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.

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