HAMMOND, La. – The No. 16/17 Southeastern Louisiana football team led the nation in passing a season ago, thanks in large part to the talented array of wide receivers at its disposal.
 
The Lions returning wide receiver group of CJ Turner, Gage Larvadain, Terrell Carter, Nick Kovacs and Anthony Spurlock have combined for 292 catches for 3,813 yards and 29 touchdowns in their Southeastern careers. Newcomers Antoine Robinson, Mannie Logan-Greene and Darius Lewis join the SLU pass catching corps to give Southeastern head coach Frank Scelfo plenty of play-making options.
 
"We have a lot of different players who are showing that they can make plays for us at the receiver position," Scelfo commented. "Those guys are competing every day and we've seen a bunch of different players that have earned playing time.
 
"Wide receiver is probably our most experienced group as even some of our players who are new to the program aren't new to college football," Scelfo added. "We have guys who understand the ups and downs of the position and can play multiple spots for us."
 
Turner returns for the Lions and is within striking distance of several of the program standards that former teammate and 2021 SLU senior Austin Mitchell established last fall. The LaPlace, Louisiana product hauled in 27 passes for 464 yards and five touchdowns in six games last season before suffering a season-ending injury. Turner's return to full health will bolster the SLU air attack.
 
"Anytime you can add a player of CJ's caliber back in the mix, it's a good thing," Scelfo commented. "He's working toward earning his spot and he's competing with a lot of guys who are making plays this preseason."
 
Larvadain returns a year removed from earning Southland Conference Freshman of the Year honors. The Donaldsonville, Louisiana native grabbed 37 balls for 521 yards and five scores in addition to being one of the nation's top kick returners.
 
"Gage's knowledge of the offense has grown, which is where he's made the most progress," Scelfo said. "With that better understanding of our system, we're able to make use of his versatility and he's become even more valuable for us."
 
It's another Lion veteran receiver that's caught Scelfo and his staff's eye during the preseason.
 
"The guy who's probably had the best fall thus far is probably Terrell Carter," Scelfo said. "He's catching everything and getting open. Most importantly, he's raised his energy level on the practice field and we're expecting that to translate to the game."
 
SLU will practice Monday through Thursday at 3:45 p.m. and Friday and Saturday at 9 a.m. until the week of the Sept. 3 season opener at UL Lafayette.
 
Southeastern opens the 2022 season at the Ragin' Cajuns in a 6 p.m. contest. The home opener is set for Sept. 17 versus Central Connecticut State.
 
Southeastern Football Preseason Practice Schedule
Aug. 22 – 3:45 p.m.
Aug. 23 – 3:45 p.m.
Aug. 24 – 3:45 p.m.
Aug. 25 – 3:45 p.m.
Aug. 26 – 9 a.m.
Aug. 27 – 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 2022-23 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.