For the first time in 10 seasons, the Northeastern State football team will have the same offensive coordinator coaching the same system from the previous year.

   That kind of continuity alone has third-year head coach Kenny Evans excited about the upcoming season in Tahlequah.

   Evans also likes the fact 17 starters of 40 returning lettermen are back from a 2009 squad that went 2-9.

   But even with a lot of returning depth, Evans said this year’s team will count on some newcomers.

   “The number one thing we’ve done is that we’ve felt like we brought in some good football players,” said Evans, who is 3-19 at NSU. “That’s what makes us good coaches. We’re excited about the direction we’re headed. We have a solid nucleus.”

   Defensively is where the RiverHawks must improve mightily. It’s not every day a team averages 32.5 points a game in its final four contests, and loses them all. Ironically enough, NSU’s two wins last year were games the team scored just 17 and 13 points respectively.

   But too many times the offense put up some points with nothing to show for it.

   This year, the RiverHawks return a pair of quarterbacks who started five games each. Kenny Davis started the last five games, passing for 765 yards and five scores. Woody Wilson opened the season as the starter, passing for 472 yards but also rushing for 252.

   Either NSU quarterback should have some weapons at receiver. The RiverHawks return a pair of All-LSC second-team wideouts, including sophomore Trey McVay, who led the team in receptions (29), receiving yards (343) and touchdowns (six). Ben Randle, the nephew of Pro Football Hall of Fame pass-rusher John Randle, had 263 yards last year with four touchdowns.

   At tailback, Prince McKinney returns after starting seven games last year. He’ll run behind sophomore fullback John Stelly, a first-team All-LSC selection last year.

   Tight end Logan Cawyer returns after earning All-LSC honorable mention honors last year. The offensive line returns six players, including Colton Ables, who moves from tackle to guard, Phillip Boyd and Chris Cherry.

   On defense, the RiverHawks have eight starters back from last year, along with a few impact newcomers, like linebackers Gus Jones (Oklahoma) and Chris Meyers (Kilgore JC). They will join linebacker Jon Evans and Donald Dangerfield, two more All-LSC standouts from last year.

   Defensive tackle Billy Blackard, a transfer from Oklahoma last year, earned All-LSC second-team honors last year.

   The secondary has a few returnees in Troy Adams, Brian Johnson, Marquin Watts and Nick Dobler.

   “We feel like we have built a foundation that we are starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel,” Evans said. “I’m just hoping that light we’re seeing at the end of the tunnel isn’t a train. But we are excited and we do feel like we’re turning the corner.”

 

   After a combined eight wins in the previous two years, NSU improved to 9-10 last season, albeit a 1-5 LSC record.

   Sixth-year head coach Bobby Peterson will look to junior defender Michael Wilson sophomore midfielder Cory Cipollone to once again lead the defensive charge for the RiverHawks. Both Wilson and Cipollone were first-team All-LSC selections last year.

   Cipollone and senior midfielder Zach Schmoker led the team with four assists each.

   Junior midfielders Alex Novoa (three goals in 2009) and Andre Hernandez should provide some stability as well.

   Juniors Andrai Hill and Josh Hughes are also expected to make big contributions in 2010.

 

   First-year head coach Chase Wooten takes over a program that has seen six straight losing seasons, including a 5-11-1 record in 2009 with a 1-8-1 conference mark.

   Wooten has his hands full in an always-competitive LSC race. But the sophomore forward Rachel Sordahl and junior defender Melissa Michelsen – two All-LSC honorable mention picks in 2009, should lead the way for the RiverHawks.

   Sordahl scored 13 of NSU’s 22 goals last year, including four game-winners. Her 13 goals tied for second in the LSC and she ranked third in the conference in shots on goal with 52. Michelsen started all 16 games last year and led the team in minutes played with 1,439.

   The RiverHawks will also get some help from senior midfielder Carina Martinez, sophomore midfielder Sibonet Quinones and junior forward Alli Tillemans.