Griffons picked seventh, eighth in the preseason MIAA football polls

KANSAS CITY, Kan. – Missouri Western was picked seventh by the coaches and eighth by the media in the MIAA preseason football polls.

Defending MIAA and national champion Northwest Missouri was tabbed first in both polls, followed by Emporia State and Central Missouri, respectively. The top-six remained the same in both polls with the coaches slotting MWSU seventh, and the media picking Central Oklahoma to be one spot better than the Griffons. The only other difference between the polls was a flip-flop of Missouri Southern and Northeastern State for the 10th and 11th spots.

2017 MIAA Preseason Coaches Poll
1. Northwest Missouri (9) – 118
2. Emporia State (2) – 108
3. Central Missouri (1) – 106
4. Pittsburg State – 88
5. Fort Hays State – 83
6. Washburn – 71
7. Missouri Western – 58
8. Central Oklahoma – 51
9. Lindenwood – 37
10. Northeastern State – 31
11. Missouri Southern – 24
12. Nebraska-Kearney – 17

2017 MIAA Preseason Media Poll
1. Northwest Missouri (36) – 464
2. Emporia State (3) – 421
3. Central Missouri – 383
4. Pittsburg State – 347
5. Fort Hays State – 316
6. Washburn – 262
7. Central Oklahoma – 227
8. Missouri Western – 215
9. Lindenwood – 145
10. Missouri Southern – 108
11. Northeastern State – 102
12. Nebraska-Kearney – 52

The coaches have the Griffons slotted where the team finished after a 4-7 season in 2016. The 2017 Griffons will feature an entirely new coaching staff, including first-year head coach Matt Williamson, but the team will have more than 18 players who started games a season ago.

Headlining that group of returners is 2016 first team All-MIAA running back Joshua Caldwell. In his sophomore season, Caldwell led the MIAA with 1,408 rushing yards. Virtually all the offensive skill position starters from last year are back, including Skyler Windmiller who enters his senior season ranked in the top-five of several career passing statistics. Defensively, five 2016 All-MIAA selections are back, including leading tackler and second team All-MIAA selection Donte Watkins.

The 2017 season kicks off in Kearney, Nebraska for Missouri Western. The Griffons open at Nebraska-Kearney under the lights at 7:00 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 31. The home opener is Sept. 1 against Missouri Southern.

— MWSU Athletics —