EKU PUTS SIGHTS ON RECLAIMING THROWN

Eastern Kentucky has by far the most tradition-rich football program in the Ohio Valley Conference, but the Colonels have not won an OVC championship since 1997.

If the league's head coaches and sports information directors are correct, then that relatively short drought will end this year.

The Colonels, who have an amazing string of 22 consecutive winning seasons under legendary coach Roy Kidd, are a near unanimous choice to capture the 2000 OVC crown, earning 12 of a possible 14 first-place votes in the conference's official preseason poll based on voting by the coaches and SID's (they could not vote for their own team).

Kidd, who has a 293-112-8 career record and ranks third among active Division I-A or I-AA coaches in wins, was somewhat surprised that the Colonels are being labeled the team to beat considering that only tied for third in the OVC last year.

"I like our football team, but I don't know why they picked us first," he said. "They usually pick the defending champion."

History is one reason. Eastern Kentucky has won 18 OVC titles since 1948.

The defending champion is Tennessee State, which has won the past two OVC titles. The Tigers are picked to finish third in the eight-team league as they received one first-place vote.

Murray State, last year's runner-up, is the choice for second place. The Racers nabbed the remaining three first-place votes.

Rounding out the predicted order of finish are Western Kentucky, Tennessee Tech, Eastern Illinois, Southeast Missouri and Tennessee-Martin.

There are four new head coaches in the OVC: Murray State's Joe Pannunzio, a former Auburn assistant; Tennessee State's James Reese, a former Tigers' player who spent the past nine seasons as an assistant at his alma matter; Southeast Missouri's Tim Billings, a former Marshall assistant; and Tennessee-Martin's Sam McCorkle, who spent last year in the junior-college ranks.

Returning head coaches around the league, in addition to Kidd, are Western Kentucky's Jack Harbaugh, Tennessee Tech's Mike Hennigan and Eastern Illinois' Bob Spoo.

The following is a look at the OVC's teams as presented in the OVC 2000 Football Media Guide. The teams are listed in the order they were picked to finish (Southeast Missouri is being previewed separately), along with last year's overall and conference records.

Eastern Kentucky

(7-4, 4-3 OVC)

The Colonels welcome back 15 starters from a year ago as Kidd tries to become the seventh coach in NCAA history to record 300 career victories.

Among seven starters back offensively are all the Colonels' skill position players. Leading the way is tailback Corey Crume (942 yards, 9 TDs), who earned second-team all-OVC honors last season.

Quarterback Waylon Chapman (100 of 174, 1,295 yds, 13 TDs) returns, along with the Colonels' top five receivers, led by Tyrone Browning (45 rec., 486 yds, 5 TDs) and Alex Bannister (44 rec., 661 yds, 8 TDs). Second-team all-OVC tackle Lewis Diaz anchors a young offensive line.

Seven starters also return defensively, including the entire secondary, led by Kris Nevels (64 tackles) and Yeremiah Bell (62 tackles). Adam Rader (60 tackles) heads up the linebackers while Shorty Combs (4.5 sacks) is a leader up front.

Murray State

(7-4, 5-2 OVC)

After three straight second-place finishes, the Racers will try to finally get over the hump. With 14 returning starters (six offense, six defense), they should be strong contenders, but gone is record-setting quarterback Justin Fuente, who helped lead an offense that averaged 37 points and more than 470 yards per game.

Redshirt freshman Stewart Childress is expected to step in for Fuente. He has a talented receiving corps, led by first-team all-OVC pick Terrence Tillman (61 rec., 1,057 yds, 14 TDs). Shadrach Jackson (431 yds, 8 TDs) heads up the ground game while Duke Vaiga is the lone starter back on a young offensive line.

Defensively, Jai Williams (95 tackles) and Jilon Van Over (81 tackles) form a solid linebacker duo while three starters return in the secondary, but Terrell Black (4.5 sacks) is the lone returning regular up front.

The Racers' kicking game should be a strength. Greg Miller is back for his third year handling the placements while Brian Bivens earned All-American honors after ranking second nationally in I-AA with a 44.9-yard average.

Tennessee State

(11-1, 7-0 OVC)

The Tigers appear to have some rebuilding -- or at least reloading --to do as they return just 11 starters (four offense, five defense) from a squad that finished the regular season unbeaten and ranked first in I-AA.

Offensively, the Tigers generated 455 yards and nearly 38 points per game a year ago, but they lose standout quarterbacks Leon Murray and Chris Perkins. Among the challengers at that spot is former Memphis starter Kenton Evans.

Tennessee State's rushing game should be solid, led by second-team all-OVC pick Amariah Robb (702 yds) and Donnell Brantley (315 yds, 12 TDs). Julius Hull (43 rec., 797 yds, 7 TDs) is a big-play wide receiver.

Danny Roberson (13.5 tackles for loss) and Orlando Dotson (4 sacks) lead the way up front defensively while secondary performers Ed Sanders (86 tackles) and Ligarius Jennings (14 pass breakups) both earned second-team all-OVC accolades.

Western Kentucky

(6-5, 4-3 OVC)

The Hilltoppers return 15 starters, including eight from a defense that ranked among the best in the conference. Six regulars are back on offense.

A key offensive returnee figures to be multi-talented quarterback Donte Pimpleton, who missed almost all of 1999 after injuring a knee in the opener. The Toppers, who averaged a league-best 283.2 yards per game on the ground last year, lost their top two rushers but wingbacks DeWayne Gallishaw and Brock Baker combined for nearly 500 yards.

Three defenders who earned all-OVC honors are back, led by first-team linebacker Melvin Wisham (118 tackles, second in the league). Safety Bobby Sippio (75 tackles, 4 int.) was also a first-teamer while cornerback Mel Mitchell (74 tackles) made the second team.

Tennessee Tech

(5-5, 4-3 OVC)

The Golden Eagles are coming off an up-and-down 1999 season that included a 5-1 start and the school's first I-AA top 25 ranking since 1994, but ended with four narrow defeats. Fourteen starters return (seven offense, five defense).

Tech should be much improved offensively, led by quarterbacks Grant Swallows (100 of 189, 1,150 yds, 5 TDs) and Michael Peeples (57 of 112, 614 yds, 3 TDs). The backfield is headed by Jerome Tillman (598 yds) while three line starters return.

Defensively, the Eagles ranked among the I-AA top 10 for the second year in a row, allowing just 278.3 yards per game, but there were some major losses. Linebacker Chad Evitts (95 tackles, 23 for loss) earned first-team all-OVC honors while cornerback Troy Grant (4 int.) was a second-team pick.

Both Tech's specialists are back, led by first-team all-OVC kicker David Collett (16 FGs).

Eastern Illinois

(2-10, 2-5 OVC)

The traditionally strong Panthers will look to bounce back from their worst record in 22 years. Eighteen starters (eight offense, nine defense) are back to help turn things back around.

Anthony Buich is another of the league's standout quarterbacks from last season who used up his eligibility; Tony Romo and Ohio transfer Dan Jordan are expected to battle for that spot.

Seven receivers who caught at least 10 passes last year are back, led by Paul Massat (51 rec., 533 yds) and Frank Cutolo (32 rec., 452 yds). The ground game should be solid with Jabarey McDavid (752 yds) while three starters return up front.

Defensively, the Panthers struggled a year ago, allowing more than 30 points per game. First-team all-OVC safety John Williams led the league in tackles with 120 while linebacker Brian Jones (74 tackles) and end Mike Carlin (6 sacks) are other returnees of note.

Tennessee-Martin

(1-10, 0-7 OVC)

The Skyhawks, who haven't recorded an OVC victory since 1996, are starting almost from scratch, with just nine starters (four offense, four defense) and 26 lettermen back.

Danny Simms, who saw limited action last year, figures to battle redshirt freshman Bill Whittemore for the quarterback job. T.J. Beattie (330 yds) heads up the rushing attack.

A defensive unit that gave up nearly 500 yards per game last season will be led by safety Vincent Thomas (93 tackles).

1999 Final Standings

Conference Overall

Team W L Pct. W L Pct.

Tenn. St. 7 0 1.000 11 1 .917

Murray St. 5 2 .714 7 4 .636

Eastern Ky. 4 3 .571 7 4 .636

Western Ky. 4 3 .571 6 5 .545

Tenn. Tech 4 3 .571 5 5 .500

SE MISSOURI 2 5 .286 3 8 .273

Eastern Ill. 2 5 .286 2 10 .167

Tenn.-Martin 0 7 .000 1 10 .091

2000 Predicted finish

(by head coaches and SIDs)

1. Eastern Kentucky

2. Murray State

3. Tennessee St.

4. Western Kentucky

5. Tennessee Tech

6. Eastern Illinois

7. Southeast Missouri

8. Tennessee-Martin.