Column: Is simply winning enough for SEMO football? No, and that is a good thing

Southeast Missouri State defensive lineman Josh Price (91) stands on the field near teammates including outside linebacker Omardrick Douglas (4), defensive lineman Daterraion Richardson (99) and defensive lineman Clarence Thornton (50) during the Redhawks' 43-37 double-overtime win against the Tennessee Tech Saturday at Houck Stadium.

Jacob Wiegand ~ Southeast Missourian

Sixth-year Southeast Missouri State football coach Tom Matukewicz sat down for his postgame press conference following the Redhawks’ thrilling 43-37 double-overtime win over Tennessee Tech Saturday at Houck Stadium and the first thing he did was set the tone for the session before anyone had even asked a question.

“Winning college football games is hard,” Matukewicz said. “That is what I told the team. I know we could’ve played better. I know we could’ve coached better.

“If there is anyone in this locker room feeling bad, shame on you. Shame on you.”

The reason he felt the need to say such a thing – to his players and later to the media - after his team had just fought to the bitter end to beat the hottest team in the Ohio Valley Conference, was because Matukewicz knows what the expectations are for his program in wake of the best season in program history a year ago.

They are high. Very high.

Two years ago if Southeast would have beaten a 4-1 team that was the most prolific offensive team in the league, and had done so with a valiant defensive effort, do you think for one second Matukewicz would have given a thought – at least mere moments following the game – as to whether or not it was a “quality win?”

Hell no.

But the reason he felt the need to say such a thing now is because the fans, the media, and the Redhawk players, each have higher expectations for this program than simply winning, and truth be told, so does Matukewicz, which is why he said what he said.

This is a good program with knowledgeable coaches and talented players. The Southeast fan base realizes that and expects wins, of course, but now it also believes their favorite team should play well in doing so.

That isn’t to say that the Redhawk players and coaches should feel down about Saturday’s win, they shouldn’t.

To Matukewicz’s point, winning “is hard.”

Tennessee Tech has scholarships too and the Redhawks beat a good football team, particularly offensively.

“That was a good offense,” Matukewicz said. “The quarterback (Golden Eagle sophomore Bailey Fisher), man, we’d have him bottled up and he’d find a way. He was just really hard to defend.”

The defensive effort by Southeast bordered at times on the miraculous (ignore the yardage and points scored by Tennessee Tech, it bordered at times on the miraculous, trust me).

The Redhawk run game was so powerful and tough that it sealed the victory in the final minutes of regulation and overtimes.

There were several positive aspects to be pleased with if you were wearing red and black Saturday. However, some glaring issues need to be resolved, as well, which is why Matukewicz was a bit on the defensive following the game.

A few years ago, Southeast could have committed six penalties, as it did Saturday, (which included several personal fouls) and no one would have given it much thought.

But today? With these expectations? That is unacceptable, regardless of the win.

“It’s not the player's fault,” Matukewicz said. “They pay me a lot of money to fix that and I wasn’t able to. So I have a really good plan this week. Pain.

“We ain’t going to talk about (penalties). We’re going to run them into the ground.”

The same exhausting standard that the Redhawk program is being held to applies to its most visible player.

Fifth-year senior quarterback Daniel Santacaterina is playing very poorly compared to what his ability is. That isn’t just my assessment; it is statistically undeniable.

A year ago, Santacaterina ranked third in the conference in total offense, today he is seventh.

He is throwing for almost 50 yards less per game this season and his 28-to-11 touchdown-to-interception rate of last season is currently at 5-to-4. At this pace, he’d have to play weekly until spring break to reach that many scores.

“At the end of the day,” Matukewicz said, “he’s got to play better. I think he would tell you that.”

He would, and he did, following the game.

Santacaterina gets what the expectations are for his performance because he knows how good he should be playing.

Being held to high standards is not negative it is just the opposite.

Everyone within the Southeast program should embrace those demanding expectations. The fact that they exist means it is a special program.