Sam Houston picked No. 2 in SLC football poll
7/22/2008 1:00:00 AM | Football
McNeese State, a team that was won the last two Southland Conference football titles, has been picked by the league's head coaches to win the championship a third consecutive year in 2008.
Sam Houston State ranked number two in the preseason poll of the SLC's head football coaches announced Tuesday at the annual Southland Conference football media day in Houston.
McNeese, 11-0 for the year and 7-0 in Southland Conference action in 2007, received seven first place votes and 49 points in the balloting to rank number one. Sam Houston State totaled 38 points in the voting to rank second.
Sam Houston State finished tied for second in the SLC the past two seasons. The Bearkats won five in a row to close out the 2007 campaign to go 5-2 in league action, but they must replace five starters on both sides of the ball, including eight All-SLC selections.
“I think we have a chance to improve, but we need some things to happen,” SHSU head coach Todd Whitten said. “We need to stay healthy, we need some young offensive linemen to step up, we need some inexperienced safeties to step up and make plays ? those are the biggest things right now.
“From the skill position standpoint offensively, I think we are in good shape. We just need to plug a few holes.”
One of the reasons the Bearkats were picked near the top of the preseason polls is the return of quarterback Rhett Bomar. The transfer from Oklahoma passed for 2,209 yards and 10 touchdowns and rushed for 409 yards and seven more scores in nine games last year before having season-ending knee surgery to repair a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee.
Bomar has fully recovered and should be able to go full speed when players report for two-a-days Aug. 3.
“I'm good and (the knee) is good,” Bomar said. “I've been doing everything this summer full speed, stepped my rehab up and have been cleared to lift, run and do agility stuff. I'll be good to go in two weeks when practice starts up.”
Rounding out the coaches' preseason poll is Northwestern State (third), Central Arkansas (fourth), Nicholls State (fifth), Texas State (sixth), Southeastern Louisiana (seventh) and SFA.
The SIDs have the Bearkats behind the Cowboys and Bears, followed by the Demons, Colonels, Bobcats, Lions and Lumberjacks.
“We were picked near the bottom last season,” said Central Arkansas head coach Clint Conque, whose team finished tied for second in 2007 at 5-2. “I think preseason polls are what they are. You have to do them, but it is at the end of the season that counts. As a head coach you look at those things as motivation if you aren't picked No. 1.
“Certainly McNeese has been (No. 1) the past two years, but it is how you end the season. This league is a grind and you have to tee it up each week. Anybody can beat anybody, and it all comes down to what you do on the field.”
The 2008 Southland Conference Head Football Coaches Preseason Poll results
Rank
Team (First Place Votes)
Points
1.
McNeese State (7)
49
2.
Sam Houston State (1)
38
3.
Northwestern State
35
4.
Central Arkansas
34
5.
Nicholls State
26
6.
Texas State-San Marcos
22
7.
Southeastern Louisiana
13
8.
Stephen F. Austin
7
