Media Day Kicks Off Preseason Hype Wednesday
7/27/2015 6:25:00 PM | Football
The head coaches and two top players from each league program will take part in the annual Southland Conference football media day Wednesday at L'auberge Resort in Lake Charles, La.
Bearkat head coach K. C. Keeler and preseason all-league defensive end P. J. Hall and quarterback Jared Johnson will represent Sam Houston in the annual event.
One of the highlights of media day will be the announcement of the 2015 Southland preseason head coaches' poll rating from top to bottom showing how the coaches feel the league title race will shape up. Sam Houston, Southeastern Louisiana and Stephen F. Austin, the three programs that represented the Southland in last year's FCS playoffs, have been getting the lion's share of the attention in early preseason publications.
Sam Houston will kick off its 100th season of college football in 2015. The Bearkats are one of only three teams that have earned FCS playoff berths each of the last four years (the other two are North Dakota State and New Hampshire). The Kats have won 26 of their last 31 Southland Conference games on the way to three league titles in the last four years.
Five players who receive FCS All-America honors last year as part of the 2014 championship squad return including offensive lineman Donald Jackson III, Hall, defensive back Trenier Orr, punter Lachlan Edwards and kicker Luc Swimberghe.
The Kats' 45 returning lettermen have combined to total 378 starts. Sam Houston returns 5,830 yards of total offense (2,543 rushing, 3,287 passing) including players who had a hand in 45 touchdowns.
The complete list of coaches and players due to appear Wednesday in Louisiana include:
Abilene Christian: Ken Collums (Coach), Parker McKenzie (QB), De'Andre Brown (RB)
Central Arkansas: Steve Campbell (Coach), Jonathan Woodard (DE), Kyle Stouffer (OL)
Houston Baptist: Vic Shealy (Coach), Max Staver (QB), Josh Jones (DE)
Incarnate Word: Larry Kennan (Coach), Nathan Thompson (OL), Corey Lee (DL)
Lamar: Ray Woodard (Coach), Reggie Begelton (WR), Xavier Bethany (DB)
McNeese State: Matt Viator (Coach), Daniel Sams (QB), Brent Spikes (DB)
Nicholls: Tim Rebowe (Coach), Michael Henry (RD), B.T. Sanders (DB)
Northwestern State: Jay Thomas (Coach), Ed Eagan (WR/RS), Leroy Armstrong (DE)
Sam Houston: K.C. Keeler (Coach), Jared Johnson (QB), P.J. Hall (DE)
Southeastern Louisiana: Ron Roberts (Coach), Harlan Miller (DB), Jeff Smiley (WR)
Stephen F. Austin: Clint Conque (Coach), Zach Conque (QB), Lance Skyler (DT)
