Southeast Missouri State football team seeks first victory in home debut against Indiana State

Southeast Missouri State running back Will Young breaks free from a defender during practice Tuesday at the Rosengarten Athletic Complex.

Trent Singer

The feeling of being home probably hasn't felt this good in a long time for Southeast Missouri State football coach Tom Matukewicz.

The Redhawks opened the season in front of two raucous crowds -- at Memphis in Week 1 and at Southern Illinois in Week 2 -- and Matukewicz knows his players are ready to take the field in front of their own crowd.

Southeast (0-2) will get its first chance of the season to enjoy a home-field advantage when it wraps up its non-conference slate against Indiana State (1-1) as part of Family Weekend at 6 p.m. Saturday at Houck Stadium.

"It feels like we've been on the road forever -- fall camp and then two straight road games," Matukewicz said. "I know there's been a lot of enthusiasm. ... It should be a lot of fun this weekend."

The Redhawks, who hold an all-time record of 16-9 in home openers since joining the Football Championship Subdivision in 1991, will be searching for their first victory of the season against the Sycamores.

Southeast Missouri State’s Darrius Darden-Box dives in the end zone for a touchdown while Southern Illinois’ Jefferson Vea defends during the fourth quarter Saturday at Saluki Stadium in Carbondale, Illinois.

Bryan Hetzler ~ The Southern Illinoisan

After dropping a 35-17 decision against Football Bowl Subdivision opponent Memphis in Week 1, Southeast was unable to hold on to an early lead last week against regional rival SIU. The Redhawks were penalized 14 times for 94 yards in the 30-22 loss to the Salukis, and Matukewicz didn't waste much time addressing the issue.

"Well, I ran the hell out of them on Sunday, so that was the first start," Matukewicz said. "I just told them, 'There's good football teams and bad football teams, and when you look at a bad football team, they can't tackle and they make dumb penalties.'

"We don't want to be the least-penalized team because that doesn't indicate a winner. There are effort penalties, like a hold, and some things are close. I want to be on the edge, but you can't have personal fouls, late hits, procedures, snap infractions. Those are the kinds of things that just kill you. We made an emphasis. Our players are high alert on it. As coaches, it's on us. We've got to get it fixed."

The timeliness of the penalties proved to be one of the bigger issues for the Redhawks. A personal foul in goal territory on first down moved Southeast out of the red zone late in the second quarter, and the Redhawks were forced to settle for a field goal. Later, in the third quarter, Tremane McCullough broke free for a big gain inside the SIU 10, but a holding call negated the run and brought the ball back into Southeast territory.

Matukewicz believes the penalties played a big factor in the outcome of the game but was still unhappy with a sloppy performance from his team.

"I think it still came down to four to six plays," he said. "The drive before half was a back-buster. The scoop-and-score after we fumbled was a back-buster. We let two balls go over our head, and then the long run by Tremane that got called back by a holding -- I think those are the plays that went their way and were really definitive.

"A lot of our third-down issues were because we were in third-and-5 and then would jump offsides. We were in the red zone, and then we had a personal foul. You could say, 'It's hard to see,' but it doesn't matter. You can't be close. You can't put it in the ref's hands, so that's what we've got to do."

Southeast will take on an ISU program that's in its fifth year under the direction of coach Mike Sanford and came away with a dramatic 29-28 win in last year's meeting in Terre Haute, Indiana.

The Redhawks trailed by 14 points heading into the final quarter, as then-true freshman quarterback Dante Vandeven led a comeback that fell just short. Vandeven connected with wide receiver Paul McRoberts on a 26-yard touchdown pass as time expired but was unable to convert the 2-point try, giving the Sycamores, who were ranked No. 23 at the time, a one-point win.

"I just always believe on the road -- and we were tired -- going for 2 to win the game there instead of taking our chances in overtime," Matukewicz said. "Hindsight's 20/20. It didn't work, but I'm looking for a great game this weekend, too. I anticipate a fourth-quarter game."

ISU has split its first two games of the season -- a 41-25 home win over Butler in Week 1 and a 58-28 road loss against FBS opponent Minnesota in Week 2.

The Sycamores' offense is led by a first-year QB in Isaac Harker and a redshirt senior wideout in 6-foot-5 Robert Tonyan Jr.

"I wouldn't say he's a phenomenal athlete or anything, but he's really slick," Matukewicz said about Harker. "He's able to navigate the rush and keep the ball and throw touchdowns, or he was able to scramble for a first down. He's just really good in the pocket, really elusive, so that's a definite concern of ours."

The Redhawks hope to take advantage of some inexperience on the Sycamores' offensive line, which had some protection issues against Minnesota, according to Matukewicz.

ISU runs a 3-4 scheme on defense and has allowed 41.5 points per game through the first two weeks.

"I think, defensively, they've been able to create some negative yardage, some turnovers," Matukewicz said. "They're an odd front very similar to what our defense runs."

Meanwhile, Southeast is allowing 32.5 points per game and is led on defense by senior inside linebacker Roper Garrett, who has 14 tackles. Garrett and fellow senior ILB Terrance Hill, who has seven tackles on the year, have been stricken with strep throat, but Matukewicz expects them to start on Saturday.

Senior running back Will Young is coming off back-to-back 100-yard rushing performances and leads the Redhawks on the ground with 39 carries for 214 yards and a touchdown, averaging 5.5 yards per rush. Redhawks redshirt freshman Kristian Wilkerson has a team-high 133 yards receiving on nine catches, including a 22-yard TD reception in the fourth quarter against SIU.

It'll be the first home start for junior QB Jesse Hosket, who transferred to Southeast from East Central Community College and won the starting job over Vandeven prior to the start of the season. The 6-4 Hosket is 36-of-73 (49 percent) passing for 382 yards with three touchdowns and no interceptions.

"Everybody's excited," Hosket said about the home opener. "We finally get to play in front of a home crowd and have our own fans cheering for us. It definitely gives us a great advantage."

Series history

Series tied 4-4

Last meeting

Indiana State won 29-28 on Sept. 19, 2015, in Terre Haute, Indiana

By the numbers

32 -- The number of consecutive extra points made by Redhawks senior kicker Ryan McCrum. Despite converting only 56 percent of his field goals, McCrum didn’t miss a PAT all of last season, finishing a perfect 29-of-29. He has since started the 2016 season 3-of-3 on extra points. McCrum’s last missed PAT came against Jacksonville State on Nov. 22, 2014.

83 -- The number of points scored against the Sycamores through the first two games of the season. ISU ranks 87th in points allowed out of 114 teams in the FCS, while Southeast ranks 68th. The Sycamores have been outscored 30-3 in the second quarter but have outscored their opposition 56-30 in the first and third quaters combined.

2 -- The number of victories the Redhawks have claimed on Family Weekend under the direction of Matukewicz. Both wins were thrilling — Southeast upset then-No. 3 Southeastern Louisiana 24-23 in 2014 and knocked off SIU 27-24 on a 42-yard field goal by McCrum in 2015.

Stat leaders

Indiana St.

Passing: Isaac Harker 552 yards

Receiving: Robert Tonyan 182 yards, Bob Pugh 153 yards, Jacq McClendon 65 yards

Rushing: Dimitri Taylor 96 yards, Jaquan Keys 93 yards, Roland Genesy 55 yards

Tackles: Tsali Lough 16, Katrell Moss 13, Jameer Thurman 11

Southeast

Passing: Jesse Hosket 382 yards

Receiving: Kristian Wilkerson 133 yards, Adrian Davis 111 yards, Tremane McCullough 69 yards

Rushing: Will Young 214 yards, McCullough 49 yards, Chase Abbington 11 yards

Tackles: Ryan Moore 14, Roper Garrett 14, JJ Flye 13

Indiana State coach Mike Sanford

Indiana State Athletics

Opposing coach's view:

“They create a lot of problems for you on all three sides of the ball. They’re a very well-coached team. ... They’re a very physical team. They’re very big in the interior defensive line, so we’ve got our work cut out for us on offense. They’ve been very effective and have scored points. We’ve got a lot of work to do on all three sides of the ball to come out with a victory in Cape Girardeau on Saturday.”

-- Mike Sanford, Indiana State coach

Scouting the opponent

Indiana State wide receiver Robert Tonyan, a 6-foot-5 redshirt senior, leads the Sycamores in receiving this season with 15 catches for 182 yards and three touchdowns.

Indiana State Athletics

While Harker has gone above and beyond his expecations at quarterback, ISU has struggled to shore up a suspect defense that's allowing 491.5 yards per game. The Sycamores rank 92nd in the FCS in total defense, and Tribune-Star sports editor Todd Golden has been left with mixed impressions.

"Right now it looks like a bit of a mess, but there is talent there," Golden said in an email. "Linebacker Jameer Thurman is excellent against the run and pass. Fellow linebackers Jordan Jackson and Katrell Moss are off to strong starts.

"Elsewhere it's been hit-and-miss. The defensive line has been inconsistent. The cornerbacks, a known weakness entering the season, haven't produced. ISU's pass defense has been very leaky."

Leading tackler Tsali Lough has been stellar through the first two games with 16 stops and the team's only interception, but the redshirt senior safety will miss the game due to a concussion, according to Golden.

The team's next top tackler is Moss with 13, while Thurman has 11 tackles, two pass breakups and a forced fumble. Other top defenders include Cedric Doxy (10 tackles, two for loss) and Kenyot Rollins (nine tackles, three for loss).

Offensively, the Sycamores like to spread it out for Harker, who has been efficient thus far. The 6-foot redshirt sophomore is 41-of-71 passing (58 percent) for 552 yards with five TDs and no interceptions.

"Harker has played smart at quarterback and, against a decent amount of pressure at Minnesota, stayed calm," Golden said. "That's big for a sophomore quarterback. He's not flashy, but he's been accurate on most passes and hasn't forced much of anything."

Harker's top target is Tonyan, who's hauled in 15 catches for 182 yards. He has three touchdowns, all of which came against Minnesota. Bob Pugh, a 5-11 redshirt junior, has six receptions for 153 yards and a touchdown.

ISU's rushing attack is split between three running backs, including top rusher Dimitri Taylor, a 5-10, 190-pound redshirt junior. Taylor has 24 carries for 96 yards, while Jaquan Keys (20 carries, 93 yards) and Roland Genesy (15 carries, 55 yards) are also contributors.

The Sycamores, who have a plus-2 turnover margin, have a much deeper squad compared to last year, but the production from that depth remains to be seen, according to Golden. ISU competes in a highly-competitive Missouri Valley Football Conference, and Golden believes Saturday's game has high stakes in setting the table for the rest of the season.

"Excitement is minimal. Most expect a below .500 season," Golden said. "Whatever enthusiasm there was wasn't helped by the revelation a week prior to the start of the season that a transfer from Kansas was involved in two alleged sexual assaults there. He was dismissed, and the special teams coach was suspended -- the player was a long snapper -- for two days as well. The opening day crowd was not as good as it's been in previous seasons.

"This game against Southeast is big for Indiana State."

OVC schedule

Saturday

* #17 Coastal Carolina at #4 Jacksonville State, 1 p.m.

This is the first meeting between these two programs, as CCU is currently in the process of moving to the Football Bowl Subdivision.

The Chanticleers are led by fifth-year coach Joe Moglia, who was named the FCS National Coach of the Year last season, and are off to a 2-0 start this year. The CCU offense is fueled by senior running back De’Angelo Henderson, who broke the Division I record for consecutive games with a touchdown in last week’s 49-10 victory over Florida A&M.

JSU, which is coming off a 34-13 loss to FBS opponent LSU, has won its last five regular-season games against nationally-ranked FCS opponents, dating back to 2013.

* Eastern Illinois at #5 Illinois State, 2 p.m.

* Bacone College at UT Martin, 2 p.m.

* Eastern Kentucky at Ball State, 2 p.m.

* Tennessee State at Mercer, 3 p.m.

* Murray State at Southern Illinois, 6 p.m.