The Full Story can be Read on the STL Post Dispatch Website
Having 30 of 35 voters pick his team to win a third straight conference title doesn't faze Southern Illinois-Carbondale coach Dale Lennon. After all, he reckons the Salukis have had a bull's-eye on them a few years now considering they've been to seven straight FCS playoffs — second only to Montana's 17 berths in a row.
What he frets over is the potential distraction of SIUC's first new stadium since before World War II. Much as he likes gazing out his new office window into the gleaming 15,000-seat Saluki Stadium, Lennon said, "What we need to do is keep our feet on the ground."
But what SIUC says is the first new FCS stadium built since 2005 represents a radical change in Carbondale from the dilapidated McAndrew Stadium that was the team's home the last 73 seasons.
The new facility features more than 1,000 chairback seats, a two-story press box with luxury suites, spiffy locker rooms, a 20-by-40 foot scoreboard with video replay and, at last, modern restrooms.
The stadium is the result of the $83 million Saluki Way campaign, which also is going toward renovations of SIU Arena.
Starting with the opener Sept. 2 against Quincy, the changes figure to enhance the fan experience dramatically. While SIUC will be hard-pressed to duplicate last season's 8-0 Missouri Valley Conference mark, Lennon hopes the product on the field can continue to be just as appealing despite the team returning only nine starters.
"We've got to make sure we're focusing on our preparation each week," he said in the league's preseason conference call Monday.
