Southeast Football

Southeast Missouri State football coach Tom Matukewicz hired Jason Zerbach in January for the available position of Head Strength and Conditioning coach. However, the Redhawk program has received a lot more than simply that from the Wisconsin native.

In order to truly appreciate the magnificence of Southeast Missouri State senior linebacker Zach Hall, you have to study his play very closely.

When you wake up each day at 5 a.m. -- without an alarm -- to rise and undertake the first of multiple workouts, it is safe to say that you are a person with goals. Southeast Missouri State fifth-year wide receiver Kristian Wilkerson is definitely a driven young man and he has immersed himself in the "process" of becoming successful on and off the football field...

You can be assured that at 6:30 p.m. on August 29 at Houck Field, the score of the Southeast Missouri State vs. Southern Illinois football game will be 0-0. The fact the Redhawks were ranked 19th nationally Tuesday in the Athlon Sports Preseason Poll won't help them in any way...

The Southeast Missouri State football program had its best season in eight years last fall, as the Redhawks won nine of 13 games and were 15th nationally in the final poll. It was a fantastic season. And it means nothing as it pertains to winning football games in 2019.

Drew Forbes has spent months preparing for this moment. Since his college career ended this past fall following a historic season, Forbes has been training, attending multiple pro days and visiting the facilities of seven NFL teams. Now, the former Southeast Missouri State offensive lineman is simply playing the waiting game as the NFL draft continues tonight with the second and third round. ...

Southeast Missouri will wrap up the spring with its spring game at 2 p.m. Saturday at Houck Field. Senior defensive back and former Cape Girardeau Central alumnus Al Young spoke a familiar theme after one of the scrimmages, "taste." That taste was defeat in the second round of last season's playoffs to Weber State. It's also a taste head coach Tom Matukewicz said his players now expect after being in the postseason for the first time since 2010...

The Redhawks wrapped up their final team scrimmage Saturday at Houck Field in preparation for this week's spring game to close out practices. Head coach Tom Matukewicz seemed very pleased with the team's overall performance. "One thing that I was pleased is the effort from our specialists." he said. "We punted the ball very well and were perfect on two field goals." Place kickers Kendrick Tiller and Jake Reynolds were successful making 47-yard and 37-yard attempts, respectively...

Baseball season is here. The St. Louis Cardinals' season, an unofficial marker of spring for many in Southeast Missouri, is underway. That means summer, and more baseball, is that much closer. There's always been plenty of local baseball in June and July to satisfy area connoisseurs, from the Capahas to legion and Babe Ruth baseball. This summer, add a new team to the mix...

It's a small margin: less than a tenth of a second. But when preparing for the NFL draft as a prospect from a lesser-known program, every little detail matters. So Drew Forbes' goal heading into Tuesday was simple: get his 40-yard dash time down from 4.98 to 4.90. He did just that at the Southeast Missouri State football pro day at Houck Field, running a 4.9-flat...

The start of the football season is still months away, but much will be determined in the next four weeks as Southeast Missouri State football kicked off spring practice Monday afternoon at the Rosengarten Athletic Complex. For one, the first and second-string players will largely be set during the spring. It's also a period when new faces can gel, which is especially important for an offensive line unit losing four of its five starters...

For the first time since 2014 and for the second time in coach Tom Matukewicz's tenure, the Southeast Missouri State football team is playing a 12-game regular season schedule this fall. Southeast Missouri State football released its 2019 schedule Monday and it includes six home games and four non-conference games, including a Thursday night season opener against rival Southern Illinois and a Week 3 matchup at Football Bowl Subdivision program Missouri. ...

Two months ago, Southeast Missouri State announced a contract extension for football coach Tom Matukewicz. Coming off a season in which the program tied the school record for wins and won a Football Championship Subdivision playoff for the first time, it seemed like a logical decision...

National Signing Day doesn't carry quite the same significance as it has in the past with many recruits signing to a college program during the early signing period in December. Still, for fans across the country, including in Southeast Missouri, Wednesday represented the start of a new season...

A historic playoff victory led to the highest-ever ranking for the Southeast Missouri State football team. The Redhawks came in at No. 15 in the final Football Championship Subdivision STATS Media poll, released Monday. That's a new program record. Southeast was also No. 16 in the Coaches poll...

Zach Hall made history Friday night without even stepping onto a football field. The Southeast Missouri State linebacker, who just completed his junior season, became the program's first Football Championship Subdivision STATS Buck Buchanan Award winner, handed out annually to the nation's best defensive player...

Southeast Missouri State linebacker Zach Hall was named the 2018 Football Championship Subdivision Athletics Directors Association Defensive Player of the Year, the organization announced Thursday. Hall is also one of three finalists for the STATS FCS Buck Buchanan Award, given to the national defensive player of the year, which will be announced Friday...

Southeast Missouri State football coach Tom Matukewicz has been rewarded for a historic season. Less than a month after Southeast Missouri State football's first-ever Football Championship Subdivision playoff victory, athletic director Brady Barke announced a two-year extension for Matukewicz through the 2022 season. The contract officially runs through Jan. 31, 2023...

The Southeast Missouri State football team already has some local flavor in its 2019 signing class. The Redhawks added 16 players Wednesday, the start of a three-day early signing period. That group includes running back Q'Nairies Anderson, a running back from Charleston High School in Charleston, Missouri...

For the first time in program history, two Southeast Missouri State football players were named Walter Camp Football Foundation Football Championship Subdivision All-Americans as linebacker Zach Hall and left tackle Drew Forbes were honored Friday. The duo had already been named Associated Press FCS All-Americans earlier this week...

The Southeast Missouri State football team's season ended over a week ago, but the honors keep coming. Three Redhawks were named to the 2018 Associated Press Football Championship Subdivision All-America Team on Tuesday, with linebacker Zach Hall becoming the fifth player in program history to garner first-team honors. Seniors Marquis Terry and Drew Forbes were second-team offense selections...

Southeast Missouri State linebacker Zach Hall is coming off a record-setting season. Now, the junior has a chance to take home national defensive player of the year honors. Hall was one of the top three finalists for the STATS Football Championship Subdivision Buck Buchanan Award announced Tuesday, and that trio was invited to the STATS FCS Awards Banquet and Presentation on Jan. 4 in Frisco, Texas...

OGDEN, Utah — When Weber State football coach Jay Hill looks at the Southeast Missouri State program, he sees a lot of similarities. Yes, the Wildcats are the second seed in the Football Championship Subdivision playoffs, and Southeast hadn't won an FCS postseason game until last week. But last year, Weber State hosted an FCS postseason game for the first time in program history...

OGDEN, Utah — All season long the Southeast Missouri State football team thrived by following a simple formula: generate more turnovers than the opposition. The Redhawks entered Saturday's second-round Football Championship Subdivision playoff game first in the nation in turnover margin...

The Southeast Missouri State football team has no prior knowledge to fall back on. Once again, the Redhawks are in uncharted territory. In a season full of firsts and historic feats, this is the biggest one yet. Southeast is playing a second game in the Football Championship Subdivision playoffs for the first time ever. Win and the Redhawks are in the quarterfinals...

The Southeast Missouri State football team was in an offensive rut Saturday. For the first time all season, SEMO didn't score in the opening two quarters and faced its largest halftime deficit this year. With the offense struggling to move the ball, having amassed 103 yards in the first half, the defense jump-started the Redhawks by doing what it's done all season: forcing a turnover...

With the 14-point comeback completed, and a historic victory secured, Southeast Missouri State football quarterback Daniel Santacaterina took a few seconds to survey everything going on around him and soak in all the joy. A year ago, Santacaterina wasn’t on the roster at SEMO, which was coming off its seventh consecutive losing season. A playoff berth, let alone a victory, seemed far-fetched to most outside observers...

When the Southeast Missouri State football team takes the field Saturday, it will be making history. For the first time ever, the Redhawks are hosting a game in the Football Championship Subdivision playoffs. Thanks to a 38-32 win over Eastern Illinois last week, SEMO secured its best record in eight years and a place in the FCS postseason for the second time in school history...

The most successful season for the Southeast Missouri State football team in eight years was rewarded with three of the Ohio Valley Conference's top four awards Tuesday. Redhawks senior running back Marquis Terry was named the OVC Offensive Player of the Year, junior linebacker Zach Hall was selected OVC Defensive Player of the Year and coach Tom Matukewicz was the recipient of the Roy Kidd OVC Coach of the Year...

A day after the Southeast Missouri State football team received its second-ever berth to the Football Championship Subdivision playoff, coach Tom Matukewicz was tabbed as a finalist for the coach of the year award. The 15 finalists for the STATS FCS Eddie Robinson Award were revealed Monday, and Matukewicz was the Ohio Valley Conference's sole representative...

The Southeast Missouri State football team is headed to the playoffs. The No. 20 Redhawks received one of the 14 at-large bids to the Football Championship Subdivision playoffs when the 24-team field was announced Sunday morning in a live selection show on ESPNU...

Zion Custis caught the ball three yards from his own goal line with one thought in his mind: "make a play." He did just that. Seconds later, the Southeast Missouri State football freshman was raising his arms and strolling into the opposing end zone for a 97-yard kickoff return touchdown...

The Southeast Missouri State football team blew a chance to win a conference title last week, but there's still hope. While a heartbreaking, last-second loss to Murray State last week cost the Redhawks the Ohio Valley Conference championship, a playoff berth remains within reach...

On the back of a last-second loss, the Southeast Missouri State football team dropped to No. 23 in both the FCS Coaches and STATS Media polls. The Redhawks (7-3, 5-2 Ohio Valley Conference) lost to Murray State 40-38 on Saturday as the Racers scored the game-winning touchdown on a last-second kickoff return. ...

MURRAY, Ky. -- It's not often a coach says his team is too ready to play a football game, but Southeast Missouri State football coach Tom Matukewicz believes that may have been the case in his team's stunning 40-38 loss to Murray State on Saturday. Going into the game, the Redhawks controlled their own destiny. ...

The Southeast Missouri State football team heads into the final two weeks of the regular season with an advantage the program isn't used to: control over its destiny. If the Redhawks, who before this season hadn't had a winning season in eight years, win their final two games they will win the Ohio Valley Conference for the first time since 2010 and earn the automatic Football Championship Subdivision playoff berth that comes with it...

Voters are beginning to take notice of the Southeast Missouri State football team. Two days after winning its fifth consecutive game, SEMO moved up five spots in the Football Championship Subdivision Coaches Poll to No. 19 on Monday. The Redhawks also jumped four spots in the STATS FCS Media Poll to No. 21...

Justin Swift reached out and snagged the interception, changing the complexion of the game in an instant. Less than a minute into the second half, the Southeast Missouri State linebacker hauled in an under thrown pass near the goal line, and the offense did the rest, driving down the field for a touchdown and a 17-point lead...

It took the Southeast Missouri State football team less than three minutes to jump out to a two-possession lead Saturday. From there, the Redhawks didn't look back. SEMO never trailed in a 56-33 win over UT Martin in Ohio Valley Conference action Saturday in Martin, Tennessee, taking a double-digit lead into halftime and pouring it on late to claim its fourth consecutive win...

Coming off a program-defining win, Southeast Missouri State football coach Tom Matukewicz knows his team can't let its guard down. Last week, SEMO snapped No. 12 Jacksonville State's 36-game Ohio Valley Conference winning streak. This Saturday, the Redhawks' opponent isn't quite as ballyhooed, but still poses a threat...

A day after ending the nation’s longest conference winning streak, Southeast Missouri State football was rewarded with two weekly honors. Linebacker Justin Swift was named Ohio Valley Conference Defensive Player of the Week and punter Jake Reynolds was tabbed as OVC Specialist of the Week, the league announced Sunday...

Southeast Missouri State football coach Tom Matukewicz called it the best defensive performance in his five-year tenure. The statistics certainly backed him up. SEMO held the No. 3 scoring offense in the Football Championship Subdivision to 14 points, its lowest point total of the season and 34 points below its average...

There weren't any wild celebrations at the final whistle, no last-second comeback needed. The Southeast Missouri State football simply dominated from start to finish, ending the nation's longest active conference winning streak in the process. SEMO scored on the game's opening possession and never trailed in the 37-14 win over No. 4 Jacksonville State in Saturday's Pink Up game at Houck Field, halting the Gamecocks' run of 36 consecutive Ohio Valley Conference victories...

Coming off a dramatic homecoming victory, the Southeast Missouri State football team doesn't get any respite with a conference matchup against a top-five program. Jacksonville State, ranked No. 4 in the Football Championship Subdivision, looks to extend its Ohio Valley Conference winning streak to 37 games when it takes on Southeast at 1 p.m. Saturday at Houck Field...

The Southeast Missouri State football team was sputtering on offense, but Jerrick Orr didn't panic. Yes, the junior wide receiver had just one catch at halftime and the Redhawks had yet to score a touchdown. But he was confident they would turn it around...

For a few seconds, everyone at Houck Field watched with bated breath and the game hanging in the balance. Then the referees signaled touchdown, and the Southeast Missouri State football team, and the over 6,000 fans in attendance, exploded in celebration...

A lot can change in five weeks. When the Southeast Missouri State football team last played a home game, it was coming off an opening-game loss and there were questions surrounding quarterback Daniel Santacaterina's health. The junior signal-caller never missed a game, and now, over a month later the Redhawks return home with a winning record thanks to their first win at Tennessee Tech in 15 years...

When Tom Matukewicz took over the Southeast Missouri State football program following the 2013 season, he brought along several mantras. "Brick by brick" was perhaps the most famous one, but there were others, such as "Sign Off." It translates to giving your best effort each play...

Facing a winless team, the Southeast Missouri State football team wanted to get off to a fast start. The Redhawks did exactly that, scoring a touchdown on the opening possession and taking a 14-point lead within the first five minutes. SEMO didn't let up, either. With nearly nine minutes to go until halftime, SEMO had scored an offensive, defensive and special teams touchdown and led by 32 points...

Tennessee Tech football is winless five games into the season, but Southeast Missouri State coach Tom Matukewicz doesn't expect the Golden Eagles to roll over. TTU showed fight late last week, scoring 21 points in the fourth quarter of a 14-point defeat to Eastern Illinois. ...