Coming off a Southland Conference championship in 2022, the Southeastern Lions football team missed the 2023 SLC playoffs with a 3-8 record. 

The 2023 campaign started with seven consecutive losses for the defending champs. They finally secured their first win on Oct. 19, defeating Northwestern State University 37-20 on the road.

Last season, the Lions averaged 25.3 points per game, a 10-point drop from 2022, when they averaged 35.3. 

Still, SLU ranked third in the Southland in scoring offense. The defense, however, gave up 28.5 points per contest. In the season’s first three games, Southeastern allowed 35 points or more. 

After the season concluded, Head Coach Frank Scelfo and his staff took it upon themselves to add more defensive firepower to the roster. In a stacked Southland Conference with loaded offenses, Scelfo brought in 19 defensive players. 

“You look at what we lost in the transfer portal, and at graduation, we needed to get our numbers back up on the defensive side of the ball. That was the focal point in terms of replacing those spots,” Scelfo said during fall training camp. 

Among the new defensive recruits, SLU signed defensive back Shakespeare Lewis. The Canadian native started his collegiate football career playing for the Robert Morris Colonials, where he recorded 46 tackles and broke up four passes in 20 games. 

Also joining the Green and Gold from Canada is freshman defensive end Evan Aubrey. He attended Clearwater Academy International High School in Florida. While there, Aubrey recorded 70 tackles, 20 tackles for loss, nine sacks and an interception in his final prep season. 

Aubrey brings size and athleticism to beef up the defensive line for the Lions in the 2024 season. 

Freshman linebacker Kyle Cannon will also begin his football journey with Southeastern. Cannon was the 2023 District 11-2A Defensive MVP and an all-state performer at St. Charles Catholic High School. 

Cannon was the captain and leader of the St. Charles program, which won two state championships. Even as a freshman, he brings great leadership to the Lions. 

One of the most significant acquisitions from this offseason is junior linebacker Joe Sniffin. The Texas native went to Trinity Valley Community College for two seasons. During his tenure, he recorded 174 tackles, 14 tackles for loss, four sacks, three interceptions and two forced fumbles.

Returning to his days at Belton High School, he was a TSWA All-State linebacker under the guidance of his father, Brett, the head coach. 

“Our defense this year is going to be crazy. This is probably the best defense I’ve been around since I’ve been in college, and that’s saying a lot,” Redshirt senior wide receiver Darius Lewis said. 

Lewis was one of the standout Lions last season. In 2023, he led Southeastern with 568 receiving yards and four touchdowns. Following a productive year, the New Orleans native was named to an onslaught of preseason awards. He was featured on the Phil Steele Preseason All-America Honors while appearing on the Preseason All-SLC honors as a wide receiver, punt returner and kick returner. 

Senior running back Harlan Dixon also enjoyed a promising 2023 campaign, ranking second on the team with 403 rushing yards and 408 receiving yards. Additionally, Dixon led SLU with five rushing touchdowns. 

“Last season made me hungry. It’s hard to win; we didn’t do that enough last year. If we come out every day and we’re locked in on our assignment, everything else will play out. Our offense is super explosive, so we all have to make plays and do our jobs,” Dixon said. 

The Green and Gold continued to add more offensive weaponry to compete for the 2024 Southland title. 

Sophomore running back Antonio Martin Jr. is expected to share carries this season with Dixon. He gained 603 yards and scored five touchdowns in 2023 at Blinn College. Coming out of Langston Hughes High School, Martin Jr. was ranked as the No. 22 running back in the nation and the No. 26 prospect in the state of Georgia by ESPN. 

In his final year at LHHS, Martin Jr. rushed for 1,114 yards and scored 16 touchdowns, earning all-region honors. 

Junior wide receiver Brandon Hayes is transferring from Southern Miss to join the Green and Gold. Hayes enjoyed a great high school football career at Oak Grove High School. The Mississippi native caught 88 passes for 1,318 yards and 18 touchdowns during his senior year.

Senior wide receiver Errol Rogers, who is transferring from Liberty, will also be suiting up for the Lions. 

Rogers began his collegiate career at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. In 35 games for the Ragin’ Cajuns, Rogers recorded 524 yards and two touchdowns on 59 receptions.

The Lions brought in freshman quarterback Jamarcus Pittman from McComb, Mississippi. Pittman went to McComb High School and broke out during his senior season. 

He won the 2023 Class 4A Offensive Player of the Year by throwing for 2,904 yards and an outstanding 37-3 touchdown-to-interception ratio. Pittman added another 425 yards on the ground with 11 rushing touchdowns. 

His 48 total touchdowns led the entire state, and he placed in the top 10 in both passing (6th) and total (7th) yards. The dual-threat phenomenon will begin his collegiate career donning the Green and Gold and add necessary depth to the quarterback room. 

Transfer signal callers Damon Stewart and Tanner Murray provide quality depth behind presumed starter Eli Sawyer and have been pushing him hard during practice.

Before joining SLU, Stewart threw for 1,655 yards and 11 touchdowns at Alabama State. He began his football career at East Mississippi Community College in 2021 and spent a redshirt season at the University of Alabama at Birmingham.

Murray is a sophomore coming from Butler Community College in Kansas, where he was an All-KJCCC performer as a freshman; he threw for 1,644 yards and 14 touchdowns for the Grizzlies.

During his high school years at Langham Creek High School in Houston, he threw for 1,267 yards and 11 touchdowns as a senior, while also adding another 224 yards on the ground. In his junior year, he passed for 1,659 yards and 13 touchdowns while rushing for 469 yards and eight scores.

Southeastern also acquired freshman wideout Dkhai Joseph from East St. John. During his final two seasons, he accumulated 2,100 yards and 34 touchdowns. Joseph was an All-District 7-5A performer for the Wildcats. 

“There’s somebody that’s always going to make a play. The big thing is that the consistency these guys have shown is what you want. The great players make good plays consistently, and at the end of the day, we want to keep getting better and better each week,” Scelfo said. 

The 2024 season kicks off on the road against Tulane on Thursday, Aug. 29. Athletics and the Student Government Association (SGA) partnered together to allow students to take a bus trip down to New Orleans to watch the new-look Lions take on an American Athletic Conference team. 

The first home game of the season is on Saturday, Sept. 14 against Eastern Washington. Last season, SLU lost 40-29 on the road. The Green and Gold can get some revenge this year with a revamped roster. 

On Saturday, Oct. 5, the Lions will begin SLC play against Texas A&M-Commerce. Last year, SLU won 52-14, its largest margin of victory during the 2023 campaign. 

“More guys are taking a leadership role by being more vocal about things and holding people accountable. Those are the things you need in a good program. We lacked that [leadership], but now I’m starting to like the direction it’s going,” Scelfo said. 

With a promising mix of seasoned leaders and fresh talent, the Lions are poised for an exciting 2024 season. As they embark on this journey, the team and fans alike are eager to see how the revamped roster and renewed focus on leadership will translate on the field. The road to success begins with challenges, but with determination and unity, the Lions are ready to make their mark.

Fans will be watching closely as the Green and Gold aim to not only compete but dominate, turning past defeats into future victories. This season is set to be one of growth, redemption and the relentless pursuit of excellence.