Southeast Football

Southeast Missouri State punter Jake Reynolds was announced Sunday as the adidas Ohio Valley Conference Specialist of the Week. It's the redshirt freshman's first conference honor. Reynolds averaged 45.9 yards per punt in a 31-3 Homecoming win over Tennessee Tech on Saturday at Houck Field...

There was no time to waste for the Southeast Missouri State football team. Not on Homecoming. The Redhawks jumped out to a 17-point lead in the opening quarter and were guided by a dominant defensive effort, defeating the Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles 31-3 on Saturday at Houck Field...

The first quarter has been a glaring concern all season for the Southeast Missouri State football team. Through their first five games of the year, the Redhawks had been outscored 37-3 in the opening 15 minutes of each game, but that trend took a pivotal turn in Saturday's Homecoming matchup against Tennessee Tech...

A week off went a long way for the Southeast Missouri State football team. Redhawks coach Tom Matukewicz and his players set several goals during their bye week, using the spare time to get healthy both physically and emotionally ahead of a Homecoming matchup at 1 p.m. Saturday against winless Tennessee Tech at Houck Field...

Southeast Missouri State football standout Marquis Terry was named adidas Ohio Valley Conference Co-Newcomer of the Week on Sunday. The 5-foot-6, 179-pound junior running back had 31 carries for 184 yards and two touchdowns, leading the Redhawks to a 29-10 win Saturday over Eastern Kentucky...

It started from the outset. Well, maybe not the very first play of the game -- that was a 47-yard catch by Eastern Kentucky wide receiver Ryan Markush. But certainly it began on the first drive. That's when the Southeast Missouri State defense set the tone for the entire game...

Southeast Missouri State football coach Tom Matukewicz had been expecting a breakout performance from JUCO transfer Marquis Terry. On Saturday night, he finally got it. The Redhawks' featured running back ran for 184 yards and two touchdowns, as Southeast took advantage of four takeaways and secured its first victory of the season, a 29-10 decision over Eastern Kentucky on Family Weekend at Houck Field...

Southeast Missouri State football coach Tom Matukewicz wasn't sure what kind of response he was going to get from his players as they began practice this week. Coming off a 19-16 loss in last week's Ohio Valley Conference opener at Eastern Illinois, Matukewicz said his team appeared even more motivated than before in preparation for a matchup with Eastern Kentucky at 6 p.m. Saturday at Houck Field...

We're no longer teenagers! The Semoball Podcast is back for Episode 20 as we're joined by Southeast Missouri State football wide receiver Tyler McLemore and DAR sports editor Brian Rosener.

CHARLESTON, Ill. -- The Southeast Missouri State football team managed to claw its way back into contention Saturday despite a putrid first-half performance from its offense. But all hope seemed to wither away in a flash. Facing a three-point deficit in the final seconds, the Redhawks were well within field-goal range with the ball spotted at Eastern Illinois' 16-yard line. ...

The chance for redemption begins now for the Southeast Missouri State football team. Coming off back-to-back losses that were exacerbated by their own doing, the Redhawks will begin the Ohio Valley Conference portion of their schedule at 6 p.m. Saturday when they travel to face Eastern Illinois in Charleston, Illinois...

Observing from afar, it was impossible not to feel at least a hiccup of joy. Everyone enjoys seeing the downtrodden get a little taste of something better, right? And for the past several years, Austin Peay football has been as downtrodden as they come...

For two minutes it seemed like everything was going the way of the Southeast Missouri State football team. But as they say, waste not want not. After Southern Illinois fumbled the ball away on the first snap from scrimmage at Houck Field on Saturday evening, it then committed a pair of penalties, setting up Southeast deep in Saluki territory with a chance to immediately leave an imprint on the game. ...

The Southeast Missouri State football team had all but sealed its own fate when halftime came around in Saturday's home opener at Houck Field. The Redhawks' offense was slow out of the gate -- no thanks to a bevy of penalties -- and Southern Illinois quarterback Sam Straub threw three first-half touchdowns to lead the Salukis to a 35-17 victory over Southeast in the 85th all-time meeting between the regional rivals...

It's a big weekend for Southeast Missouri State sports, with the football team playing its home opener Saturday after the women's soccer team begins conference play at Houck Field on Friday. Ahead of all that, we recorded Episode 19. In the first segment (), host and sports editor Josh Mlot (@semoballJosh) sits down with Southeast Missourian SEMO beat writer Trent Singer (@semoballTrent) to talk about what we've learned about Redhawks football through two weeks of the season, and what's ahead, including the weekend's home opener against regional rival Southern Illinois.. ...

Cornerback Mike Ford can still remember how the Southeast Missouri State football team defeated Southern Illinois on Sept. 12, 2015. Just a sophomore at the time, Ford had a pair of interceptions, including a 21-yard pick-six, as the Redhawks forced seven turnovers and used a last-second field goal to defeat the Salukis 27-24 at Houck Field...

DAYTON, Ohio -- The Southeast Missouri State football team spent four quarters Saturday creating its misfortune and, in the end, couldn't overcome that. Searching for their first win of the season, the Redhawks failed to convert a two-point opportunity to punctuate a last-minute touchdown and fell to Dayton 25-23 at Welcome Stadium...

DAYTON, Ohio -- Southeast Missouri State football coach Tom Matukewicz believes that successfully stopping the run starts with having the mentality to do so. On Saturday, the Redhawks were stretched thin against a Dayton rushing attack that imposed its will, producing 192 yards on the ground, 121 of which came in the second half alone...

Although Ohio Valley Conference play is still two weeks away, the Southeast Missouri State football team understands the importance of its non-conference slate. The Redhawks continue that season-opening stretch of games when they travel to face the Dayton Flyers at noon Saturday at Welcome Stadium in Dayton, Ohio...

The Southeast Missouri State football team announced Tuesday that its annual Pink Up Auction is open for bidding. The Redhawks again partner with Saint Francis Healthcare System to raise awareness for breast cancer. Fans can bid in the online Pink Up Auction to support the fight against cancer throughout the Southeast Missouri region. Bids can be placed online at pinkupcape.com...

LAWRENCE, Kan. -- It only took one big play for the Southeast Missouri State football team to receive its first gut check of the season. On a broken play in the Redhawks' secondary, Kansas quarterback Peyton Bender connected with wide receiver Steven Sims Jr. on a 77-yard TD just 2 minutes, 19 seconds into Saturday night's season opener at Memorial Stadium, and the Jayhawks rode off to a 38-16 victory...

Heading into his fourth season opener as coach, Tom Matukewicz sees a lot of what he's been trying to instill in the football program at Southeast Missouri State. Now he's hoping his team can reap the benefits. The Redhawks will get the 2017 campaign officially underway at 6 p.m. Saturday when they travel to face Football Bowl Subdivision opponent Kansas at Memorial Stadium in Lawrence, Kansas...

Jesse Hosket has always possessed the physical tools that are necessary to succeed at the Division I level. At 6-foot-3, 223 pounds, Hosket's size fits the prototype of the quarterback position, and there isn't a throw on the football field he can't make...

The Southeast Missouri State football team returns just four starters on offense in 2017, but trending upward is the only option for a scoring offense that ranked at the bottom in the Ohio Valley Conference last season, averaging 20.8 points per game...

Years in the making, senior outside linebackers Chad Meredith and Kendall Donnerson have been building toward this moment. The two players have been battled-tested during their respective playing careers with the Southeast Missouri State football team, riding a steady wave of progress that's led them to their final saga...

Only four defensive starters return for the Southeast Missouri State football team in 2017, but all four were key contributors on a scoring defense that ranked third in the Ohio Valley Conference, allowing just 24.4 points per game. The Redhawks yielded an average of 390.2 total yards per game, which ranked fourth in the league. They gave up 138.5 rushing yards per game (third in the OVC) but were gouged through the air, allowing 251.7 yards per game (seventh in the OVC)...

Head coach: John Grass, 4th year Last season: 10-2, 7-0 OVC Starters returning: 12 All you need to know is that defensive lineman Darius Jackson will be an NFL draft pick in the spring. The 6-foot-3, 237-pound senior is a STATS Preseason First Team All-American and the reigning OVC Defensive Player of the Year; he earned the same nod in this season's preseason coaches' poll. ...

Al Young appears to be settling in, and he's spent the entirety of the 2017 fall camp reminding the Southeast Missouri State football coaching staff of his playmaking ability. The newly minted cornerback didn't waste any time showing off his skill set in the early portion of Saturday's final scrimmage at Houck Field, as he snagged Nick Sprague's pass out of the air, reaching the highest point possible to come down with an interception against wide receiver Evan Scales...

The Southeast Missouri State volleyball team continued its preseason preparation Wednesday as it played its first-ever exhibition match, traveling to Hyland Arena at Lindenwood University to take on Quincy. The game gave the Redhawks an opportunity to experiment with different lineups and test the team's ability to adjust during game situations...

Southeast Missouri State football coach Tom Matukewicz found plenty of reassurance as his team left the field Saturday morning following its second scrimmage of fall camp. The first-team offense impressed, while the defense had a pair of takeaways against the two-minute offense. Even the special teams unit showed glimpses of consistency...

Twenty-six Southeast Missouri State student-athletes were recognized Wednesday as the Ohio Valley Conference announced its Academic Medal of Honor winners for the 2016-17 academic year. Awarded to student-athletes who achieve the highest grade point average in each sport, all 221 OVC student-athletes honored carried a perfect 4.0 GPA...

Vision, elusiveness and speed are just a few of the words coach Tom Matukewicz uses to describe Marquis Terry. The junior newcomer displayed his diverse skill set with several long runs and showed why he's atop the depth chart at running back during the Southeast Missouri State football team's scrimmage Saturday at the Rosengarten Athletic Complex...

There's a renewed understanding as Jesse Hosket talks about the comfort of his role on the Southeast Missouri State football team. It's an understanding that didn't exist a year ago, when Hosket, a junior college transfer, was in the midst of a quarterback battle that wasn't resolved until late August, a little less than two weeks before the 2016 season opener...

Southeast Missouri State football standout Chad Meredith was named to the 2017 STATS Football Championship Subdivision Preseason All-America Team on Monday. Meredith, who hails from Louisville, Kentucky, earned third-team honors. The senior outside linebacker is also a Preseason All-Ohio Valley Conference pick after earning First-Team All-OVC honors in 2016. He's coming off a junior season in which he amassed 86 tackles (10 1/2 for loss), four sacks and five quarterback hurries...

The Southeast Missouri State men's basketball team revealed its non-conference schedule for the 2017-18 season on Friday. The slate features 13 non-conference games, beginning with the home opener against Missouri Baptist on Nov. 10. The Redhawks will travel to face Louisiana Tech (Nov. ...

The Ohio Valley Conference's implementation of instant replay in football was a hot topic on Monday, while Southeast Missouri State was picked to finish seventh at OVC media day in Nashville, Tennessee. The OVC is one of 11 Football Championship Subdivision leagues that will implement instant replay in 2017. Scoring plays, spot reviews and catches can all be reviewed, while targeting is the only foul that can be reviewed based on judgment...

The Southeast Missouri State football team helped raise awareness Friday for former Southern Illinois quarterback Joel Sambursky's baby, who is fighting health complications. Sambursky's son, Theodore, turned 100 days old Friday, and in honor of him the Redhawks players and coaches participated in an 100-yard run at Houck Field. The team was divided into groups of three, and two members had to carry the other across the field...

Southeast Missouri State football hired Ray Smith as its new cornerbacks coach, the program announced Wednesday. Smith coached defensive backs and was the special teams coordinator at Division II Southwest Baptist for the past two seasons. He replaces Salim Powell, who is now a scouting intern for the New York Jets, according to Powell's LinkedIn page. Powell spent six seasons on the Redhawks' staff...

The Southeast Missouri State football team stood in a circle as coach Tom Matukewicz prepared to walk his team through a drill at the end of Wednesday's practice at Houck Field. With a tire hoisted over his shoulder, Matukewicz was about to use graduate assistant athletic trainer Holly Reynolds to help explain the drill, but in reality, it was all just a bluff...

Jim Lohr, who coached football at his alma maters Poplar Bluff High School and Southeast Missouri State University, died Saturday. A member of the Poplar Bluff Sports Hall of Fame, Lohr was an all-state tackle for the Mules in 1951 before helping Southeast to an undefeated season four years later as a player. He went on to coach at both schools...

Former Southeast Missouri State punter Alex Knight will take part in a tryiout at rookie minicamp with the Jacksonville Jaguars. Knight, a left-footed punter, was a first team All-Ohio Valley Conference selection as a senior in 2016, leading the league and ranking sixth in the nation with 43.8 yards per punt...

Two Southeast Missouri State football players received some exciting news on Sunday, as inside linebacker Rider Garrett and defensive tackle Ryan Ochoa were awarded scholarships. Formerly walk-ons, Garrett and Ochoa were caught off guard during a team dinner at Houck Field House...

Neither offense during the Southeast Missouri State Football Spring Game appeared to be in sync on Thursday, but with one final shot, the White team executed a two-minute drill to near perfection. Starting quarterback Jesse Hosket completed 4 of 5 passes for 72 yards on the final drive, as tight end Marquette Murdock hauled in a 14-yard touchdown catch in the right corner of the end zone with 29.9 seconds remaining to give the White team a 14-6 win over the Red team at Houck Field...

The Southeast Missouri State football team will wrap up its spring practice session with its spring game on Thursday. The game, which marks the end of a 15-practice spring period, will be at 6 p.m. at Houck Field. SEMO will split its roster into two squads -- Red and White -- for the game, which will be officiated. Defensive coordinator Bryce Saia will coach the Red team and offensive coordinator Jon Wiemers will coach the White team...

The Southeast Missouri State women's tennis team secured a spot in the Ohio Valley Conference Tournament with a 6-1 victory over Jacksonville State on Saturday at the Redhawks Tennis Complex. The Redhawks, who improved to 13-5 overall and 5-2 in the OVC, will compete in the conference tournament for the first time since 2007. They finished no higher than eighth in the OVC in the previous nine seasons...

The Southeast Missouri State football team completed its second week of spring practice with an intrasquad scrimmage on Friday at the Rosengarten Athletic Complex. "We played hard today and I thought we did some good things," Southeast coach Tom Matukewicz said in a news release. "We have changed the tempo of our practices and are going a lot harder toward the end. I feel good about our roster and where we are two weeks into this spring. We are getting better every day."...

Lennies McFerren concluded his college football career at Southeast Missouri State in 2014 with 950 career rushing yards. That chapter is over, but he's not quite ready to pack in his gear. "I want to prove my point that it's never over, that you can always achieve your dream and keep fighting for what you love to do," said McFerren in a recent telephone interview from his home in Paris, Tennessee...

For the fourth year in a row, Southeast Missouri State football will hold the Southeast Missouri Football Free Youth Clinic on April 1st at Houck Stadium. The event is open to boys and girls entering grades 1-8 and is sponsored by Academy Sports. Registration begins at 9 a.m., and the clinic runs from 10 a.m. to noon...

The Southeast Missouri State football team returns to the field Tuesday for the beginning of spring practice. The Redhawks will hold the first of 15 spring practices at 8 a.m. today at Houck Stadium. As of now, SEMO has 76 players on the roster. That group includes five returning starters on offense and four on defense. There are also 12 transfers who will participate in the drills...

The Southeast Missouri State football team released its 11-game schedule on Thursday, a slate that features give games at Houck Stadium and six on the road. The Redhawks open their season with back-to-back road games, beginning Sept. 2 against Football Bowl Subdivision Kansas. Southeast will take on Pioneer Football League member Dayton on Sept. 9 in the first meeting between the two schools before squaring off against regional rival Southern Illinois in its home opener on Sept. 16...