Lion football fans and members of the Lion Athletic Association (LAA) gathered at the Quality Inn on Wednesday night to welcome 40 of the newest members of the Lion family at the annual Football Recruitment Day Signing Bash.
Fans were given the opportunity to meet the 2013 recruits and offer a personal welcome to the athletes, who greeted the fans while wearing black shirts reading #LionNation.
Attendees were treated to a meal before the program while conversing amongst one another and meeting the new members of the team. Dishes were donated by local restaurants including Chookies, Super King Seafood, Coop Deville and Tope La.
Matt Sullivan, assistant athletic director for media relations, began the ceremony by thanking the guest for attending the ceremony and supporting the athletic program, followed by words from athletic director Bart Bellairs and head coach Ron Roberts.
“It’s not about the future; it’s about winning now,” said Roberts. “We’re going to have a football team that will help us win a national championship. I’m excited about this class, and I can’t wait to show it to you.”
The Southeastern channel introduced recruits to fans through a highlight film displaying talent on the field during the 2012 season. After watching the film viewers showed excitement in the upcoming season and the possibility of a full Strawberry Stadium for home games.
“There’s no reason with these guys coming in and our staff that we should not pack Strawberry Stadium,” said Sullivan.
The football team welcomed 20 athletes on signing day, in addition to 20 mid-year recruitments. Roberts explained the choices were made by the need of the program and confirmed that those needs were met.
“Every one of them fits a specific need and mold, and I’m excited about the whole class,” said Roberts. “I really am. There’s a lot of guys that we’re counting on to come in here and see right away, and there’s a lot of guys that are young guys we expect to be futures of the program and great players. It’s hard for me to single out a few because I think we’ve got some great offensive linemen. We’ve got some great defensive linemen we’re bringing in. I’m also excited about the receivers and running backs; it’s all across the board so it’s hard to single any one of them out.”
Sullivan encouraged fans to purchase season tickets early explaining that they will go fast due to the “buzz” around this year’s potential.
Roberts expressed appreciation for his coaching staff and their efforts in securing the newest addition to the Southeastern family.
“I have assistants who do a great job,” said Roberts. “I’m really fortunate to have them; I think Southeastern’s very fortunate to have them. “They’re a great group of guys, and they’ve done a great job of accumulating players at this university.”
Visit www.lionsports.net for more information and the 2013 schedule. The annual green and gold spring game will take place on March 23 at 6 p.m. The team will kick off their first three games of the season on the road, before the first home game at Strawberry Stadium on August 29.