MARSHALL, Minn. - Southwest Minnesota State University begins its 43rd season of college football under the direction of first-year head coach Cory Sauter on Wednesday.  The team reported yesterday morning with equipment check-in and various team meetings.  The Mustangs have 108 players on the roster and return 42 letterwinners, including six starters on offense, six starters on defense and two specialists.

The Mustangs will practice once daily from Aug. 12 through Aug. 16 as part of the NCAA acclimatization process.  The first practice in full pads will be Monday, Aug. 16.  SMSU will have just a pair of two-a-day practices during fall camp with the first on Tuesday, Aug. 17 and the second on Saturday, Aug. 21.  The Mustangs are scheduled to practice the first six days of camp from 9:15 to 11:15 a.m., while two-a-day practices will be held at 9:15-11:15 a.m. and 3:45 p.m.-5:45 p.m.

Once classes at SMSU begin on Monday, Aug. 23, the team?will practice regularly at 3:45 p.m.

SMSU opens the season on Thursday, Sept. 2 with a non-conference home game versus Northern State at the Regional Event Center starting at 6 p.m.  The Mustangs finished the 2009 season with a 5-6 record overall, including 4-6 in the Northern Sun intracollegiate Conference.  SMSU was picked ninth overall in the 14-team NSIC preseason poll and fifth in the seven-team NSIC South Division.