INDIANS FIND 7TH RUNG IN OVC POLL

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Southeast Missouri State University football coach John Mumford expected the Indians to be picked toward the bottom of the eight-team Ohio Valley Conference -- which they were during the league's media day Friday.

Now it will be up to Mumford and his Indians to prove that seventh-place prediction wrong. He firmly believes that will happen.

"Based on last year, we just weren't a very good football team and that's what preseason polls are about," said Mumford. "I expected us to be picked about like that."

The Indians went just 3-8 overall last year and 3-5 in the OVC to tie for sixth in what was then a nine-team league. Southeast ranked among the nation's poorest NCAA Division I-AA offensive teams.

"It was a rough season," acknowledged Mumford. "When you're 100th in the nation in offense, you just don't win many games."

But Mumford truly believes the tide will turn this year, primarily because of the addition of five transfers from Division I-A programs and several key junior-college transfers. The Indians also return 14 starters.

While Mumford doesn't want to build up those I-A transfers too much before they even step onto the field at Southeast, other OVC teams in the past several years have benefited greatly from players moving down from the NCAA's top division.

It's no secret that Mumford will be counting heavily on those five: quarterback Heath Graham from Southern Mississippi, wide receiver Leslie Weaver from Missouri, running back David Koleosho from Oklahoma, linebacker Zuri Buchanan from national champion Florida and linebacker Chris Justice from Oklahoma.

While three of those players saw little or no action at their previous schools, Graham and Justice both were solid contributors at their last stops. Graham passed for better than 4,000 career yards at Southern Mississippi while Justice started six games at Oklahoma last year.

"Yeah, I'm confident (about the Indians' chances)," said Mumford. "It's a combination of things. Our personnel is better, we have a refreshed attitude and I like our schedule (seven home games). Those things lead to a lot of optimism. Of course, we have to keep our people healthy."

Things will start to get rolling around the Southeast football camp next week. Newcomers (freshmen and transfers) will report Thursday and practice the next two days. Veterans report next Saturday, with two-a-day workouts set to begin the following Monday.

"It's an exciting time with a new year," Mumford said. "We're not even acknowledging last year."

The Indians will open the season Aug. 30 against NAIA foe Lambuth at Houck Stadium.

* Three Southeast players were picked to the preseason all-OVC team: defensive linemen Angel Rubio and Troy Baglio and tight end Mitch Fryer. Rubio is being touted by several publications as one of the nation's premier I-AA defensive lineman.

Southeast defensive back Ronnie Smith made the OVC's preseason honorable-mention list.

Murray State placed a league-best seven players on the preseason all-star team.

* The OVC announced Friday the addition of Western Kentucky as an associate league member in football only.

The Hilltoppers will begin play in the OVC in the fall of 1999 and will immediately be eligible for the conference championship.

Western Kentucky was a charter member of the OVC and competed in the conference in football from 1948-81. Since that time, the Hilltoppers have been a Division I-AA independent.