No rings are being cast, and no banners are being sewn yet, but the similarities between the 2003 and 1998 editions of Massachusetts Football are striking already, especially when it comes to the guys given the job of scoring.

True, the ’98 National Champions never faced the loss of their two top running backs before a conference game was even played as this year’s squad did with sophomores R.J. Cobbs (out indefinitely due to academics) and Raunny Rosario (still recovering from an injured knee that could keep him out another two or three weeks).

Still, those two injuries could, in the eyes of the most optimistic fans, be seen as an odd alignment of the stars that has thrown young Steve Baylark into full-time duty, where he has blossomed in his first four games on the job. Not sure if Baylark can handle the load? Witness the following:

In 3 3/4 games as the prime tailback, Baylark has amassed 436 yards in 100 attempts, and his 109 yards per game average puts him second best in the Atlantic 10 behind Maine’s Marcus Williams, considered to be among the best athletes in the conference.

Saturday was also the third time this season Baylark has rushed for over 100 yards. The only other A-10 player to do that thus far is Marcus Williams, who holds a scant 57 yard edge over Baylark on the top 10 rushing yardage list.

The A-10 brass is also beginning to recognize his abilities, as the sophomore was awarded Rookie of the Week honors for his performance against James Madison. Baylark rushed for 140 yards with two touchdowns on a career-high 35 carries against James Madison – a sign that Mark Whipple is starting to accept the fact that the Apopka, Fla. native has to be the workhorse, even if there isn’t much depth left on the tailback chart.

Baylark provided a perfect image of his current situation just after the 70 bands – counting UMass – had completed their Band Day show at halftime. The soft-spoken 6 footer casually sat in the driver’s seat of the injury cart, his hand draped over the wheel. He didn’t stay long though; it was soon time to get back to work. But for that moment, it was clear: this week, Baylark officially got the keys to the offense.

Baylark also wears No. 5, the very same number worn by the ’98 team’s stud tailback, current Arizona Cardinal Marcel Shipp.

At quarterback, senior Jeff Krohn provides an exemplary reflection of 1998’s Todd Bankhead. Bankhead went 303 for 525 (.577 percent), threw for 3,919 yards and 34 touchdowns – all UMass records – and led the team into the postseason. While Krohn hasn’t quite amassed those numbers – and probably never will – he is on track to eclipse ’67 graduate Greg Landry (3,131 yards) for fourth on the all-time passing yardage list, and he’s gotten there in just 14 games under center for the Maroon and White.

Any Krohn naysayers can forward their gripes to any one of the Pac-10 defensive coordinators who had to deal with him in his two years at Arizona State.

But until Saturday’s performance against James Madison – one that included miscues and failures – the offense wasn’t really clicking, to use again the oft-overused clich