League picks Redhawks to finish in cellar

NASVHILLE, Tenn. — Houston Lillard isn't surprised that Southeast Missouri State was picked to finish last in the Ohio Valley Conference this season.

But the Redhawks' senior quarterback emphasized that he and his teammates don't plan on helping prove the prognosticators correct.

The preseason poll, announced during Tuesday's annual OVC media day, was voted on by the league's head coaches and sports information directors.

Southeast received 22 points, by far the fewest among the conference's nine football teams.

"We can use it as motivation, but it's just a prediction. It doesn't really matter," Lillard said. "I expected it. We didn't have the best season.

"But we had a lot of new people on the team last year. We've got experience now. If everybody stays healthy ... I'm not making any guarantees, but we're going to surprise people."

Southeast went 3-8 last season, including a ninth-place 1-6 in what was then a 10-team conference.

The Redhawks upset perennial OVC power Jacksonville State in the 2007 finale, which Lillard said has given he and the other Redhawks confidence.

"It boosted us a lot, to beat one of the best teams," Lillard said. "Everybody is confident. It showed this summer. About 60 of us stuck around and worked out."

Lillard was asked what it would mean for the Redhawks to post just the third winning season since Southeast moved up to Division I-AA in 1991.

"If the seniors could leave a mark, it would be great," he said. "It would really help the school, in recruiting and everything."

Southeast coach Tony Samuel also doesn't put much stock in preseason polls. He knows the Redhawks will be picked low until they have a breakthrough season.

Samuel believes that might not be too far off, after his first two Southeast squads went a combined 7-15, including 3-12 in the OVC.

The Redhawks return 17 starters among 48 letterwinners from last year's squad that was hit with numerous injuries.

"Typically the third year when you're rebuilding, you have an opportunity to move forward," Samuel said. "We were close last year in a lot of situations. I thought our kids did a great job of hanging in.

"In the third year, the unity that comes from being together ... talent is critical, absolutely no question. But I still believe playing as a unit, sacrificing, being around each other, is as big a factor as talent."

Like Lillard, Samuel is making no predictions. But he does believe the program, whose last winning record came in 2002, steadily is moving forward.

"We're headed in the right direction. I have no qualms about where we are," said Samuel, whose team begins practice Aug. 5 and opens the season Aug. 28 against Division II Southwest Baptist. "I'm not big on predictions. I know we'll be a better team, a better unit. That should pay off in wins.

"It's [the poll] all speculation. I don't put much stock into it. We should be able to compete with anybody we play [in the OVC]."

Expected to compete better than anybody else in the OVC are the conference's three traditional powers.

Since 2001, Jacksonville State, Eastern Illinois and Eastern Kentucky either have shared or won outright every OVC championship.

Jacksonville State (6-5, 5-3), which tied for third last year, is the preseason favorite by a narrow margin.

The Gamecocks evenly shared the 18 first-place votes with Eastern Kentucky and Eastern Illinois — each nabbed six — and totaled 113 points.

Not counting specialists, Jacksonville State had just one all-OVC preseason selection. The reason the Gamecocks were deemed the team to beat can be summed up in two words.

Ryan Perrilloux.

Perrilloux, a quarterback who transferred from LSU, was the MVP of last year's Southeastern Conference championship game. He was dismissed from the LSU team for disciplinary reasons in May.

Jacksonville State coach Jack Crowe, whose squad won OVC titles in 2003 and 2004, said Perrilloux has been a model citizen since his transfer.

"Our situation is more of a hypothetical one," said Crowe, alluding to the impact others in the OVC expect Perrilloux to have. "I think Ryan has a chance to be a difference maker."

Defending OVC champion Eastern Kentucky (9-3, 8-0) received 111 votes for second place. The Colonels are led by quarterback Allan Holland, the reigning OVC offensive player of the year who was given that preseason honor Tuesday.

The Colonels have won a league-record 19 OVC titles, but last year's was their first in a decade.

Eastern Illinois (8-4, 7-1), which finished second in 2007 and joined Eastern Kentucky in the playoffs, is led by preseason OVC defensive player of the year Pierre Walters at end.

The Panthers won or shared OVC titles in 2001, 2002, 2005 and 2006. They are shooting for their fourth straight playoff berth.

"We joined the league in 1996. I think this is going to be the strongest conference since I've been here," said Bob Spoo, the dean of OVC coaches who is in his 21st season at Eastern Illinois.

After the big three, there is expected to be a sizable gap.

Tennessee State (5-6, 4-3) is tabbed for fourth, followed by Tennessee-Martin (4-7, 4-4), Tennessee Tech (4-7, 2-6), Austin Peay (7-4, 5-3), Murray State (2-9, 1-7) and Southeast.

Tennessee-Martin is the only OVC program besides Jacksonville State, Eastern Illinois and Eastern Kentucky to own a piece of a conference title since 2001. The Skyhawks tied with the Panthers in 2006.

Austin Peay was the OVC's biggest surprise last year, tying for third after being picked last.

Southeast hopes to follow the Governors in the category of No. 1 surprise this season.