HAMMOND, La. – The reigning Southland Conference champion Southeastern Louisiana University football team will open fall practice this week in preparation for the upcoming 2023 season.
 
The Lions report to campus Tuesday with the first practice set for Wednesday at 9 a.m. The first four practices will be split-squad practices with one group working out at 9 a.m. and a second practice set for 10:30 a.m.
 
Southeastern will practice Monday-Saturday at 9 a.m. until the start of the fall semester Aug. 16. From that point forward, SLU's Monday through Thursday practices will move to 3:45 p.m.
 
The Lions won their first Southland Conference title since 2014 last fall, advancing to the second round of the NCAA FCS playoffs for the third time in the past four years. Southeastern, which is one of three schools nationally to be ranked in the final FCS polls each of the past four seasons, was picked to win the Southland Conference by the league's coaches and media relations directors earlier this month. SLU returns a SLC-high 17 preseason All-Southland Conference performers.
 
Two-time and reigning SLC Coach of the Year Frank Scelfo has been pleased with his team's preparation during offseason workouts.
 
"Our strength and conditioning staff did a great job with our guys during summer workouts," Scelfo said. "There's was a great energy level. Our team came together this offseason and became a family."
 
While the Lions return key contributors from last season's championship team, Scelfo is expecting a high level of competition in all three phases.
 
"We're pleased with our depth heading into camp," Scelfo said. "But we're looking for guys to continue to compete and separate themselves. We don't return any starters in our eyes. Everyone has to earn their spot again during camp. We have some areas where we're going to be depending on players with limited game reps to step into bigger roles for us."
 
The Lions will return several key players who missed all or the majority of last season with injuries. SLU was particularly hard hit on the offensive and defensive lines, as well as at tight end in 2022. Last fall's unfortunate circumstances have turned several of those areas into positions of strength heading into 2023.
 
"Because of our injury situation last year, a lot of guys were thrust into game action," Scelfo stated. "With that playing time, those players grew and developed. With many of those injured guys returning and so many young players coming back with game experience, we've increased our depth and the level of competition."
 
Scelfo and his staff are eager to see his new team get to work Wednesday,
 
"With the split-squad practices, some guys are going to rise above, be able to play at full speed and know what to do from the opening whistle," Scelfo said. "Some of our younger guys we'll be seeing on the practice field in full pads for the first time in camp. Those split practices give us a great opportunity to identify which of our newcomers can put what they've learned this summer in to motion out on the field and which veterans are ready to take their games to another level.
 
"We're not defending the Southland Conference championship," Scelfo added. "We won it last year, but this year's team hasn't won anything. This is a whole new team and they have to focus and put the work in to reach their goals. We're pursuing a conference championship, not defending one."
 
Southeastern opens the 2023 season with three straight nonconference road contests, beginning with a Sept. 2 trip to Mississippi State. The game versus the Bulldogs kicks off at 3 p.m. in Starkville, Mississippi and will be televised on SEC Network and can be heard on the Southeastern Sports Radio Network (Kajun 107.1 FM, The Highway 104.7 FM, The Boss 103.7 FM/WFPR 1400 AM).
 
Southeastern Football Preseason Practice Schedule
Aug. 2 – 9 a.m./10:30 a.m. (Split-squad)
Aug. 3 – 9 a.m./10:30 a.m. (Split-squad)
Aug. 4 – 9 a.m./10:30 a.m. (Split-squad)
Aug. 5 – 9 a.m./10:30 a.m. (Split-squad)
Aug. 7 – 9 a.m. (First full team practice)
Aug. 8 – 9 a.m.
Aug. 9 – 9 a.m.
Aug. 10 – 9 a.m.
Aug. 11 – 9 a.m.
Aug. 12 – 9 a.m.
Aug. 14 – 9 a.m.
Aug. 15 – 9 a.m.
Aug. 16 – 3:45 p.m. (First day of classes)
Aug. 17 – 3:45 p.m.
Aug. 18 – 9 a.m.
Aug. 19 – 9 a.m.
Aug. 21 – 3:45 p.m.
Aug. 22 – 3:45 p.m.
Aug. 23 – 3:45 p.m.
Aug. 24 – 3:45 p.m.
Aug. 25 – 9 a.m.
Aug. 26 – 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 2023-24 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.