HAMMOND, La. — 5 months ago, the Southeastern Lions were preparing for their fall football regular-season opener against the Tulane Green Wave.
One pandemic and a season postponement later, the Lions prepare for their season opener once again.
Head Coach Frank Scelfo says that after such a long layoff the only thing on his team’s mind is their new week 1 opponent.
“We’re ready to play and we’re not embracing anything except for we’re going to Huntsville to play the Sam Houston Bearcats,” says Southeastern Head Football Coach Frank Scelfo.
Sam Houston State and Southeastern are neck and neck in just about every preseason poll.
Both are ranked 2nd and 3rd in the Southland Preseason poll.
Both are No. 17 and No. 18 in the FCS national poll.
Sam Houston State is a team the Lions haven’t seen since the 2018 season, but one Coach Scelfo knows will be ready for a run at the conference title
“The last decade, Sam Houston was the second most winningest team in the FCS behind North Dakota State. They had 99 wins and that’s so impressive over a ten-year period. That’s ten wins a year. So, when you look at what they have done, they know how to win” says Coach Scelfo.
The Bearcats have 9 preseason all-conference selections.
Three of those on the top defensive line in the FCS a season ago. One that led the country in rushing defense.
“Besides the 2018 LSU team, physically this is the best defensive front we faced and we played Ole Miss last year. These guys do a great job of the ball getting up the field, disrupting the passing game and also the run game. Their tackle for losses, sacks, things like that are off the charts,” says Coach Scelfo.
“They’re really fun to watch when you’re not playing against them,” added Coach Scelfo.
Offensively, the Bearcats could be without all-conference running back Donovan Williams and expect much of the load to fall on Quarterback Eric Schmid.
While only one will start for the Lions, Coach Scelfo says that both Cole Kelley and Cephus Johnson to take snaps at the Quarterback position Saturday for the top scoring offense in the Southland a season ago.
“Last year we saw Chason and Cole. This time, we’ll see Cole and Cephus. Both guys have a different skillset and they’ll be able to do some things that the other one can’t do and provide us some opportunities I think in both the run and the pass game to move the ball down the field,” says Coach Scelfo.
The game is and will be won on the football field but what Coach Scelfo has learned is that the advantage during a pandemic lies in the preparation.
“What I’ve learned more from FBS guys that I’ve talked too is that the people that handled the distractions, because they keep on coming. The people that handled the distractions that the did the best job handling them as an organization were the ones that were most successful on the field. Like this week, we’ve got the state soccer championships right here and it’s going to alter our practice schedule. It’s okay, we are just moving forward,” says Coach Scelfo.
The Southeastern Lions and Sam Houston Bearcats play Saturday at 6 p.m.