Nashville, Tenn. – A trio of RMU football student-athletes were named to the 2023 Big South-OVC Association Watch List Tuesday. The announcement came as part of Big South-OVC Association Media Day at the Sheraton Music City Hotel.
Named to the 2023 Big South-OVC Preseason Watch List were redshirt senior linebackers
Joe Casale and
Jamar Shegog and fifth-year punter
George Souders III.
Casale, a native of Troy, N.Y., established himself in his first year with the Colonials in 2022 after transferring from UAlbany. In eight games, Casale led the Colonials in tackles with 70, including a team-high 11 for losses. He also finished with a sack, interception, pass breakup and quarterback hurry throughout the 2022 campaign.
On four occasions during the year, Casale, who was named to the 2022 All-Big South Second Team, registered double-digit tackles. In his RMU debut against Dayton (9/3) at Joe Walton Stadium, Casale posted a career-high 13 stops, including 10 solo takedowns and four-and-a-half for losses that totaled 10 yards. Included in his performance against the Flyers was his lone sack of the year. Casale has appeared in 40 career games during his NCAA Division I career and owns 134 career tackles, including 80 solo.
Shegog, a native of Pittsburgh, Pa., appeared in five games during the 2022 season, recording 25 tackles, including 13 of the solo variety. He also added a forced fumble, pass breakup and quarterback hurry. Named to the 2021 All-Big South Second Team as well as earning a spot HERO Sports 2020-21 Freshman All-America Team, Shegog has compiled 132 career tackles in 19 games with the Colonials, 67 of which are solo takedowns. He finished with a career-high 78 tackles, including two-and-a-half sacks, during the 2021 season.
Souders, a native of Waynesboro, Pa., enters his fifth season with the Colonials having provided a steady presence on special teams. In addition to serving as holder for point after attempts and field goals, Souders has posted a career average of 38.4 yards per punt during his tenure at RMU. Entering the 2023 season, Souders has compiled 7,448 career punting yards, which ranks fourth in program history.
In addition to the 2023 Big South-OVC Preseason Watch List, Southeast Missouri was named the favorite in the first season of the association by league head coaches. The Redhawks earned six first-place votes in accruing 96 total points. Gardner-Webb (86 points), the defending Big South champion, earned a pair of first-place tallies and was picked to finish second. Also earning first-place votes with one each were UT Martin (85), tabbed to finish third, and Tennessee Tech (58), which was selected fourth.
Led by head coach
Bernard Clark, Jr., who enters his sixth year at the helm of the Colonials in 2023, RMU returns 16 starters, including eight on defense. In addition to the return of Casale at linebacker, the Colonials will be bolstered by the return of linebackers
Tony Brown and
Bradley Magee as well as
William Barber,
Dakarai Cabell and
Gregory Young II in the secondary. Combined, the trio of Barber, Cabell and Young II finished with 125 tackles last season, including 60 from Cabell, as well as a pair of interceptions.
Four starters return on the offensive line for the Colonials in 2023, including senior
Hayden Baron at right guard. Baron, a native of Perryopolis, Pa., has started 24 consecutive games on the offensive line for the Colonials and was named to the 2022 Big South All-Academic Team.
RMU opens its 2023 season Saturday, Sept. 2, at Air Force in a 1:00 p.m. ET kickoff before returning home to Joe Walton Stadium to host in-state rival Saint Francis for its 2023 home opener. Kickoff is 6:00 p.m.
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