LAKELAND, Fla.—The seventh season of Southeastern University football begins Saturday at Victory Field, but for the first time under new leadership.
Cesar Rivas-Sandoval will coach his first game with the Fire against Ave Maria Saturday night. While he and a number of assistant coaches are new to the program, they will have the services of a number of key returners from the 2019 squad that went 8-1.
The offense returns four All-Mid-South Sun Division performers at the skill positions, led by the reigning league offensive player of the year in junior quarterback
Cooper Jones. The Californian re-wrote the single-season passing record books last year with almost 2,600 yards and 26 touchdowns. His top target from a year ago is also back.
Wide receiver
Eugene Witherspoon caught 32 passes for 689 yards with seven touchdowns last year, earning all-conference recognition.
In the backfield, the duo of two-time All-Sun Division pick
Bryan Bell along with second team selection
Lorine Parker return. Bell led the Fire in rushing with 618 yards, averaging 6.1 yards per carry, and Parker added 581 with 12 touchdowns and 5.3 yards per carry.
The offensive line will have a couple new faces, but returns the services of all-conference center,
Scott Carman. Additionally, sophomore
Mitchell Green made a couple of starts at tackle before an injury as a true freshman returns to the lineup. Fifth-year senior
Dylan Green is also a key component to the interior line.
On defense, the Fire return Sun Division Defensive Freshman of the Year
Loobert Denelus, who wreaked havoc on opponents last year with 13.5 tackles for loss and 7.5 sacks. Classmate
Curtis Williams also returns after also making 7.5 sacks and added 11 tackles for loss.
Four-year starter and two-time all-conference safety
Cory Rahman is back after finishing third on the team in tackles last year with 45, and had two more interceptions to tie the program career record with nine. Senior corner
Chris Thompson is back after leading the Fire with four picks during his all-conference junior season.
Junior punter
Jonah Paulsgrove anchors a new-look special teams unit. Last season, he averaged 31 yards per punt on 11 attempts with a long of 46 yards.
The 2020 schedule has a much different look as well with all eight currently schedule regular season games set to take place in Florida for the first time in program history. The Fire will play Ave Maria and St. Thomas twice this year with each team hosting once. The second game will count towards the Sun Division standings.
Additionally, the NAIA Football Championship Series will not start until next spring with the championship game scheduled for Monday, May 10
th at Eddie G. Robinson Stadium on the campus of Grambling State University in Louisiana.
