Coming off a school record 11-win season, the Wartburg football team carries high expectations as they prepare for their season opener. The Knights return 8-starters on offense and five on defense from last year’s team, which won the Iowa Conference. Wartburg has received plenty of national attention as the Knights are ranked in the Division-3 top ten in several pre-season polls. Leading the Knights offensively will be senior quarterback Reed Hoskins. In 2003 the Grinnell native threw for over 26-hundred yards and 24-touchdowns. Hoskins shared that the Knights have big goals for this season, such as winning the conference, making the playoffs and moving beyond the second round of the playoffs.Senior running back Andy Parker will be expected to anchor the Knights rushing attack. Parker, from Bettendorf, rushed for over 600-yards as a reserve. Parker admits expectations are high for the team, and says they’re one of the few teams that can set those goals. Wartburg opens at home next Saturday against Milliken of Illinois.