2023 Football Preview

Written by Blake Esta

Lion Up!

Heading into the 2023 season Southeastern Louisiana University is ranked 11th in the Athlon Sports FCS Pre-Season Poll. Since taking over as head coach of the Lions in 2018, Frank Scelfo promised a team that would be able to compete nationally and a team that would be consistent in that effort. In 2022 fans got to see the culmination of that promise. After coming up short in several previous attempts, Coach Scelfo delivered the first of what figures to be many Southland Conference Championships.

Make no mistake about it, Southeastern has been good enough to win in each of the last four seasons, finishing in the top 25 every year, an accomplishment only two other programs in the country can stake claim to. 2022 wasn’t a miracle year among the pedestrian, it was just the year that the talent, depth, and coaching all reached their peak in unison to bring home the hardware. Coach Scelfo has amassed a 34-23 record while going 25-13 in the Southland Conference in his first five seasons in Hammond.

Circling back to Coach Scelfo’s promise of national notoriety for this program; being ranked 11th heading into the season, the highest of any Southland Conference team, shows the rest of the country has learned what Lions fans have known for a few years. Under Frank Scelfo, Southeastern is a team you can count on being a part of post-season discussions year in and year out. Southeastern made the playoffs in three of the last four seasons, only missing in the abbreviated spring season of 2021 by one game. Additionally, the Lions have been lethal when playing in Strawberry Stadium since 2018 going 16-6, with a perfect 3-0 record in playoff games played in Hammond.

The last piece to being a nationally viable program is contending for a National Championship. Each of Southeastern’s playoff appearances have gone the same, a big win at home followed by a tough loss on the road in round two. Last year, however felt different. In 2019 Southeastern fell 78-23 to Montana, in 2021 James Madison handled the Lions 59-20, and in both games Southeastern looked like they didn’t belong on the same field as the FCS elite. Last year, it was a nail-biting, tough over-time loss on the road at #8 Samford. Beyond the score being closer, there was just a different look, a team that belonged. The same team that also gave eventual National Semi-finalist Incarnate Word their lone loss in the regular season.

So, as we get ready for the birth of a new season, expect a team that will contend for a repeat of Southland Conference champions. Expect a team that will contend for a home Playoff game, with hopes to get past the 2nd round. Perhaps we’ll even see a team do what the North Dakota, Appalachian State, and South Dakotas of the FCS have done with regularity. Take down an FBS program enroute to making a statement for the nation to see. Southeastern kicks off the 2023 season on the road in Starkville, Mississippi on September 2nd against Mississippi State.

LION UP!

ALBANY Hornets

Head Coach: John Legoria

Last season was not only Legoria’s first as Head Coach of Albany but first as a head football coach period. Our 2022 edition mentioned Legoria had one main objective being to bring back pride and fun to the game of football. Well, a winning season and trip to the playoffs did just that for the Hornets in 2022. Competition will be tough as ever in Class 3A’s District 7, but don’t count out the Hornets from another hopeful playoff run in 2023.

2022 RECORD: 6-4*

AMITE Warriors

Head Coach: Zephaniah Powell

Success is just measured differently in Warrior Country. Coach Powell’s Warriors had a losing record in District play for the first time in his tenure in 2022, however that didn’t stop Amite from yet another winning season overall, and a run to the Semi-Finals of Non-Select Division 3. Years and Championships come and go, but count on Amite being a part of that conversation.

2022 RECORD: 7-3*

HAMMOND Tornadoes

Head Coach: Dorsett Buckels

A plant doesn’t simply grow over night. Well, maybe slightly, but it’s a much longer process as a whole where signs of growth can be noted. Coach Buckels and the Tornadoes are seemingly now all but ready to bloom. Each leaf and flower bud has taken time to get here but coming off his first playoffs appearance, Buckels will now look to bring Hammond High a winning season for the first time since 2018.

2022 RECORD: 5-5*

INDEPENDENCE Tigers

Head Coach: Travis Mikel

Travis Mikel is the new head football coach for Independence and thus a new era has commenced for the Tigers. Mikel spent time as an assistant coach with Southeastern Louisiana University and Ponchatoula among his previous stops. Mikel officially took over in July, so expectations should be tempered for the firstyear head coach, but look for Independence to form a formidable offensive line in the years to come as Mikel leans on upbringing as an AllAmerican-level Center.

2022 RECORD: 2-8

JEWEL SUMNER Cowboys

Head Coach: Ross Currier

The Cowboys have made the playoffs three straight years, while 3A’s District 7 has slowly become one of the toughest districts in all of Louisiana. Sumner looks to find their new star players after moving on from an incredibly talented senior class a year ago. Even in what may appear to be a transitional phase, "The Hole" in Tangipahoa remains one of the hardest places to win for opposing teams.

2022 RECORD: 5-5*

KENTWOOD Kangaroos

Head Coach: Jonathan Foster

It was a return to form for the Kangaroos in 2022 losing two games all season including the playoffs by a combined 14 points. Although a first-round exit in the playoffs was disappointing, a 9-1 regular season campaign in their return to 1A has Kentwood looking right back to State Championship aspirations. Look for Kentwood to try and get back to the State title game for the first time since 2018.

2022 RECORD: 9-1*

LORANGER Wolves

Head Coach: Sammy Messina

Three consecutive losing seasons following a 10-0 run in 2019 may have some on edge in Wolves Country, but Sammy Messina has proven over his career that he knows how to rebuild a winner. Appearing frequently on Tangi 96.5’s Under The Hood show, Messina has reiterated that building a championship caliber team takes time, and if you look at more than just the win-loss record, you’ll see the foundation laid for what should be a return to winning ways for Loranger in 2023.

2022 RECORD: 2-8

OAK FOREST Yellow Jackets

Head Coach: Drew Misita

Fresh from the high of a state championship, Oak Forest comes into 2023 looking to do the only thing tougher than winning it all, doing it again. Oak Forest has now entered into the same territory as Amite in the LHSAA. Perennial contenders to lift up their division’s title, and one of the elite programs in the MAIS.

RECORD: 6-3*

PONCHATOULA Green Wave

Head Coach: Trey Willie

Trey Willie enters year two as head coach of the Green Wave after a learning experience for all in 2022. A senior-heavy team in 2021 went undefeated in their run to state runner-up, then those seniors graduated and a new head coach was named. An even win-loss record and first round exit from the playoffs may have been a step down from the year prior, but look for it to be just a stepping stone for Willie on his way to building the next great Ponchatoula team.

2022 RECORD: 5-5*

SPRINGFIELD Bulldogs

Head Coach: Ryan Serpas

Springfield made the playoffs in 2021 and looked on the fast track to repeating that a year ago after starting the season 3-0. Unfortunately for the Bulldogs, the bad breaks just kept coming one after the other from that point on. A new year is a fresh start and an opportunity to overcome and learn from setbacks of the past. Look for a rebound from Coach Serpas as the Bulldogs look to get back into the playoffs in 2023.

2022 RECORD: 3-7

ST. HELENA Hawks

Head Coach: Christopher Gordon

In his first year as head coach for the Hawks' Gordon brought the Hawks back to the playoffs after missing them in 2021. Things were looking rough in September after an 0-4 start, but St. Helena turned around to win their next four before splitting their final two games of the regular season. A strong end to the season, including a firstround victory in the playoffs over South Plaquemines, has St. Helena looking a lot closer to the team that finished state runner-up in 2017 than they have in a long time.

2022 RECORD: 5-5*

ST. THOMAS AQUINAS Falcons

Head Coach: Shane Mulhern

Shane Mulhern is a newcomer to the area, but his knowledge and coaching resume rivals that of a man twice his age. When you take over a program, which routinely has won district championships and is a mainstay in the playoffs, many fans hope there will be no hiccups in the transition to a new regime. If there’s ever a time to have faith, Mulhern has said all the right things to suggest not only will there be much of the same for St. Thomas, but possibly even bigger and better.

2022 RECORD: 3-7*