It seems like Sean McDonnell is asked the same opening question every year at the Colonial Athletic Association Media Day at Baltimore’s M&T Bank Stadium. That’s because McDonnell and his University of New Hampshire football team keep doing the same thing every year – making the FCS playoffs.

The Wildcats have reached the postseason for 12 straight years, the longest streak in the nation. And on Tuesday in Baltimore, McDonnell was asked if the saying about life’s certainties goes death, taxes and UNH in the playoffs. The coach, about to start his 18th year as the Wildcats head man, got a kick out of the question, but he wasn’t about to make any promises.

“I don’t know about that, Live Free or Die in the state of New Hampshire, that’s all we knew about up there,” McDonnell said. “It all starts with the players and we’ve been blessed. We’ve had some talented kids go through the program and some talented kids still in the program. They’ve had high expectations and I give a lot of credit to them, they’ve risen to those expectations. They always want to be the team that continues the tradition, continues the streak. A lot of hard work goes into that.”

The Wildcats will have to put in more work if they want to push the streak to 13 years. They return just 11 starters, and only four on defense.

“We don’t try and focus on the playoff streak,” said senior running back Dalton Crossan, who figures to be the focal point of the offense. “We just try to take it day by day and game by game, and if we keep doing that, I think we’ll be all right … We have a lot of young guys again this year who I think are going to step up. We’re working hard, we had a great summer, great spring, now we’re just ready to get going.”

The ‘Cats were picked to finish fifth in the CAA in the preseason poll that was released on Tuesday. UNH received three first-place votes and 186 total points. Richmond was picked to win the league with 19 first-place votes and 283 points. The Spiders were followed by William & Mary (one first-place vote, 250 points), James Madison (209 points), Villanova (197), UNH and Towson (180).

Richmond quarterback Kyle Lauletta was selected as the CAA Preseason Offensive Player of the Year and Richmond safety David Jones was named the CAA Preseason Defensive Player of the Year. There were seven Spiders on the Preseason All-Conference team, the most for any school.

The only Wildcat to receive individual preseason recognition was cornerback Casey DeAndrade. The senior was a CAA All-Conference First Team selection (postseason) at both cornerback and punt returner each of the last two years. In 2015 he led UNH in tackles (76) and pass breakups (10), but he isn’t thinking about those stats. The number he wants to put up at the end of this season is 13.

“Nothing really personal, just more team oriented stuff,” DeAndrade said when asked about his goals. “Continuing the playoff streak is big for us, and then just competing week in and week out.”

While DeAndrade will need to provide plenty of leadership to a defense that will feature seven new starters, the biggest question for UNH is at quarterback. Four-year starter Sean Goldrich is gone and the two probable replacements – senior Adam Riese and sophomore Trevor Knight (a Nashua South product) – aren’t loaded with experience.

“I think we’re in the same position we’ve been in the last couple of years. We’ve got two really good quarterbacks,” McDonnell said. “And, unfortunately like it was a couple years ago when (Andy) Vailas and Goldrich both started, (Riese and Knight) haven’t been in the hot water, (but) they’ve both had a little bit, stuck their toes in it and seen how it feels…Adam Riese is slightly ahead, he did hell of a job in the Elon game (last year filling in for the injured Goldrich) and started the Richmond game. And we’ve got Trevor Knight, a terrific athlete who can run and throw and really move it. I think both kids are capable.”

Whoever starts will face a stiff challenge in the opener on Sept. 3 at San Diego State, a team many expect to be in the FBS Top 25. After their trip to the West Coast, the ‘Cats will come home to open their brand new digs, Wildcat Stadium, against Holy Cross on Sept. 10.

“Proud of a lot of people’s work and efforts to get us into a facility that’s worthy of the state of New Hampshire,” McDonnell said.

“We’re all very excited, not just us but the whole entire community,” Crossan said of the new stadium. “It’s been cool to watch it go up and we can’t wait to get in there and have that electric atmosphere come game day.”