Lions 10th, 11th in MIAA polls

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August 6, 2012

Lions 10th, 11th in MIAA polls

By Jim Henry Globe Sports Editor The Joplin Globe Mon Aug 06, 2012, 11:45 PM CDT

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — After two conference victories and three wins overall last season, Missouri Southern is 10th in the MIAA coaches preseason football poll and one spot lower in the media poll.

New Lions head coach Daryl Daye gave little attention to them.

“Never read them. Never,” he said at Monday’s conference media day at the Downtown Kansas City Marriott. “I’m not going to read them until we’re (No.) 1.

“We’ll see. Polls don’t matter much right now, but they’ll matter at the end of the year. That’s when I’ll read them.”

“It’s a sheet of paper,” senior defensive tackle Brandon Williams said. “It doesn’t happen until you get on the field. We’ll see when the season starts.”

“If anything, it motivates you,” senior wide receiver Landon Zerkel said. “It’s exciting to get started with some new teams we’re playing. It’s going to be an exciting year.”

The Lions report to campus on Wednesday and will hold their first practice on Thursday. The season opener is Aug. 30 at Central Oklahoma.

“I need a little more time (before practice starts). I haven’t met yet with the coaches this week,” Daye said with a laugh. “Coming here (to media day) and feeling this electricity, the emotions, the anticipation ... it’s happened every year of my life. My dad was a college football coach, and most of my coaches’ fathers were, too. Every year at this time since we’ve been alive, the volume turns up in the house. I can’t wait. Football is back.”

“I’m definitely looking forward to seeing everybody, seeing all the new guys we have, seeing how the team comes together,” Williams said. “You get into (practice) and it goes by so fast. As you’re doing it, (he first game) seems like it’s so far away, but it’s right around the corner.”

“At the beginning you think you have all the time in the world,” Zerkel said. “And then before you know it, you fall asleep and wake up and the first game is there. This is the last go-around for me. I’m just excited to get it going. I’m excited to be a senior and help lead this team.”

The Lions are back to an 11-game schedule this fall — 10 conference games plus a nonleague home game against South Dakota Mines on Oct. 6. The other home games are Sept. 8 against Northeastern State (coached by former MSSU defensive coordinator Kenny Evans), Sept. 22 against Southwest Baptist, Oct. 20 against Northwest Missouri State, Nov. 3 against Truman State and Nov. 10 against Pittsburg State.

With the conference growing to 15 schools, the Lions will not play Washburn, Emporia State, Fort Hays State or Nebraska-Kearney this season.