ANDERSON, Ind. — After an injury-filled and disappointing 2009 season that saw the Anderson University football team finish with a 1-9 record, AU head coach Jeff Judge is optimistic that his team can be “pretty good” in 2010.

“I’m sure based on last year that people don’t have a lot of expectations for us,” Judge said, “and I understand that.”

The preseason coaches poll for the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference picked the Ravens to finish seventh in the nine-team conference, and the Ravens are looking for their first winning record since 2003.

Judge found a silver lining from all the injuries the team suffered last year: experience, which is rare for a team as young as these Ravens.

“All of these young guys got a lot of experience,” said Judge, who holds a 29-41 record as AU’s head coach.  “Even though we’re starting a lot of sophomores and juniors, they’ve really had a lot of game experience after literally being thrown to the wolves last year before they were ready.”

AU has 16 returning starters for the upcoming season, including four sophomores and eight juniors.

One of the returning starters is at quarterback.  Senior Mitch Grider will get the first crack at the starting job.

Grider is in a battle with junior Nick Sharp, but Sharp has been out for a few weeks with an injury and will miss the season opener.

“The initial plan was to play both until one distinguishes himself over the other,” Judge said.  “In the scrimmage, Mitch made one bad decision and Nick made maybe two bad decisions.”

Grider started five games last year and led the team in passing yards with 941 with seven touchdowns and five interceptions.

AU is hopeful to get Sharp, who had 741 passing yards with six touchdowns and eight interceptions in seven games last season, back to practice next week.

Grider clearly had a better year statistically for the Ravens in 2009, but Judge says both quarterbacks have improved greatly this offseason.

“Last year (Grider) would take shots downfield or he’d get pressured and just throw it downfield,” Judge said, “but this year he’s made good decisions and good choices and gone through his reads.”

If both quarterbacks continue to play at a high level and Sharp hasn’t fallen too far behind from the two weeks of practice he’s missed, “both have attributes that we’ll use to our advantage,” said Judge.

Two of the biggest reasons for optimism, according to Judge, is the speed on offense and the vast improvement of the receiving corps.

That speed resides in two freshmen running backs who will take the bulk of the carries, Marcus Spann and Torrance McCollum.

Judge said the receivers on this year’s team are faster than any group he’s had since coming to AU. Some of that speed is found in another freshman, Seth Frey.

“Last year our receivers had to think about it while they were playing,” Judge said. “They knew it then, but know that they’ve been in the system for two years, they’ve reached the point where they just react.  I think that half-step will be a huge difference.”

Judge called two receivers in particular, Nic Jackson (second team All-HCAC) and Keith Thomas, completely different players after comparing film from last year to what he’s seen in practice.

“They’re so much faster and so much more fluid,” Judge said.

Defensively, AU is led upfront by first team all-HCAC defensive end Leonard Wells, who had 11 sacks to lead the conference, and second team all-HCAC defensive end Jathan Wisley, who had seven sacks.

A transfer from Ball State, Bill Huntsinger, leads the linebackers.

“(Huntsinger) played Division I football for three years,” Judge said, “so he knows what to do and how to practice.”

The Ravens start their season off against non-conference rival Taylor University tonight at home at 7 p.m.

The Trojans may be the toughest team AU faces during the season. Taylor is ranked No. 22 in the NAIA Preseason Top 25 Coaches Poll after finishing last year with a 7-3 record.

If the Ravens can get off to a fast start with their non-conference schedule, which also includes Greenville and Mount St. Joseph, look for AU to at least get close to .500 and maybe even earn a winning season.

“I think our guys are confident,” Judge said. “And you have to be confident in order to win.”