Northshore football fans need travel only a few short miles to see exciting football action this fall as the Southeastern Louisiana University Lions start a new chapter in 2005. Two years after reviving its football program, Southeastern joins the Southland Conference, one of the top Division I-AA conferences in the nation.

Guiding the Lions is first-year head coach Dennis Roland, who says, “[The conference] will certainly be a challenge, but one that our coaching staff and players, especially, are excited about. This gives them an opportunity to compete for all-conference honors, compete for a conference championship and see how we stack up against some of the best teams in the country week-in and week-out. It also gives our fans an opportunity to see outstanding, competitive football action basically right in their backyards.”

With quarterback Martin Hankins no longer with the team, Trey Willie is the offense’s “air” apparent to work with a deep corps of wide receivers. Following a solid spring season, Roland is confident in his new signal caller’s ability. “The most positive thing to come out of spring practice was the confidence that was instilled in me in Trey Willie,” says Roland. “I was very impressed at how he conducted and carried himself, his composure and his ability to make plays and get out of trouble in the pocket.”

The biggest changes have been on the defense, as the Lions moved from a 3-4 to 4-3 defensive scheme. Roland is excited about the tenacity he has seen on that side of the ball, and expects the defensive secondary to be one of the deepest spots on the team.

Roland knows it takes more than the X’s and O’s to be a championship-caliber team. He emphasizes the importance of a team concept, based on intangibles such as leadership, chemistry, unity and developing a family atmosphere. “Those intangibles will decide how good we are going to be and if we reach our potential this year. Every move we make from day one in two-a-days will be planned with that in mind.”

Southeastern
Louisiana University
2005 Football Schedule

Sept. 1 Jacksonville 6:30
Sept. 8 Alcorn State (TV-ESPNU) 6:30
Sept. 17 at Northern Colorado 1:00 MDT
Sept. 24 Open
Oct. 1 at Tulane (Tad Gormley Stadium) 2:30
Oct. 8 Texas State (Homecoming) 6:00
Oct. 15 at Northwestern State 2:00
Oct. 22 McNeese State 6:00
Oct. 29 at Stephen F. Austin 2:00
Nov. 5 at Sam Houston State (TV-CSTV) 4:00
Nov. 12 Nicholls State 6:00
Nov. 19 at Mississippi Valley 1:00

Home games in BOLD