Southeast Missouri (0-0) at Southeastern Louisiana (0-0)

Game Information
Date: Thursday, Aug. 29, 2013
Kickoff: 7 p.m., CT
Location: Hammond, La.
Site: Strawberry Stadium (7,408)
Surface: UBU-Speed Series-S5-M
Series History: First Meeting
Weather Forecast: Clear, 97 degrees
Head Coaches: Tony Samuel (62-108 overall; 28-51 at Southeast Missouri; 17-38 OVC, eighth season). Ron Roberts (52-66 overall; 5-6 at Southeastern Louisiana, second season).

Coverage Information
Radio: ESPN 92.9 FM, K103 (102.9 FM). Erik Sean, Play-by-Play.
Video: LionSports.net
Live Stats: LionSports.net
Game Notes: Southeast Missouri | Southeastern Louisiana


Southeast Missouri Kicks Off Season on the Bayou
Southeast Missouri begins its 2013 season on the bayou when it visits Southeastern Louisiana for a Thursday night matchup. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m., CT, at Strawberry Stadium.

Historic Event
Southeast and Southeastern Louisiana will square off on the Anniversary of Hurricane Katrina. Hurricane Katrina was the costliest natural disaster, as well as one of the five deadliest hurricanes in the history of the United States.  At least 1,833 people died in the hurricane and subsequent floods. Hurricane Katrina made its second landfall as a Category 3 hurricane on the morning of Monday, Aug. 29, 2005 in southeast Louisiana. The most significant number of deaths from Hurricane Katrina occurred in New Orleans, which is located one hour away from Hammond.

Series History
Southeast and Southeastern Louisiana meet for the first time this season. This year marks the start of a home-and-home series between the two schools. The Lions will visit Cape Girardeau on Sept. 20, 2014.

Against the Southland
The Redhawks are 7-9-1 all-time against Southland Conference foes, having previously played Central Arkansas (7-7-1) and Sam Houston State (0-2). Southeast last hooked up with a Southland Conference opponent on Sept. 10, 1994. That year, Southeast lost, 24-4, at Sam Houston State under then-head coach John Mumford.

Season-Openers
Southeast is 3-4 in season-openers under head coach Tony Samuel. Those wins came at Austin Peay in 2006, vs. Southwest Baptist in 2008 and Quincy in 2009. The Redhawks are looking to end a three-game losing streak in season opening games. Southeast is 8-14 all-time in season-openers since moving to the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision.

Snyder Named Starting Quarterback
Redhawks head coach Tony Samuel named junior Kyle Snyder the starting quarterback for Thursday's season-opener at Southeastern Louisiana. Snyder transferred to Southeast from Mid-American Conference and Football Bowl Subdivision member Ohio University prior to the 2012 season. He was the team's projected starter a year ago, but tore the ACL in his right knee during a non-contact practice nine days into fall camp. Snyder made a full recovery and returned with the team last spring. He will be under center for his first career collegiate start against the Lions.

Born to Run
Southeast has become one of the more dominant rushing teams in the Football Championship Subdivision in recent years. The Redhawks led the Ohio Valley Conference and ranked among the top-10 teams in the FCS each of the last three seasons. Southeast was the nation's No. 8 rushing team with 262.4 yards per game in 2012.The Redhawks had a 1,000-yard rusher twice in that span (Levi Terrell in 2012; Henry Harris in 2010).

The Chase is On
Junior return man Spencer Davis is 494 yards away from breaking Southeast's all-time career record in kickoff return yardage. Davis currently stands third with 1,445 yards. David Jackson (1983-86) presently holds the record with 1,938 kickoff return yards. Davis already owns two of the school's top-six single-season kickoff return yardage marks.

Kargbo and Davis Elected Team Captains
Senior FS Ben Kargbo and junior WR/RS Spencer Davis are this year's team captains. Kargbo and Davis were voted to lead the 2013 squad by their teammates during fall camp. Kargbo, a transfer from the University of Buffalo, played in all 11 games last season. He finished the year with 22 tackles and one fumble recovery. Davis started 10 of 11 games and was the Redhawks second-leading receiver and top return man in 2012. He made 20 catches for 216 yards and a touchdown, averaging 10.8 yards per reception. Davis returned 33 kickoffs for 685 yards and boasted a 20.8 yards per return average on special teams.

Life on the Road
Southeast opens its 2013 season with three-straight games on the road. After Thursday's contest at Southeastern Louisiana, the Redhawks head to Southeastern Conference foe Ole Miss on Sept. 7. Southeast will then have a bye week on Sept. 14 before facing regional-rival Southern Illinois (Sept. 21) at Busch Stadium in St. Louis. The Redhawks will not play at home until their Ohio Valley Conference-opener vs. UT Martin on Sept. 28.

Coleman Gears Up for Big Year
The Redhawks have one of the top fullbacks in the Football Championship Subdivision in junior Ron Coleman. Coleman was Southeast's fourth-leading rusher with 158 yards and two touchdowns on 33 carries last season. He was ranked 11th among all fullbacks in the country according to Phil Steele's FCS Preseason Position Ratings.

Vucic and Davis Named to College Football Performance Award Watch Lists
Southeast Missouri punter Joe Vucic and return specialist Spencer Davis were named to College Football Performance Award Watch Lists. Vucic is one of 32 returning performers vying for the top individual punter award in the Football Championship Subdivision. A native of Willoughby Hills, Ohio, Vucic ranked third in the Ohio Valley Conference and 20th in the nation with 41.9 yards per punt in 2012. That punting average rated 10th on the Redhawks all-time single-season list. Vucic ranked among the top-three punters in the OVC two-straight seasons and begins this year seventh all-time in career punting yards at Southeast. Davis is among 34 kick return specialists battling for the top individual kickoff returner and all-purpose award. Davis, who hails from Florissant, Mo., returned 33 kickoffs for 685 yards and averaged 20.8 yards per return last season. He finished the year with 1,054 all-purpose yards.

Returning Starters
Southeast returns six starters on offense, three on defense and one on special teams this season. Ben Schmidt (LT), Scott Lathrop (QB), Corey Porter (C), Ron Coleman (FB), Spencer Davis (WR) and D.J. Foster (WR) are the returning starters on offense. Foster led Southeast in receiving each of the last two seasons, while Lathrop was named the Ohio Valley Conference Freshman of the Year in 2012. Defensively, Daniel Siehndel (LB) is the team's top tackler back from last season. Siehndel is the only starter returning on the Redhawks front seven. Southeast also returns both of its starting cornerbacks in Reggie Jennings and Tim Hamm-Bey. Joe Vucic enters his fourth year as the Redhawks starting punter on special teams.  

Limited Seniority
Although Southeast has 11 seniors listed on its 2013 roster, only eight have playing experience. Ben Kargbo (FS), Cantrell Andrews (CB), Joe Vucic (P/K), Conrad Schmid (OT), D.J. Foster (WR), Art Mueller (TE), Wyky Jean (TE) and Tyler French (TE) all played in at least one game during their Redhawk careers. Josh Nicks (FB) has also seen game action, but is out for this season due to injury. The Redhawks lost 23 seniors following the 2012 season.

Young Redhawks Prepare for Takeoff
Youth and high energy are some words to describe the 2013 Southeast Missouri football team. The Redhawks enter Thursday's season-opener with 39 freshmen, accounting for over 40 percent of this year's roster. A total of 15 freshmen, including Christian Guerrero (LG), Billy Dasher (RG), Garret Baker (RT), Luke Dougherty (FB), Selwyn Carrol (DE), John Popovich (DE), Austin Black (DT), Marlon Hampton (DT), Fletcher Evans (DT), Lloyd Laufili Time (DE), Roper Garrett (LB), Terrance Hill (LB), Buck Wilson (CB), Colby Baker (SS) and Ryan McCrum (K) are on the season opening depth chart.

Starting Debuts
Eleven different Redhawks are expected to make their first career starts against Southeastern Louisiana Thursday. Southeast's season-opening lineup consists of five new starters on offense and six on defense. Here is a list of those players:

Offense    
Garret Baker, RT   
Kyle Finney, LG   
Kyle Snyder, QB   
Lennies McFerren, RB   
Paul McRoberts, WR   
       
Defense
Selwyn Carrol, DE
Austin Black, DT
Jon Slania, NT
Travis Sanders, DE
Matt Starks, LB
Ron Davis, SS

Field Generals Report for Duty
Even though Kyle Snyder will be Southeast's starting quarterback this season, it is not to be overlooked what transpired in his absence a year ago. Scott Lathrop and Blake Jackson took all the snaps as freshmen during the 2012 campaign. Lathrop, the Redhawks only returning All-Ohio Valley Conference performer, started all 11 games and finished the season with 1,849 yards of total offense. He completed 91-of-158 passes for 1,025 yards and seven touchdowns, and ran the ball 211 times for 824 yards and seven TDs. Lathrop was named the league's Freshman of the Year, becoming the first Southeast player to garner the honor in the nine-year history of the award. Jackson saw action in eight games and ranked fifth on the team in rushing with 119 yards on 30 carries in 2012.

Samuel Begins Eighth Season
Tony Samuel is in his eighth season as Southeast's head coach, tying him for the longest active tenured coach in the Ohio Valley Conference (with UT Martin's Jason Simpson). Samuel was named the 2010 Eddie Robinson, Roy Kidd OVC and American Football Coaches Association Region 3 Coach of the Year after leading the Redhawks to one of the best turnarounds in Football Championship Subdivision history. He also won the Fritz Pollard Award that year. Two months after the 2010 season, Samuel signed a five-year contract extension to remain Southeast's head coach through Mar. 31, 2016. He is currently 28-51 overall and 17-38 in the OVC at the helm.

Welcome Back
Kenny Wilhite returns to Southeast as the defensive backs coach in 2013. Wilhite last coached with the Redhawks during their Ohio Valley Conference Championship and NCAA Playoff season in 2010. Prior to this year, he spent the last two seasons as defensive backs coach at Southland Conference member Central Arkansas. UCA is ranked sixth in the 2013 Football Championship Subdivision Preseason Coaches Poll.

Redhawks Picked Eighth in OVC Preseason Poll
Southeast was picked eighth in the 2013 Ohio Valley Conference Preseason Poll, the league announced during its annual media day on July 22. The Redhawks tallied 35 points in the overall voting by OVC Head Football Coaches and Sports Information Directors. Eastern Illinois was tabbed this year's favorite in the conference race. Eastern Kentucky followed, while Tennessee State, Jacksonville State and UT Martin rounded out the top five. EIU wide receiver Erik Lora (Offensive) and TSU cornerback Steven Godbolt III (Defensive) earned Preseason Player of the Year honors. In addition, Bill Clark (Jacksonville State) and Kirby Cannon (Austin Peay) are in their first year as head coaches in the OVC this season.

About Southeastern Louisiana
Southeastern Louisiana was picked to finish fourth and fifth in the Southland Conference Sports Information Directors and Coaches Preseason Polls, respectively. The Lions went 5-6 overall and posted their best conference finish with a 5-2 mark (3rd). Junior Bryan Bennett joins Southeastern after spending his first two seasons at Oregon. In two seasons with the Ducks, Bennett (6-3, 204) played in 18 career games, serving as the backup quarterback to Darron Thomas in 2011 and Marcus Mariota in 2012. Wyoming transfer Kody Sutton, Rasheed Harrell and Xavier Roberson form one of the deeper stable of running backs in the league. All-Southland selection Tony McCrea leads the receiving corps, while multi All-Conference honoree Gasten Gabriel anchors the offensive line. Defensively, the Lions return their leading tackler (Kaleb Muse). All-Southland picks Todd Washington and Tyler Stoddard return to Southeastern's secondary. The Lions are under second-year head coach Ron Roberts. Southeastern has six Football Bowl Subdivision transfers on its 2013 roster.
    
NCAA Division I
The 2013 season is Southeast's 23rd at the NCAA Division I level. The Redhawks are 86-161 (.348) since its move to the Football Championship Subdivision in 1991. Southeast's Ohio Valley Conference Championship run in 2010 marked the best Division I season in school history. The Redhawks nine victories tied a school record that year. Southeast went 9-3 overall record in 2010 for only its third winning season at the FCS level (7-5 in 1994; 8-4 in 2002).