The Weber State University football team is preparing for the upcoming fall season after a turbulent summer, which saw newly hired John L. Smith leave without ever coaching a game.

Smith, who was hired in the spring following the retirement of Ron McBride, left WSU and returned to the University of Arkansas, where he was named interim head coach.

WSU named Jody Sears as the interim head coach for the upcoming season. Sears came to WSU in the spring as defensive coordinator. He will continue to act as the defensive coordinator for the upcoming season.

The Wildcats also recently announced they will be playing a home-and-home series with Stephen F. Austin University in 2013 and 2014.

WSU will host the Lumberjacks on Aug. 31, 2013 for their home opener. The following year, WSU will travel to Nachogdoches, Texas, to take on SFAU, a member of the Southland Conference.

The two teams have never met, and WSU is 1-3 against teams from the Southland Conference.

This season, the Wildcats will take on another Southland Conference team when they face McNeese State University on Sept. 15, in WSU’s first home game of the season.