The Atlantic 10 Conference football coaches have spoken and they say the University of Maine will finish fourth in its division this coming season.

They also expect big things from junior wide receiver Arel Gordon, senior linebacker Jermaine Walker, and senior offensive lineman Ben Lazarski, who all were named to the preseason all-conference team.

Maine’s veteran standouts and nine of their fellow returning starters will be counted on to help lead A Black Bears squad that will be younger than last year’s 5-6 squad. Head coach Jack Cosgrove says he’s got a feeling of D?j? vu as he readies for the fall season.

“We were coming off a 5-6 season back then too and we had to integrate a lot of players in 2001 and this year feels very similar. That year we kind of burst on the scene in the conference,” Cosgrove said. “We are a bit younger, but we’re very excited about our first-year players. We know there will be a lot of opportunities for them to impact our program early.”

The favorites this year are defending division I-AA national champ James Madison University in the south division and north co-favorites New Hampshire and Massachusetts.

Cosgrove doesn’t really mind being picked low in the A-10 pecking order. Last year, the Bears were picked for first in the north division.

“Polls are just polls this time of year and we seem to be better served by being ranked down near the bottom,” he said. “I’m okay with wherever they want to put us.”

If you’re looking for good omens, JMU was picked fourth in the south division last year and went on to win the Division I-AA national championship.

“To me, New Hampshire and James Madison are the no-brainer picks in our league. After that, it gets pretty murky,” said Cosgrove.

But murky in a good way because the A-10 has grown into one of the premier I-AA conferences nationally.

“We’re a conference with more teams who expect to win and feel they have a good chance, whereas maybe others have four or five out of 10 teams who think that,” Cosgrove explained. “I think the conference has continued to grow in terms of talent, coaching and success. It creates an even higher level of expectation and kind of a swagger the teams have. You can feel it in the room now.”

Cosgrove was one of 12 head coaches on hand for the A-10 preseason media day in Warwick, R.I., Wednesday.

Cosgrove said another factor which will go a long way toward deciding Maine’s success this season will be how ell the returning veteran players learned the tough lessons taught in three games the Bears lost in the last minute and the six overall that had a combined losing margin of 42 points (a touchdown per game).

“They’re learning situations and experiences you have to develop a plan for and use as motivation, and a lesson to build on as well. Hopefully we’ve learned ,” he said.

Lazarski was named to the offensive team, Walker to the defense, and Gordon to special teams (kick return specialist).

The JMU Dukes received 16 out of 30 first place votes and are followed in the preseason poll by Delaware, William and Mary, Villanova, Richmond, and Towson. UMass and UNH are followed in the north by Hofstra, Maine, Northeastern and Rhode Island.

A-10 Preseason Poll

(Voted by coaches and media)

NORTH DIVISION

1. (tie) New Hampshire (14 first-place votes)

1. (tie) Massachusetts (12)

3. Hofstra (4)

4. Maine

5. Northeastern

6. Rhode Island

SOUTH DIVISION

1. James Madison (16)

2. Delaware (6)

3. William and Mary (6)

4. Villanova (2)

5. Richmond

6. Towson