PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Legendary television broadcaster Verne Lundquist will serve as the emcee next week as the American Athletic Conference holds its annual Summer Kickoff and Media Days July 15-16 in Newport, Rhode Island.
Lundquist, who has served as a leading sports broadcaster for 56 years, will host The American's signature preseason event for the second time in three years. He will join a group of 42 student-athletes and 12 head coaches who will be on hand to mark the unofficial start of the 2019 college football season.
This year's attending players include Houston quarterback D'Eriq King, who scored 50 touchdowns in 2018 and has been tabbed as a Heisman Trophy candidate for the coming season. King is one of 12 all-conference selections form 2018 who will be in Newport as he joins center Jordan Johnson, safety Richie Grant and wide receiver Gabe Davis from UCF, tight end Josiah Deguara from Cincinnati, tight end Mitchell Wilcox from USF, wide receiver Pop Williams from Memphis, linebacker Shaun Bradley, wide receiver Isaiah Wright and offensive guard Jovahn Fair from Temple, defensive end Patrick Johnson from Tulane and linebacker Cooper Edmiston from Tulsa.
Live coverage of The American's Summer Kickoff and Media Days will begin Monday, July 15, at 7 p.m. ET, as the American Digital Network originates from the event's signature New England-style clambake. Hali Oughton will be joined by Andy Katz and Andy Gresh for coverage of one of the most highly anticipated events on the college football calendar.
Coverage continues Tuesday, July 16, on the American Digital Network with the announcement of the conference's preseason media poll. Commissioner Mike Aresco will give his annual remarks at 9 a.m., while Lundquist will moderate a series of roundtable discussions with The American's head coaches as well as a student-athlete panel. Hali Oughton and Andy Gresh will anchor the Tuesday-morning coverage.
ESPN3 will air a two-hour program from Newport as well Tuesday afternoon. Mike Couzens and Rene Ingoglia will anchor the coverage, which will include interviews with all 12 head coaches, as well as Commissioner Aresco.
ATTENDEES LINEUP
subject to change
UCF
Head Coach Josh Heupel
Gabriel Davis WR
Richie Grant S
Jordan Johnson OL
Cincinnati
Head Coach Luke Fickell
Josiah Deguara TE
Chris Ferguson OT
Morgan James OG
Bryan Wright LB
UConn
Head Coach Randy Edsall
Luke Magliozzi P
Matt Peart OL
Eli Thomas LB
Donovan Williams WR
ECU
Head Coach Mike Houston
Deondre Farrier WR
Alex Turner DT
Houston
Head Coach Dana Holgorsen
Aymiel Fleming DL
Josh Jones OL
D'Eriq King QB
Dane Roy P
Memphis
Head Coach Mike Norvell
Austin Hall LB
Patrick Taylor RB
Pop Williams WR
Dustin Woodard OL
Navy
Head Coach Ken Niumatalolo
Marcus Edwards DT
Ford Higgins C
USF
Head Coach Charlie Strong
Blake Barnett QB
Kirk Livingstone DE
Greg Reaves DE
Mitchell Wilcox TE
SMU
Head Coach Sonny Dykes
Rodney Clemons S
Hayden Howerton OL
Richard Moore LB
Temple
Head Coach Rod Carey
Shaun Bradley LB
Jovahn Fair OL
Chapelle Russell LB
Isaiah Wright WR
Tulane
Head Coach Willie Fritz
Darius Bradwell RB
P.J. Hall S
Patrick Johnson DE
Darnell Mooney WR
Tulsa
Head Coach Philip Montgomery
Cooper Edmiston LB
Trevis Gipson DE
Chris Ivy OT
Corey Taylor RB
