OVC teams at a glance

EASTERN ILLINOIS

n Coach: Bob Spoo, 101-81-1 at EIU (16 years)

Last year: 8-4 overall, 5-1 OVC (tie, first)

Returning starters: 13

Six players to watch: TB Andre Raymond, TE Nick Eller, G Frank Castagnoli, DE Kory Lothe, LB Nick Ricks, LB Fred Miller.

Outlook: EIU has plenty of questions following the loss of quarterback Tony Romo, a three-time OVC Offensive Player of the Year who led the OVC in passing with 3,165 yards, and tailback J.R. Taylor, who led the OVC in rushing with 1,522 yards. Four of five offensive line starters are also gone. The defense, which allowed more than 400 yards and nearly 35 points per game, will have to improve if the Panthers are to contend for the league title. All-American Ricks (149 tackles) heads the defense after winning OVC Defensive Player of the Year and leading the league in tackles. The offense is led by Raymond (612 yards rushing, 70 receptions) and Eller (57 receptions).

Noteworthy: Panthers will try to become the first team in 15 years to win at least a share of three straight OVC titles. ... EIU, which finished last year ranked 12th and 13th in the two major national polls, has made three consecutive Division I-AA playoff appearances.

EASTERN KENTUCKY

n Coach: Danny Hope, first year

Last year: 8-4 overall, 4-2 OVC (tie, third)

Returning starters: 13

Six players to watch: TB Terry Ennis, C Larry Turner, WR Matt Miller, DE Chad Dewberry, LB Justen Rivers, PK Adam Smith.

Outlook: Hope, a former Colonels player who was an assistant at Louisville last season, takes over for Roy Kidd, who retired after 39 years at the helm. Hope has promised a more pass-oriented scheme than the one used by Kidd. The offense faces questions after 1,100-yard rusher C.J. Hudson was suspended in the spring and quarterback Travis Turner graduated. Hudson's status is up in the air. Toki McCray, who passed for 383 yards, will battle with three other players for the quarterback job. Ennis (825 yards rushing) leads the offense. The defense will be tested after losing six starters.

Noteworthy: Colonels will try to continue their string of 25 straight winning seasons. ... EKU finished last season ranked 20th and 21st nationally.

JACKSONVILLE STATE

n Coach: Jack Crowe, 14-18 at JSU (three years), 28-48 overall (six years)

Last year: 5-6 overall (first year in OVC)

Returning starters: 13

Six players to watch: QB Anthony Mayo, WR Ralph Jenkins, T Levet Jones, NG Mark Tibbs, S Russell Green, P Richie Rhodes.

Outlook: One of two new OVC members, JSU lost some of its top talent from last year. Mayo (981 yards passing) was the primary quarterback last year, but he's in a battle for the job with Maurice Mullins. Top rusher Rondy Rogers, who gained nearly 800 yards, is gone, and the Gamecocks lost three offensive line starters. Defensively, most of the line graduated.

Noteworthy: JSU tied for fifth place in the Southland Conference last year with a 2-4 record. ... Crowe was the head coach at Arkansas in 1990 and '91 before being dismissed one game into the '92 season.

MURRAY STATE

n Coach: Joe Pannunzio, 17-16 at MSU (three years)

Last year: 7-5 overall, 5-1 OVC (tie, first)

Returning starters: 10

Six players to watch: QB Stewart Childress, TB Ulysses Odoms, WR Deandre Green, TE Jimmy St. Louis, LB Bobby Sanders, CB Demetrick Westbrook.

Outlook: MSU was hit hard by graduation. All five starting offensive linemen are gone, as are three of four starting defensive linemen. Despite losing 1,000-yard rusher Billy Blanchard, the Racers should be strong offensively, led by Childress (1,894 yards passing, 14 touchdowns), entering his fourth year as a starter. Also highlighting the offense is Green (69 receptions). The defense has plenty of questions with several transfers slated to fill in.

Noteworthy: MSU wound up last year ranked 20th and 22nd nationally. ... Shane Andrus kicked a 52-yard field goal as time expired to beat Eastern Illinois 37-35 in the final regular-season game, giving Racers a share of the league title and an automatic playoff berth.

SAMFORD

n Coach: Bill Gray, 8-8 at SU (two years)

Last year: 4-7 overall (first year in OVC)

Returning starters: 16

Six players to watch: QB Ray Nelson, TB Fred Gilliam, WR Efrem Hill, DE Darold Williams, LB Derrick Wheeler, CB/KR Cortland Finnegan.

Outlook: The other new OVC member, Samford tested itself against conference teams last year and went 1-4, including losses to Murray State (54-17) and Southeast Missouri (48-24). The Bulldogs must improve a defense that allowed 420 yards per game last season. Nelson (918 yards passing) takes over as quarterback after battling 1,500-yard passer Josh Kellett for the job much of 2002. A major graduation loss is All-American wide receiver Aryvia Holmes, who caught 84 passes. One of Samford's biggest weapons is All-American kick returner Finnegan, who averaged 32 yards per return a year ago.

Noteworthy: Samford will compete for a conference championship for the first time since it was in the Dixie Conference in the 1930s. ... Bobby Bowden and Terry Bowden are former Samford coaches.

SOUTHEAST MISSOURI

n Coach: Tim Billings, 15-19 at SE (three years)

Last year: 8-4 overall, 4-2 OVC (tie, third)

Returning starters: 19

Six players to watch: QB Jack Tomco, TB Corey Kinsey, C Eugene Amano, DE Ryan Roth, LB Ricky Farmer, CB Dimitri Patterson.

Outlook: Most of the key players return from last year's team that posted the program's first winning record since 1994 and most victories since 1969. Southeast is the preseason pick to win the title and has been ranked 16th nationally. Tomco (3,132 yards passing, 29 touchdowns) directed an offense that set 28 school records last year and was second in the OVC with nearly 450 yards per game, while Kinsey (1,067 yards rushing) is another big weapon. The Indians must replace All-American receiver Willie Ponder, who caught 87 passes, and must improve a defense that allowed nearly 400 yards per game. Farmer (120 tackles) leads the defense.

Noteworthy: SE had a league-high seven players picked to the preseason all-OVC team. ... Indians were ranked during the regular season last year for the first time on the Division I-AA level; they ended the year 23rd and 24th.

TENNESSEE-MARTIN

n Coach: Matt Griffin, first year

Last year: 2-10 overall, 0-6 OVC (seventh)

Returning starters: 21

Six players to watch: QB Brady Wahlberg, WR Damien Harris, WR Orenthus Taylor, T Lee Lawrence, DE John Gray, PK Brent Harris.

Outlook: Griffin, an assistant at Maine last year, assumes the challenge of trying to turn around one of the nation's worst Division I-AA programs. The Skyhawks have lost 42 consecutive OVC games -- most of them by lopsided margins. Griffin appears to have brought in solid talent, and UTM is close to being fully funded in scholarships for the first time in nearly 10 years. Wahlberg (1,145 yards passing) had a solid freshman season. The defense must be upgraded after allowing five OVC teams more than 40 points last year.

Noteworthy: UTM has not defeated a Division I opponent (I-A or I-AA) since 1997. ... Skyhawks have not won an OVC game since 1996. ... UTM ranked last in the OVC in total offense and defense last year.

TENNESSEE STATE

n Coach: James Reese, 13-21 at TSU (three years)

Last year: 2-10 overall, 1-5 OVC (sixth)

Returning starters: 20

Six players to watch: RB Charles Anthony, WR C.J. Johnson, DT Manny Robles, CB Scott Cunningham, CB Deon Giddens, PK Joey Hudak.

Outlook: TSU welcomes back nearly every key player from last season -- but those players were part of the worst record in school history. The Tigers must settle on a quarterback and shore up a defense that allowed more than 400 yards and 33 points per game last year. Riley Walker (899 yards passing) and Dwayne Buchanan (842 yards passing) got the most time at quarterback a year ago, although four players were tried at the position and three return. The quarterbacks will have an explosive receiver to throw to in Johnson (45 receptions) while Anthony (882 yards rushing) leads ground attack.

Noteworthy: Reese, a former TSU player, shook up his coaching staff in the offseason. ... Tigers went 8-3 two years ago and captured consecutive OVC titles in 1998 and 1999.

TENNESSEE TECH

n Coach: Mike Hennigan, 40-36 at TTU (seven years)

Last year: 5-7 overall, 2-4 OVC (fifth)

Returning starters: 18

Six players to watch: QB Robert Kraft, TB Jason Ballard, WR Derek Lee, G Burt Shurette, DT Deon Taylor, LB Daniel Wentzel.

Outlook: One of the more experienced teams in the league, TT could have a chance to make a major move upward in the standings after struggling last year. The Eagles lost quite a bit from a defense that ranked second in the OVC but returns most of an offense that was third in the conference with more than 400 yards per game. Kraft (2,448 yards passing, 16 touchdowns) had a big first season as a starter, and Ballard (1,000 yards rushing) leads the ground attack. The defense is sparked by Wentzel (132 tackles), the OVC's second-leading tackler.

Noteworthy: TT lost three games by seven points or fewer last year, including when Southeast Missouri scored a touchdown on a blocked punt in the final 10 seconds to break a tie. ... Hennigan played at TT and spent seven years in the NFL as a linebacker in the 1970s.

-- Marty Mishow