Redhawks slotted for eighth in OVC

~ Defending co-champion Eastern Illinois was picked to win the conference.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- At least Southeast Missouri State wasn't picked last this time.

Not that it matters much to coach Tony Samuel, who didn't seem very concerned Tuesday that his Redhawks were predicted to finish eighth in the 10-team Ohio Valley Conference.

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

"Preseason polls are very inexact," Samuel said. "I don't put much stock in it, whether you're picked first or last.

"Being picked eighth is all right with me, as long as it's not the postseason."

Prior to Samuel's first season at Southeast last year, the OVC poll tabbed the Redhawks for the league basement.

The Redhawks didn't exactly tear up the conference, but they did fare better than that prediction as they wound up seventh in what was then a nine-team league.

Pollsters aside, Samuel expects the Redhawks -- who were picked seventh by two major publications -- to significantly better last year's records of 4-7 overall and 2-6 in the OVC.

But he realizes why those outside the program would have plenty of question marks, considering the Redhawks lost 25 seniors from a year ago and have no quarterback with any experience higher than the junior college level. Southeast is left with only 10 seniors and returns just 10 starters.

"We have quite a few people who are inexperienced at this level, but I think we'll be OK," said Samuel, whose current roster lists 45 freshmen and sophomores, compared to 33 juniors and seniors. "We have talent ... I feel good about our personnel. I know we'll be a much improved team.

"I think fans will find out the energy, the personality of this team are different. We have very, very strong energy and a strong personality."

In fact, Samuel sees no reason why the Redhawks, who begin practice Aug. 3 and open the season Aug. 30 at Division I-A Cincinnati, can't stun the so-called experts by claiming the program's first OVC crown.

"I think we have an opportunity, if everybody jells, to come away with a title," he said. "They {fans} need to come out and see us make a run at this thing."

Expected to make the biggest run to the OVC crown is Eastern Illinois, which shared the title with Tennessee-Martin last season and is favored to earn its third consecutive conference championship.

The Panthers, 8-5 overall and 7-1 in the league a year ago, garnered eight first-place votes and 150 total points.

Eastern Illinois returns plenty of talent -- led by reigning OVC defensive player of the year Donald Thomas at linebacker -- and also welcomes back 69-year-old Bob Spoo, the league's dean of coaches who missed all of last season with serious health problems.

Spoo said he is now fit and ready to return to the sidelines, but -- just like Samuel -- doesn't pay much attention to preseason predictions.

That's probably wise, considering the last time the team picked to win the OVC title actually did so was in 2002.

"I'm not 100 percent, but I'm 95 percent. I feel good and I've been given the green light," said Spoo, in his 20th season with the Panthers. "I feel good about the team, but we have concerns ... I don't put much stock in preseason polls."

Jacksonville State was picked a close second with six first-place votes and 139 points.

The Gamecocks (6-5, 5-3) have the best OVC record since joining the league in 2003, going 25-7, but since capturing consecutive OVC titles in 2003 and 2004, they slipped to third place in 2005 and a fourth-place tie last year.

Having to replace seven defensive starters leaves coach Jack Crowe concerned.

"The league has gotten better," Crowe said. "I was a little surprised {at being picked second}, but I do think we're good enough to get up there.

"I think we can reload [on defense]. If we can, we'll be in it."

Tennessee-Martin, one of the nation's surprise teams last season, was picked third with four first-place votes and 126 points.

The Skyhawks (9-3, 6-1) captured their first OVC title a year ago as they shared the crown with Eastern Illinois and joined the Panthers in the playoffs.

Tennessee-Martin must replace seven starters from the OVC's top-ranked defense, but returns reigning conference co-offensive player of the year Don Chapman at tailback.

"It was a great year, something to be very proud of," said Jason Simpson, who earned 2006 OVC coach of the year honors in his first season with the Skyhawks. "But in the spring, we took all of our awards from last year, put them in a casket and buried them.

"It was just to symbolize that what happened last year is in the past. Those won't do us any good this year."

Eastern Kentucky (6-5, 5-3), riding a streak of 29 straight winning seasons, received one first-place vote and was picked fourth with 119 points.

The Colonels were last year's preseason favorites but tied for fourth.

"Our expectation level is always to win a championship," Eastern Kentucky coach Danny Hope said.

Tennessee State (6-5, 5-2) also likely has those expectations, after the Tigers entered last year's season finale with a chance to claim the OVC crown before finishing third. They nabbed the remaining first-place vote and garnered 103 points.

There was quite a dropoff after that as Tennessee Tech was picked sixth with 79 points, followed by Murray State (60), Southeast (57), Samford (46) and Austin Peay (21).

Tennessee Tech (4-7, 4-4) finished sixth last season, followed by Southeast, Samford (3-8, 1-7) and Murray State (1-10, 0-8).

The Racers, in fact, have not won a league game since 2004.

"We're better than we were a year ago," said second-year Murray State coach Matt Griffin, who resurrected the Tennessee-Martin program before switching conference schools. "I think we've made significant strides."

Austin Peay is rejoining the OVC for football this season after leaving the conference following the 1996 campaign.