Southern changes: staying on top with a new look


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CEDAR CITY — Typically a defending conference champion is prime for another big season, but Southern Utah found itself middle of the pack in the Big Sky preseason coaches and media polls after winning the conference for the first time last season.

The Thunderbirds were picked to finish seventh in both polls, and there’s plenty of factors for that.

Head coach Ed Lamb left to take over as assistant head coach at BYU, three of the team’s major defensive standouts (James Cowser, Miles Killebrew and LeShaun Sims) are now off in the NFL and there’s a new quarterback under center.

On top of that, SUU has a grueling schedule that includes both Utah and BYU, as well as two fellow FCS playoff participants from last year, and Big Sky favorite Northern Arizona.

However, even with the offseason departures, the expectations within the program remain at an all-time high. A program that hadn’t made the FCS postseason until the 2013 season, the T-Birds are eying a third appearance in four years this season.

Though SUU did lose its famed defensive trio and also offensive leader Ammon Olsen, there is optimism in what the T-Birds retained.

“We did lose some key guys and they were great for our team last year, but most of the guys that we had last year are back,” SUU punter Tate Lewis said during Big Sky’s football media convention. “I think it comes down to us recognizing that and realizing that we still have a great team and we can still do big things. That’s what we should expect. As long as we have that belief, I think we’ll do a good job.”

The team’s leading rusher, Malik Brown, returns, along with three of SUU’s four leading rushers from 2015. Mike Sharp, who caught 13 touchdown passes last season, returns as the T-Birds’ top receiver. Four of SUU’s top five receivers from last season are returning.

Former BYU quarterback McCoy Hill transferred to SUU in the offseason and is expected to play a factor for the T-Birds as well at the offensive position.

While SUU only returns two of its top five leading tacklers, the T-Birds receive the timely return of linebacker Zak Browning, who returned from an LDS mission. Browning compiled 212 tackles over his first two seasons at SUU and was 2012 Big Sky freshman of the year.

That’s just a rough overview of who the T-Birds have on the field because perhaps the key returning name from last year’s team is on the sideline. Demario Warren, the T-Birds’ new head coach, comes in after serving as the defensive coordinator last season. Prior to his time as defensive coordinator, he served as SUU’s defensive backs coach.

Since joining the SUU staff, he learned under Lamb and also former SUU defensive coordinator and current Utah linebackers head coach Justin Ena. Those helped give the T-Birds the atmosphere the program has prided itself on in the Lamb era, and one that Warren hopes to carry into 2016 as a glue to the team’s previous successes.

“That’s what it’s all about — just to make sure we keep that family atmosphere,” Warren said. “That’s the most important thing with Southern Utah football. Are we a family? Are we going in the right direction?”

The overall feeling in the locker room heading into the 2016 season is that SUU is heading in the right direction even with all the changes.

“Coach Warren has done a great job — I wouldn’t even say he’s kept the momentum but I’d say he has built even more momentum for our team,” Lewis said. “He was a familiar coach to all of us so we were already excited to have him to be our head coach. He has brought a ton of enthusiasm and energy. He expects that to be matched by his other coaches and by the players.”

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