Here’s a little story about a little commuter school that could. For years this university tried and tried and tried to get it right in the world of collegiate athletics but failed more times than it succeeded.

The poor guys tried their best, and in 1985 they really tried to keep a struggling football program going. There weren’t many people in the home stadium, they weren’t making money while the economy was dying and the program soon became tiny campus’ albatross.

And on Jan. 13, 1986, football died at Southeastern Louisiana University.

Strawberry Stadium then faced many dull and boring fall Saturday nights while simply aging through the next 17 years. The man who ordered the end of football &045; university president J. Larry Crain &045; had his popularity level fall between that of Carrot Top and a tree stump in the community.

And everyone remembered how it used to be.

That all ended a little over a year ago. Boosters raised millions of dollars to restart the program. The administration said yes, and athletic officials went out and hired a proven gunslinger in former Kentucky head coach Hal Mumme.

What was a depressive state for 17 has ended. They’re starting to rejoice again at the little commuter school.

&uot;There’s a tremendous amount of excitement,&uot; Mumme said. &uot;We’ve sold most of the tickets in the stadium. They’re trying to figure out how to get bleachers in the end zone. We’ve got a new weight room and a new locker room. We’re really happy.&uot;

The return of Lion football couldn’t have made a bigger splash than hiring Mumme. The man who led the Wildcats to its highest point ever fell off the radar after quit amid a recruiting scandal, one in which investigators cleared Mumme but disciplined a recruiting coordinator.

So of all places for Mumme to resurface, he’s done it at a school whose only claim to major athletic fame in the last 20 years is two quick exits at the NCAA baseball tournament.

&uot;I’ve always been intrigued by people who have started programs,&uot; Mumme said. &uot;I think there are so many schools that drop football. When you get an administration and boosters who want to restart it, it’s a good thing.&uot;

Mumme’s hiring drew headlines across the country, and he’s brought along defensive whiz Woody Widenhofer as coordinator. The schedule includes some of the better clubs in I-AA. The Lions will face powers McNeese State and Northwestern State this fall while facing other start-ups and mid-level competition, including a Nov. 1 date at Alcorn.

&uot;Our goal is to have a winning season,&uot; Mumme said. &uot;We’ll be pretty young. We’ve got a whole bunch of freshmen and red-shirt freshmen.&uot;

Football will officially return to SLU Aug. 30 against Arkansas-Monticello, but the story doesn’t end there. You see, the hack whose picture is at the top of this column graduated from that little commuter school, knows he must be neutral but just can’t end this without saying one thing.

Go Lions.

Adam Daigle

is sports editor of The Natchez Democrat. You can reach him at (601) 445-3632 or by e-mail at

adam.daigle@natchezdemocrat.com.