You can't run the ball without blocking, and I thought the offensive line looked 100 percent better in the spring."

Walton expects a trio of freshmen linemen -- Sam Miller, Sam Kelley and Aric Blythe -- to help shore up a defense that allowed opponents to rush for 208.8 yards per game last year. The newcomers will complement veterans Mark Szymanski and Shannon Smoot. The other veterans are linebacker Adam Lawrence and safeties Michael Landers and Nathan Argenta. Freshman Anthony Coleman could be a good fit in the secondary.

"I think this team might be a year away from being really, really good," Walton said, "but I think we're heading in the right direction and will be competitive this year."