https://lionsports.net/news/2023/8/1...nebackers.aspx

HAMMOND, La. – The reigning Southland Conference champion Southeastern Louisiana University football team features a linebacking corps that has a mix of experienced veterans and talented newcomers.

SLU returns its top three tacklers – Donte' Daniels (87 tackles in 2022), Herman Christophe IV (79) and Anthony Britton Jr. (73) – at the position. Head coach Frank Scelfo has been pleased during preseason practice with how the linebacker room's veterans and newcomers have competed.

"We have several veterans in the linebacker group that have played a lot of good football for us," Scelfo commented. "But we've brought in some newcomers that have definitely increased that group's overall athleticism. The entire linebacking group is playing with good energy."

Second-year linebacker coach Dustin Landry echoed many of Scelfo's thoughts when providing his camp impressions on his group.

"We're two weeks in and we've been pleased with the growth of the room," Landry commented. "We return a lot of production from last year, but we're starting from ground zero. We have some newcomers who've fit in well in our room and our veterans have done well from a communication and leadership standpoint."

Landry has been pleased with the way Daniels, Christophe IV, Britton Jr. and KK Reno have shown the newest Lions the way.

"We've been mixing reps between veterans and newcomers throughout," Landry commented. "We've had Herman out there with Jordan Okoye, or Britton with Lemar Harris, or KK Reno and Jirrea Johnson Jr. Those young guys aren't where the veterans are from a knowledge or experience point, but one of our sayings for our veterans is 'ABC – Always Be Coaching' and our newcomers are coming along as far as understanding how we practice and work."

Landry didn't single any newcomer for praise, but has seen positive flashes from all the new faces in the room.

"All of our new guys have had a couple of really good days," Landry said. "There's not one guy that's head and shoulders above the other new ones, but they've all had individual days where they've shown what we projected them to be when we signed them."

Landry also didn't want to look too far ahead as far as end-of-season goals for his group.

"We don't look ahead to the end of the fall," Landry concluded. "It's a day-by-day approach. We want to stack the good days, build on the work and trust the process. If we can do that, we'll give ourselves a chance to be successful in the end."

The Lions will return to the practice field Friday at 9 a.m.