Aug. 4, 2008

2008 Football Media Day

August 4, 2008

COACHING CHANGES: There are minimal coaching staff changes for the 2008 season. Eric Ravellette has left the staff after two seasons to become an assistant coach at Ferris State. Graduate assistant Matthew Vincent has taken a job as a graduate assistant in compliance at Central Michigan.

Justin Kramer, who was director of football operations and defensive line coach, will move to the offense as tackles and tight ends coach. Kramer, who was an offensive lineman during his playing days at Southern Illinois-Carbondale, will also be recruiting coordinator.

Doug Brady, a former quarterback for Tony Samuel at New Mexico State, has joined the staff as a graduate assistant. He will work with the quarterbacks. Pat Christian, a defensive lineman for the Redhawks last season, will be a student assistant working with the defensive line that will be tutored by head coach Tony Samuel.

Creston Moore is the new director of football operations for the Redhawks. He worked with the team video last season.

STRENGTH COACH LEAVES: Redhawks strength coach Clete McLeod has resigned to accept a job as football strength coach at Oregon State. Interviews for a new strength coach are currently underway.

BCS TRANSFERS: The Redhawks have two new BCS transfers. Running back Henry Harris is a transfer from the University of Memphis and Ashton Farmer is a transfer from Arkansas State. Both will be eligible this season.

Harris, 5-8, 185, played in four games at Memphis last season. As a prep star at Christian Brothers High School in Memphis, he rushed for 1,579 yards and 22 touchdowns as a senior.

Farmer, 6-7, 240, played basketball at Arkansas State the past two seasons. He played in 62 basketball games at ASU. Farmer, was a prep football and basketball player at Charleston High School. He caught 39 passes for 658 yards as a high school senior.

TEMPORARY SCOREBOARD: Due to the new dorm construction, there will be a temporary scoreboard this season with a new board in place for the 2009 season.

DORM CONSTRUCTION: A new student dorm that will include game day dressing rooms for the Redhawks football and soccer teams is now under construction just beyond the west end zone.

GAME DAY DRESSING ROOM: This season the Redhawks will continue to use the gymnasium in the Student Recreation Center South as a game day dressing room. The team will enter the stadium on the east end and use the south sideline.

SIX HOME GAMES: Southeast will have six home games at Houck Stadium beginning with the season opener on Thursday, August 28, vs. Southwest Baptist.

REDHAWKS ON RADIO: All Redhawks games will be broadcast throughout Southeast Missouri, Southern Illinois, Western Kentucky, Western Tennessee and Northern Arkansas on the Southeast Radio Network operated by Mississippi River Radio.

The flagship station for all radio broadcasts is K-103 FM, A 100,000 watt station that goes into parts of five states. For the third straight year, Redhawks games can be heard in St. Louis on Team 1380, KSLG Radio, 1380 AM. Other network stations include KSIM in Sikeston, KWOC in Poplar Bluff and KMAL in Malden.

Erik Sean will be in his ninth season as the "voice" of the Redhawks. Former Southeast quarterback Rick Wieser will return as the color analyst for all home games while Sports Information Director Ron Hines will handle commentary during the road games. Todd Bonacki will provide sideline reporting for the home games.

TECH GAME ON ESPNU: The Redhawks game on Sept. 11 vs. Tennessee Tech will be nationally televised on ESPNU.

LIVE VIDEO STREAMING: Southeast fans will have a chance to watch Redhawks football live on the internet. All home games, except the Tennessee Tech game that will be nationally televised by ESPNU, will be live on the internet at kfvs12.com and OVCSports.TV. The road games, except for the Missouri game will be on OVCSport.TV.

SAMUEL TV SHOW: Tony Samuel will have a weekly 30-minute television show on the Heartland's CW, WQWQ-TV. The show will air at 11:05 p.m. Monday nights and will be hosted by KFVS-TV sports director Todd Richards.