NORMAL, Ill. – Illinois State football fans who enjoyed the behind-the-scenes Redbird football series "The Next Step" last fall can get caught up with what the team has done during the offseason in preparation for 2015, as Redbird Productions will produce four, 30-minute episodes which will be broadcast on Comcast SportsNet Chicago beginning Aug. 13.
Comcast SportsNet Chicago, which is the television home for the most comprehensive coverage of the Chicago Blackhawks, Bulls, Cubs and White Sox, is available on most cable outlets in the state of Illinois, as well as on DirecTV and Dish Network. The four-part mini-series is scheduled to air on Thursdays, with the first slated for Aug. 13 at 5 p.m. The remaining episodes will follow each Thursday in the same time slot leading up to the Redbirds' season-opener against Big Ten Conference foe Iowa on Sept. 5.
"The Next Step" presented by Country Financial, takes an in-depth look inside Redbird football and chronicles the offseason work the team has put in, with hopes of making another championship run to Frisco, Texas. In 2014, Illinois State won a share of the Missouri Valley Football Conference title and posted a school-record 13 wins on its way to FCS National Championship, where the Redbirds lost a heartbreaker to four-time defending national champion North Dakota State.
The series will feature exclusive behind-the-scenes access with the Redbird football program from team meetings, team-building exercises, work in the community and offseason training. A variety of guests, including head coach Brock Spack, offensive coordinator Kurt Beathard and defensive coordinator Spence Nowinsky break down the roster, and players such as preseason All-Americans Tre Roberson and Teddy Corwin will give their perspective from the eyes of the student-athlete.
For channel information, click on the "fans" tab on GoRedbirds.com and select CSN Chicago Channel Finder. Once there, type in the ZIP code where the broadcast will be watched, and a complete channel listing will appear for cable and satellite providers in that area.
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