HAMMOND, La. –  The Southeastern Louisiana University football team continues to receive preseason notice, as the Lions were ranked 17^th in the American Football Coaches Association FCS Coaches' Preseason Top 25, which the AFCA released on Monday.
 
The preseason ranking is the fifth Southeastern has garnered heading into next month's season opener. The Lions were previously ranked in preseason polls by Stats Perform (15^th), Athlon Sports (15^th), Hero Sports (13^th) and College Football America Yearbook (10^th).
 
Southeastern, which was picked first in the Southland Conference preseason polls, is one of two league teams to be listed in the coaches' poll. Nicholls, which SLU faces on Oct. 9 in Thibodaux and Nov. 18 in Hammond, is ranked 23^rd heading into the season.
 
The Lions also feature a league-high 16 preseason All-Southland selections – more than the previous three seasons combined. Two of the SLU standouts – cornerback Ferlando Jordan and quarterback Cole Kelley – added to their preseason accolades as both were named to the Phil Steele preseason FCS All-American teams.
 
Jordan, one of 12 two-time All-Americans in program history and a Buck Buchanan Award candidate, and Kelley, the reigning Walter Payton Award winner, were both second team selections.
 
The Lion duo was two of five All-Americans representing the Southland on the Phil Steele list. Joining Jordan and Kelley were the Nicholls pair of offensive lineman P.J. Burkhalter and wide receiver Dai'Jean Dixon, as well as McNeese defensive end Isaiah Chambers.
 
SLU will return to the practice field on Tuesday at 9 a.m. Southeastern will open the 2021 season on Sept. 4, hosting North Alabama at 6 p.m. in Strawberry Stadium.
 
2021 AFCA FCS Coaches' Preseason Top 25
 
Rank – School (1^st-place votes) – Pts. – Spring 2021 Final Rank
1. Sam Houston (18) – 682 – 1
2. James Madison (9) – 667 – 3
3. North Dakota State – 633 – 5
4. South Dakota State (1) – 620 – 2
5. Delaware – 567 – 4
6. Weber State – 552 – 8
7. North Dakota – 475 – 6
8. Jacksonville State – 437 – 7
9. Montana – 436 – NR
10. Southern Illinois – 418 – 9
11. Montana State – 383 – NR
12. Monmouth (N.J.) – 382 – 10
13. Central Arkansas – 363 – NR
14. Eastern Washington – 287 – 11
15. Villanova – 284 – 18
16. Northern Iowa – 268 – NR
17. Southeastern – 267 – 21
18. Chattanooga – 204 – NR
19. VMI – 167 – 12
20. Kennesaw State – 165 – 15
21. UC Davis – 135 – 16
22. Richmond – 104 – 14
23. Nicholls – 88 – 23
24. North Carolina A&T – 75
25. Austin Peay – 65 – NR
Others Receiving Votes: Murray State 62, Missouri State 39, Sacramento State 39, New Hampshire 31, Alabama A&M 29, Samford 18, Holy Cross 16, Southern 15, Alcorn State 14, Florida A&M 13, Stephen F. Austin 11, East Tennessee State 10, Jackson State 10, Morehead State 10, Princeton 9, South Carolina State 9, Furman 7, Charleston Southern 6, Youngstown State 6, Arkansas-Pine Bluff 5, Harvard 4, Rhode Island 4, Davidson 3, Yale 3, Sacred Heart 2, Eastern Kentucky 1, Norfolk State 1.
2021 opponents in bold italics
 
Phil Steele 2021 Preseason FCA All-America Teams
 
First Team
Offense
QB – Eric Barriere, Eastern Washington
RB – Pierre Strong, South Dakota State
RB – Julius Chestnut, Sacred Heart
FB – Hunter Luepke, North Dakota State
WR – Jakob Herres, VMI
WR – Tyler Hudson, Central Arkansas
WR – Jequez Ezzard, Sam Houston
TE – Ryan Miller, Furman
OL – Trevor Penning, Northern Iowa
OL – Liam Fornadel, James Madison
OL – Ty Whitworth, Weber State
OL – Cordell Volson, North Dakota State
OL – Braxton Jones, Southern Utah
 
Defense
DL – Isaiah Chambers, McNeese
DL – Jared Brinkman, Northern Iowa
DL – Jordan Lewis, Southern
DL – DJ Coleman, Jacksonville
LB – Stone Snyder, VMI
LB – Tre Walker, Idaho
LB – Willie Eubanks III, The Citadel
LB – Jace Lewis, Montana
DB – Nicario Harper, Jacksonville State
DB – Zyon McCollum, Sam Houston
DB – James Ceasar, Southern Illinois
DB – Kordell Jackson, Austin Peay
 
Special Teams
K – Etan Ratke, James Madison
P – Daniel Whelen, UC Davis
KR – Christian Watson, North Dakota State
PR – Jequez Ezzard, Sam Houston State
AP – Javon Williams, Southern Illinois
LS – Kyle Davis, James Madison
 
Second Team
Offense
QB – Cole Kelley, Southeastern
RB – Otis Weah, North Dakota
RB – Jah-Maine Martin, North Carolina A&T
FB – Nathan Walker, Wofford
WR – Avante Cox, Southern Illinois
WR – Talolo Limu-Jones, Eastern Washington
WR – Tanner Conner, Idaho
TE – Zach Heins, South Dakota State
OL – Cole Strange, Chattanooga
OL – Tristen Taylor, Eastern Washington
OL – Matt Waietzko, North Dakota
OL – P.J. Burkhalter, Nicholls
OL – Garret Greenfield, South Dakota State
 
Defense
DL – Mike Greene, James Madison
DL – Kobie Turner, Richmond
DL – Jahari Kay, Sam Houston
DL – Mailk Hamm, Lafayette
LB – Troy Anderson, Montana State
LB – Jared Folks, ETSU
LB – Ryan Greenhagem, Fordham
LB – Logan Backhaus, South Dakota State
DB – Ferlando Jordan, Southeastern
DB - Decobie Durant, South Carolina State
DB – Markquese Bell, Florida A&M
DB – Anthony Adams, Portland State
 
Special Teams
K – Luis Aguilar, Northern Arizona
P – D.J. Arnson, Northern Arizona
KR – Rashid Shaheed, Weber State
PR – Tyrin Ralph, Arkansas-Pine Bluff
AP – Quay Holmes, ETSU
LS – Matthew O'Donoghue, Montana
 
Third Team
Offense
QB – Eric Schmid, Sam Houston
RB – Elijah Dotson, Sacramento State
RB – Juwon Farri, Monmouth
FB – Logan Kendall, Idaho
WR – Christian Watson, North Dakota State
WR – Dai'Jean Dixon, Nicholls
WR – Xavier Gipson, Stephen F. Austin
TE – Noah Gindorff, North Dakota State
OL – Tre'mond Shorts, ETSU
OL – Nick Zakelj, Fordham
OL – McClendon Curtis, Chattanooga
OL – J'Atyre Carter, Southern
OL – David Kroll, Delaware
 
Defense
DL – Devonnsha Maxwell, Chattanooga
DL – Spencer Waege, North Dakota State
DL – Jared Schiess, Weber State
DL – BJ Thompson, Stephen F. Austin
LB – La'akea Kaho'ohanohano-Davis, Southern Utah
LB – Forrest Rhyne, Villanova
LB – James Kaczor, North Dakota State
LB – Titus Leo, Wagner
DB – Jordan Perryman, UC Davis
DB – Qua Brown, Southern Illinois
DB – Chris Edmonds, Samford
DB – Darion McKenzie, Merrimack
 
Special Teams
K – Antonio Zita, Tennessee State
P – Brady Schutt, South Dakota
KR – Cameron Myers, Central Arkansas
PR – Mike Roussos, Columbia
AP – Dejoun Lee, Delaware
LS – Robert Soderholm, VMI
 
2021 Southeastern Football Preseason Practice Schedule
Aug. 17 – 9 a.m.
Aug. 18 – 3:50 p.m.
Aug. 19 – 3:50 p.m.
Aug. 20 – 9 a.m.
Aug. 21 – 9 a.m.
Aug. 23 – 3:50 p.m.
Aug. 24 – 3:50 p.m.
Aug. 25 – 3:50 p.m.
Aug. 26 – 3:50 p.m.
Aug. 27 – 9 a.m.
Aug. 28 – 9 a.m.
 
TICKETS
For ticket information, contact the Southeastern Athletics Ticket Office at (985) 549-5466 or visit www.LionSports.net. Southeastern will continue offering mobile ticketing as the primary source for securing tickets for the 2021-22 season. All tickets will be available via e-mail or text message in a PDF format for fans to download on their phone or print at home. Tickets can also be downloaded to Apple Wallet.
 
SOCIAL MEDIA
For more information on Southeastern Football, follow @LionUpFootball and @Coach_Scelfo on Twitter, like /SLUathletics on Facebook and subscribe to the SLUathletics YouTube channel.
 
TOUCHDOWN CLUB/S CLUB
Fans interested in becoming active supporters of the football program are encouraged to join the Touchdown Club. Lion football alums are encouraged to join the exclusive S Club, which is restricted to Southeastern athletic letter winners.
 
All membership fees and donations to both the Touchdown Club and S Club (football) are available for the exclusive use of the Southeastern football program. Membership information is available by contacting the Lion Athletics Association at laa@southeastern.edu or (985) 549-5091 or visiting www.LionUp.com.
 
CLEAR BAG POLICY
Southeastern Athletics instituted a clear bag policy for all ticketed events, effective with the start of the 2018 football season. For more information on the clear bag policy, visit www.LionSports.net/clear.