Football Features New Look in '09

TAHLEQUAH, Okla. --- Spring football drills are winding down at Northeastern State University (OK). With each passing day, enthusiasm and expectations grow as head coach Kenny Evans and staff prepare the RiverHawks for the 2009 campaign.

Despite the season opener is still some four months away, it doesn't hide the fact this squad will be more skilled and experienced than what Evans inherited when he took over the reins a little more than a year ago.

If the adage, "Perception is reality" applies, the RiverHawks are headed for a breakout year in 2009. In addition to elevating talent at several key positions on both sides of the ball, a new look for Northeastern State's football program is being unveiled this year. Uniform jerseys, with a return to the true Northeastern State green, and a redesigned helmet logo will be donned by the RiverHawks when they take the field on Aug. 27 against Arkansas Tech.

"Northeastern State is green and white. Among those alumni who have offered an opinion since I took the job, this topic ranks at the very top," said Evans. "It is important to them, and to us, that green is the prominent color of our uniforms.

"Our student-athletes love the new jerseys and helmet logos. I believe the new look will compliment the new product we'll put on the field this year as we emphasize returning to the winning traditions of those successful teams in our historic past."

The helmet decal shows the head of the RiverHawk, which swoops from the crown of the helmet to the back. The jerseys feature green fronts and back, white numbers and piping along the side, with black covering the shoulder pads. Black is an accent color to Northeastern State's official color scheme.

Jeff Konya, Director of Athletics, says several factors were used to determine the final design.

"We tried to create a very unique look with the football RiverHawks brand," said Konya. "In doing so, we wanted to leverage its marketability by favorably comparing our new uniform look to the popular ones in the marketplace. It definitely is cachet and will be something our alumni and fans can rally around this fall."

Northeastern State will conclude spring drills on Saturday, Apr. 18, with its annual Green & White Scrimmage at Memorial Stadium in Broken Arrow. The event begins at 3:30 p.m. Admission is free but fans are encouraged to bring a canned food donation with proceeds benefiting Broken Arrow Neighbors.

Also, Northeastern State University will present "A Conversation With Larry Coker: An Onstage Interview with John Klein," the final event in the Centennial Lectureship Series, on Saturday, April 18 at 1 p.m. in the Building A Auditorium on the NSU - Broken Arrow campus. Admission is free and will be available by ITV in NET 614 in Tahlequah.

Coker, a 1970 graduate of Northeastern State, is the current head coach at the University of Texas-San Antonio and former head football coach of the Miami Hurricanes. Coker will be available to sign autographs after the lecture, as well as halftime of the Spring Game.

NOTE: Directions to Broken Arrow High School's Memorial Stadium - Exit the Broken Arrow Expressway (Highway 51) at Lynn Lane. Go north on Lynn Lane to Albany (E. 61^st Street). Turn right (east) and proceed to County Line Road (E. 193^rd E. Ave.).