Preseason OVC nod goes to Southeast

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Southeast Missouri State University's football program found itself in unfamiliar territory during Monday's Ohio Valley Conference media day.

Not that Indians' coach Tim Billings was about to complain.

For the first time since joining the OVC in 1991, Southeast was picked as the preseason favorite to win the league championship in voting by the conference's head coaches.

"I'd rather be picked first than last," a smiling Billings said.

In each of the past six seasons -- including Billings' first three years at Southeast -- the Indians were picked next-to-last in the official OVC poll.

But last year's breakthrough season -- the Indians went 8-4 for their most wins since 1969 and were nationally ranked -- has changed the OVC's perspective of the program.

"This is new ground for our football program," said Billings, last season's OVC Coach of the Year. "It's a tribute to our players and our coaches. We have a great opportunity. In the past, we were everybody's homecoming, so this is nice.

"It's good to know the others coaches think we're going to be good. After being picked next to last my first three years here, this is a big move up for us."

Billings was quick to caution that all the preseason polls -- the Indians have been ranked 16th nationally in NCAA Division I-AA by two national publications -- will mean little once the season begins.

"Polls don't mean anything. It's where you finish at the end of the season," Billings said. "But I think our kids will handle the attention and expectations. I don't think it's a negative at all.

"We want to win the OVC title for the first time, and I think other coaches believing we're good enough will give the kids confidence."

With 19 returning starters -- including record-setting quarterback Jack Tomco -- the Indians were narrowly picked ahead of Murray State and received five first-place votes and 60 points.

Defending co-champion Murray State nabbed the other four first-place votes and had 58 points, followed by defending co-champion Eastern Illinois with 48 points.

Eastern Kentucky, which tied with Southeast for third place last season, was picked fourth with 45 points.

Tennessee Tech and Jacksonville State tied for fifth with 33 points, followed by Tennessee State with 23, Samford with 16 and Tennessee-Martin with eight. Alabama schools Jacksonville State and Samford are first-year OVC members.

"From top to bottom, I think this is the toughest the league has been since I've been here," Billings said. "I could see four or five teams winning it."

The coaches of the squads expected to challenge Southeast the most believe the Indians deserve their preseason status as the team to beat.

"Yeah, they should be the favorite," Murray State's Joe Pannunzio said. "They have all those guys back, and Tim has done a great job."

Said Eastern Illinois' Bob Spoo, "On paper, SEMO certainly deserves it. They should be very, very strong."

Pannunzio's Racers, 7-5 last year, return just 10 starters and must replace their entire offensive line, but they have a strong leader at quarterback in Stewart Childress, who will start for the fourth season.

"We lost some great kids, and we have some holes to fill," Pannunzio said. "But we're optimistic."

Spoo's Panthers, 8-4 in 2002, probably face the biggest challenges among the expected contenders. The two-time defending champions return 13 starters but must replace three-time OVC Offensive Player of the Year Tony Romo and four of five offensive linemen.

"The last couple of years, we could outscore people, but if the defense doesn't improve, it could be a long year," Spoo said.

Eastern Kentucky, 8-4 a year ago, has a new coach as it tries to continue its streak of 25 straight winning seasons. Former Colonels player Danny Hope replaced legendary Roy Kidd, who spent 39 years at the helm.

"Eastern won a lot of games in 39 years under coach Kidd and we plan on doing the same thing," Hope said.

Tennessee Tech returns 18 starters as coach Mike Hennigan's squad tries to bounce back from a 5-7 season.

"I think experience will be big for us," Hennigan said.

Jacksonville State returns 13 starters from a 5-6 squad that competed in the Southland Conference last year.

"I know the top end of the OVC is really tough but I think on any given Saturday we can compete with any team in the league," Gamecocks coach Jack Crowe said.

Tennessee State slumped to 2-10 last year but returns 20 starters and coach James Reese is optimistic of a turnaround.

"We definitely look forward to having the experience pay off," Reese said. "We feel we ought to be pretty strong."

Samford, which will compete for a conference title for the first time since the 1930s, welcomes back 16 starters from a 4-7 team that went 1-4 against the OVC.

"We learned last year we have to get bigger and stronger," Bulldogs coach Bill Gray said. "But I think well be better, more athletic in a lot of places."

Tennessee-Martin has a new coach in Matt Griffin but is picked to finish in a familiar spot. The Skyhawks, 2-10 a year ago, have lost 42 straight OVC games as their last league win was in 1996. They return 18 starters.

"We just have to build our talent level and that takes time," Griffin said. "But we believe in what we're doing."