Lights open a new season at full strength

Jerome Souers is on a mission to make sure the Montana State University-Northern football program is headed in the right direction.

And as a new season dawns, in more ways then one, it looks like he's doing just that. Northern opens their season tonight at Mayville State, a squad the Lights beat Mayville 14-0 a year ago for their only victory.

But more then just winning, Souers is trying to rebuild the program to be sustainable longterm, and with 100 players out for the team this season, he as things going in the right direction.

"(The) first team meeting had 21 guys. Our first season had 42 and then last year, we played with 58. This year, we'll have 100," Souers said at Frontier Conference Media Day last month. " We're building the football program in depth, starting to gain some experience."

"We expect to see improvements in year three for us," Souers added.

Improvements will be measured in different ways as the Lights embark on a tough schedule. Northern's season-opening game at Mayville is against a team the Lights have beaten three out of the last four years, but beyond the Comets, Northern has struggled in the Frontier. MSU_N will play its first two games on the road, as the Lights travel to Rocky Mountain College Sept. 7 before opening Frontier play at home against Arizona Christian on Sept. 21.

MSU-N's second bye week closes out September, while the Lights visit Carroll College Oct. 5, and Eastern Oregon Oct. 12. MSU-N's second home game doesn't come until Oct. 19 against playoff powerhouse The College of Idaho, before returning to the road to face Southern Oregon Oct. 26.

Northern hosts Montana Western Nov. 2 and finishes the regular season at home against RMC Nov. 16. In between is a game against Montana Tech Nov. 16.

The Lights have more depth and a lot of new faces all over the field this season, but they'll also have key leaders back on the field, including linebacker Lucas Thacker, Cannan Smith, Mason Dionne, Spencer and Ben Lehnerz, and Braydon Cline among others.

Northern opens the new season tonight at Mayville State.Kickoff is set for 6 p.m. in Mayville, North Dakota.