Coach anxious to see how his Redhawks jell

Southeast Missouri State football coach Tony Samuel said he's always extra curious and excited about the first game of any season.

That might be even more the case this year because the Redhawks are so young and have so many first-time starters, along with other players who will be seeing the field for the first time.

"First game I'm anxious anyway. Every team has its own personality," Samuel said. "I think it's going to be really interesting this first one, getting on the bus, long trip, going into a hostile environment and watching our young kids step up."

Samuel hopes the Redhawks step up big today when they open the 2013 campaign at Southeastern Louisiana in the first-ever meeting between the programs. The kickoff is set for 7 p.m. in Hammond, La.

The matchup will feature a relatively inexperienced Southeast team that returns six offensive starters and three defensive starters against an experienced Southeastern Louisiana squad that returns 18 starters and is no doubt brimming with confidence after an improved season.

"They've been doing a pretty good job with rebuilding. They've got a good amount of talent returning," said Samuel, whose team hosts the Lions next season to complete the two-year series. "I thought last year they turned it up. You can see where they improved as the season went on."

Southeastern Louisiana is coming off its best season in some time and even received votes in one of this year's primary FCS national polls.

The Lions went 5-6 a year ago and finished third in the eight-team Southland Conference with a 5-2 mark during their first season under coach Ron Roberts, who had a highly successful five-year run at Division II power Delta State.

Those five wins for the Lions were as many as they had in 2010 and 2011 combined. They posted their most successful season in the Southland Conference since joining the league in 2005.

"We got bigger and stronger, a little more physical. We're dealing with a lot more depth than we had last year," said Roberts, who went 47-16 in five seasons at Division II Delta State, including a berth in 2010 national championship game. "We've got a lot of returners, a year older, everything in fall camp says we're a better football team.

"We're real excited right now. ... we want to get on that field and see how good we can be."

In addition to those 18 returning regulars, the Lions have added junior quarterback Bryan Bennett, an Oregon transfer who compiled solid statistics as a backup for the Ducks the past two years.

Bennett played in 10 games last season and was the Ducks' fifth-leading rusher with 165 yards while scoring six touchdowns. He completed 20 of 37 passes for 211 yards and three touchdowns.

"He's a very talented young man," said Roberts, then cautioned: "First opportunity of being the man, being in charge, sometimes can be a tough experience. ... We just hope he stays within himself."

Bennett, ranked as the No. 10 high school quarterback by one recruiting service before signing with Oregon, figures to be a handful for Southeast's defense.

"He's a great quarterback. He's very talented," Samuel said. "You can see the mobility, the strong arm. I think he runs very well and he also has a very good arm. He can make all the throws."

SLA added several other transfers, including sophomore running back Kody Sutton from Wyoming.

The Lions feature four preseason all-Southland Conference performers.

On the first team are senior offensive lineman Gasten Gabriel and sophomore kick returner Xavier Roberson.

Roberson led the league in kick returns as a true freshman last year, averaging 33.3 yards per return with a pair of touchdowns. He also paced the Lions in rushing with 488 yards.

Junior linebacker Kaleb Muse and senior defensive back Todd Washington were picked for the second team.

Muse led SLA and ranked 10th in the Southland with 80 tackles last season. Washington, a preseason All-American, had an interception and a team-high nine pass breakups a year ago.

"They've got a lot of talent. They've got speed," Samuel said. "They've got a really good team going down there."

Roberts said he considers Southeast, looking to bounce back from consecutive 3-8 overall records and 2-6 Ohio Valley Conference marks, as a dangerous and more than capable opening foe.

"They're a good opponent. They're a very physical football team," Roberts said. "They're a very well coached football team. They're going to run the football and play good, solid defense."