Campbellsville

Coach: Perry Thomas (17-17 in three seasons at Campbellsville)

Last season: 7-5 overall; 5-1 and second in Mid-South Conference East

Outlook: Campbellsville finished second in its division last season, and Thomas thinks his team has what it takes to get over the hump this season.

"Attitude-wise, and talent-wise, we've come a long way," said the fourth-year head coach. "We've been runner-up in our conference the last two years. We feel like we can compete now, but we've got a tough conference."

Offensively, Thomas said the Tigers have to get more consistent at quarterback after suffering several injuries at that position last season. He said the offensive attack will be in good shape with junior Stan Warrenhuffman at wide receiver — a player Thomas said is an All-American candidate.

"Defensively, we just have to get better in the box stopping teams," he said. "We've gotta close that gap and be tough in the box."

Key players: WR Stan Warrenhuffman; RB/WR Gerwan Brewer; OL Alex Zimmerman; QB Nathan Cooper (out last year with a shoulder injury); DB Jeff Demary; DL William Harris; LB Dwight Houston

Cole Claybourn

Tigers' schedule

(Home games in all caps; all times local to school)

Date Opponent Time

Sept. 1 UNION 7 p.m.

Sept. 10 CUMBERLAND 7 p.m.

Sept. 17 at Wisconsin-Whitewater 1 p.m.

Sept. 24 at Lindsey Wilson 8 p.m.

Oct. 1 PIKEVILLE 1:30 p.m.

Oct. 8 at Georgetown 1:30 p.m.

Oct. 15 CUMBERLANDS 2 p.m.

Oct. 22 at Faulkner 2:30 p.m.

Oct. 29 at Kentucky Christian Noon

Nov. 5 WEST VIRGINIA TECH 1:30 p.m.

Nov. 12 VIRGINIA-WISE 1:30 p.m.

Centre

Coach: Andy Frye (78-51 in 13 seasons at Centre)

Last season: 6-4 overall; 3-3 and tied for third in the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference

Outlook: Frye knows how the Colonels can improve on last season's record: limit mental mistakes.

"That's something we tried to emphasize this spring," he said. "We've got the talent to be competitive — we were a pretty good football team last year toward the end of the year. We were playing at the end of the season like I hoped we would all year."

The Colonels won their final two games, against Trinity and LaGrange, in convincing fashion.

But the big question, as is the case with many teams, is whether the Colonels can stay healthy, Frye said.

"When you get a good football player who gets hurt, you're playing with a backup who's likely two years or so away from being a starter," he said.

Quarterback Tyler Osterman and running back Jonathan Pinque are both four-year starters, and Frye said he's expecting a lot out of them.

Defensively, Frye said it will come down to how quickly his younger players can develop. The defensive line needs to develop as well.

"We have the talent," he said. "We'll be competitive against everyone we play; we just need to execute and stay healthy."

Key players: QB Tyler Osterman; WR Jason Osterman; RB Jonathan Pinque; TE John Coomer; OL Ben Hume; FS Ryan Gallas; DE Cooper McGwire; FS Thomas Kent; LB Jared Ferguson

Cole Claybourn

Colonels' Schedule

Date Opponent Time

Sept. 3 at Hanover 1 p.m.

Sept. 17 WASHINGTON & LEE 7:30 p.m.

Sept. 24 AUSTIN 2:30 p.m.

Oct. 1 at DePauw 1 p.m.

Oct. 15 at Birmingham Southern 1 p.m.

Oct. 22 SEWANEE 2:30 p.m.

Oct. 29 at Millsaps 1 p.m.

Nov. 5 at Trinity 1:30 p.m.

Nov. 12 RHODES 1:30 p.m.

Cumberlands

Coach: John Bland (40-15 in five seasons at Cumberlands)

Last season: 7-4 overall; 5-1 and first the in Mid-South Conference West

Outlook: Cumberlands will be looking to keep an impressive streak going this season by winning a fifth straight Mid-South Conference division championship. The Patriots were picked to win the West division this season after receiving four first-place votes in the pre-season coaches poll.

"This ranking is a credit to our 2010 team and what tradition that they have built," Bland said. "The West is very strong. It will be a challenge for our team as always to finish No. 1, but that is our goal."

Bland said the Patriots have some good players coming back, but they'll have to be fortunate and avoid injuries.

Quarterback Jay Bright is a third-year starter, and Bland thinks he has an All-American candidate in running back Terrance Cobb."Our conference is really strong. and it'll take a lot of commitment from our players," he said.

Key players: QB Jay Bright; RB Terrance Cobb; RB Justin Pritchett; FS Brendan Kelly; LB Weston Hazelhurst

Cole Claybourn

Patriots' schedule

Date Opponent Time

Sept. 3 WALSH Noon

Sept. 10 VIRGINIA-WISE 1:30 p.m.

Sept. 17 at Georgetown 1:30 p.m.

Sept. 24 BETHEL 1:30 p.m.

Oct. 1 at Union Noon

Oct. 15 at Campbellsville 2 p.m.

Oct. 22 SHORTER 1:30 p.m.

Oct. 29 BELHAVEN 1:30 p.m.

Nov. 5 at Faulkner 2:30 p.m.

Nov. 12 at Cumberland 1 p.m.

Georgetown

Coach: Bill Cronin (133-35 in 14 years at Georgetown)

Last season: 8-3 overall; 6-0 and first place in the Mid-South Conference East Division and overall; lost in first round of NAIA playoffs

Returning starters: 19

Outlook: The Tigers are No. 9 in the NAIA pre-season coaches' poll, their first time to crack the pre-season top 10 in that poll since 2007. In addition, Georgetown is No. 6 in the Victory Sports Network poll. QB Kaelin Ammons headlines an offensive unit that returns the nucleus of a team that averaged 46.1 points a game last season (fifth-best in the NAIA.) Also back are three of his favorite receivers in Chris Gohman, Coty Minnis and Rashad Mason. Matt Byrd, a pre-season all-American, anchors the offensive line. The Tigers also have most of their players back from a defensive unit that gave up 26.9 points a game last season, 23.8 in divisional play.

Question marks: Who will step up on a defensive unit that lost All-American Kyle Anderson to graduation? Coming off their first post-season appearance since 2006, will the Tigers be able to take things a step further this year?

Five players to watch

QB Kaelin Ammons: With pre-season All-America recognition from several media outlets, Ammons is coming off a season in which he completed 200 of 340 passes for 2,865 yards and 34 touchdowns. He also rushed 66 times for 398 yards and six TDs, earning Offensive Player of the Year honors in the MSC. All that after spending his first two seasons at wide receiver.

OL Matt Byrd: Also a pre-season All-American, the 6-5, 310-pounder from Woodford County helped the Tigers to top-25 national rankings in first downs per game, scoring, yards gained, pass offense, rush offense, pass efficiency, third-down conversions and fourth-down conversions.

WR Coty Minnis: A 6-4 senior from Shelby County, he is coming off an all-conference season in which he had 385 receiving yards, with nine touchdowns.

OL Kyle Pettit: An all-conference pick as a junior last season, the 6-3, 290-pounder out of Pendleton County joined with Byrd & Co. to pave the way for the Tigers' high-powered offense to operate.

LB Zach Goebel: An all-conference pick and an All-America honorable mention as a junior last season, he finished last season with 28 solo tackles, 26 assists, four sacks, two pass breakups and an interception.

Mark Maloney

Tigers' schedule

Date Opponent Time

Sept. 3 at Ottawa 7 p.m.

Sept. 17 CUMBERLANDS 1:30 p.m.

Sept. 24 SHORTER 1:30 p.m.

Oct. 1 at Kentucky Christian 1:30 p.m.

Oct. 8 CAMPBELLSVILLE 1:30 p.m.

Oct. 15 at Pikeville 1:30 p.m.

Oct. 22 WEST VIRGINIA TECH 1:30 p.m.

Oct. 29 at Virginia-Wise 1:30 p.m.

Nov. 5 LINDSEY WILSON 1:30 p.m.

Nov. 12 at Belhaven 1:30 p.m.

Ky. Christian

Coach: Mike Furrey (In his first season at Kentucky Christian)

Last season: 0-12 overall (0-6 and seventh in Mid-South Conference East)

Outlook: Kentucky Christian is still seeing the troubles of a newly founded program, it finished last season winless in 12 tries. It won't get any easier for the Knights as they start the season with four straight road games and play just four of their 11 games at home. Before switching to coaching, Mike Furrey played eight seasons in the NFL with the Rams, Lions and Browns. He suffered a concussion in training camp with the Redskins in 2010 and decided to retire.

Knights' schedule

Date Opponent Time

Aug. 27 at Southern Virginia 7 p.m.

Sept. 1 at Morehead State 7 p.m.

Sept. 10 at Union Noon

Sept. 17 at Cumberland 1:30 p.m.

Oct. 1 GEORGETOWN 1:30 p.m.

Oct. 8 at Virginia-Wise 6 p.m.

Oct. 15 WEST VIRGINIA TECH 1:30 p.m.

Oct. 22 at Lindsey Wilson 1:30 p.m.

Oct. 29 CAMPBELLSVILLE Noon

Nov. 5 BETHEL 1:30 p.m.

Nov. 12 at Pikeville 1:30 p.m.

Kentucky State

Coach: Wayne Dickens, 9-13 in two seasons at Kentucky State

Last season: 3-8 overall; 2-7 in the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

Outlook: The Thorobreds will be looking to bounce back from a disappointing 2010 season. If pre-season awards mean anything, it looks like 2011 could be the bounce-back year they're looking for.

The Thorobreds, picked to finish third in the SIAC West division, landed seven players on the pre-season all-conference team, including five on offense. Offensive lineman Jessie Mitchell was named to the first team offense and was one of three KSU offensive linemen named to the all-conference team. Mitchell was selected offensive lineman of the week once last season, and was named to the 2010 SIAC All-Conference offensive second team.

Key players: OL Jesse Mitchell; OL Jared Garrett; OL Ky'Ayre Hubert; QB Jerrel Noland; TE Javon Washington; DE Carlos Ware; DB Keith Massey

Cole Claybourn

Thorobreds' schedule

Date Opponent Time

Sept. 4 at Central State 5 p.m.

Sept. 10 LINCOLN 5 p.m.

Sept. 17 STILLMAN 7 p.m.

Sept. 24 at Kentucky Wesleyan 8 p.m.

Oct. 1 at Albany State 2:30 p.m.

Oct. 8 FORT VALLEY STATE 1:30 p.m.

Oct. 15 at Miles 7 p.m.

Oct. 22 TUSKEGEE 1 p.m.

Oct. 29 at Lane 3 p.m.

Nov. 5 MOREHOUSE 1 p.m.

Ky. Wesleyan

Coach: Brent Holsclaw (17-47 in eight seasons at Kentucky Wesleyan)

Last season: 5-6 overall

Key players: Fifth-year senior quarterback Chris Owen is back after throwing for 2,842 yards and 30 touchdowns in 2010. "I think he will rewrite the record books," Coach Brent Holsclaw said. "If he has a year like he did last year, he will go down as one of best offensively that we've had." The running game will be by committee, including Lamont McMurry, a freshman from St. Xavier. "The sky is the limit for McMurry, he has got the tools," Holsclaw said.

Panthers' schedule

Date Opponent Time

Sept. 1 at Indianapolis 6 p.m.

Sept. 10 at Pikeville 5 p.m.

Sept. 17 SIENA HEIGHTS 1 p.m.

Sept. 24 KENTUCKY STATE 6 p.m.

Oct. 1 at Liberty 6 p.m.

Oct. 8 URBANA 1 p.m.

Oct. 15 MISSOURI S&T 1 p.m.

Oct. 22 at St. Joseph's Noon

Oct. 29 CENTRAL STATE 1 p.m.

Nov. 5 at Notre Dame (Ohio) Noon

Nov. 12 WILLIAM JEWELL 1 p.m.