Southeast Missouri State football returns home for Pink Up Game vs. Austin Peay

Southeast Missouri State's Will Young rushes the ball during a drill at practice Tuesday, Oct. 25. 2016 at the Rosengarten Athletic Complex.

Trent Singer

Nothing about the Southeast Missouri State football team's practice on Tuesday appeared reflective of what had happened over the weekend.

Three days removed from dropping a 21-20 heartbreaker at Tennessee Tech, the Redhawks were jovial yet focused during their first two hours of the week at the Rosengarten Athletic Complex, and it was everything coach Tom Matukewicz wanted from his team heading into a Pink Up Game against winless Austin Peay at 1 p.m. Saturday at Houck Stadium.

"Obviously it was a tough loss, but we've got to turn the page," Matukewicz said. "Let's just focus on why we play and who we're playing for, and let's just go out and enjoy each other today and have a great day. I saw a lot more smiling, a lot more kids just enjoying each other, which was kind of the message."

Southeast (2-5, 2-2 Ohio Valley Conference) will play three of its final four games of the regular season at home. The Redhawks have split their previous two home games this year, including a 21-14 win over then-No. 13 Eastern Illinois on Oct. 1.

Despite the only other home game resulting in a 27-24 loss against Indiana State in which Southeast led by 11 points late in the final quarter, Matukewicz has been pleased with the way his players have responded in front of their home crowd.

Southeast Missouri State's Steve Durosier goes up for an interception while teammates JJ Flye, left, and CJ Curry, right, look on during a drill at practice Tuesday at the Rosengarten Athletic Complex.

Trent Singer

"The energy's been through the roof," Matukewicz said. "We're not undefeated at home, but we have played well at home."

The Redhawks will take on an APSU (0-7, 0-5 OVC) squad that's led by first-year coach Will Healy but is most known by its lack of success. The Governors are on a 23-game skid, which is the longest active losing streak in Division I football. They haven't won since knocking off visiting Murray State 20-13 on Oct. 18, 2014, and have won three of their last 50 games.

The Govs rank at the bottom of the conference in a number of statistical categories, but Matukewicz believes they've made big strides throughout the season. He points to APSU's fourth-quarter production -- the Govs have generated 45 percent of their scoring in the final 15 minutes of their games this season -- as a sign of the team's mental fortitude.

"They're a high-character team," Matukewicz said. "They keep fighting and have a lot of energy on the sideline. Those guys are bought in and are listening to Coach Healy. He's doing a really good job with them."

APSU's offense posted 500 yards of total offense in last week's homecoming game against Mercer, but it still wasn't enough. The Govs were unable to rally from an 18-point deficit at halftime, as the Bears pulled out a 41-34 victory.

With 22.1 points per game, APSU ranks eighth in the OVC in scoring offense, while Southeast is ninth with 19.6 ppg. The Govs are last in the league in total offense, averaging 338.7 yards per game. They're seventh in the OVC in rushing offense (131.6 ypg) and eighth in passing offense (207.1 ypg).

Junior wide receiver Jared Beard is APSU's top offensive weapon, averaging a conference-leading 99 receiving yards per game. Beard leads the OVC in both receptions (49) and yards (693) and is coming off a 181-yard performance against Mercer.

"He's just really, really dynamic," Matukewicz said about Beard. "He averages about 100 yards a game, and they're averaging as a team about 200. So he's half their passing offense.

"We've got to know where No. 1 is all the time."

The Redhawks boast the conference's second-best scoring defense, allowing 24.9 points per game. Southeast is fourth in the OVC in total defense (385.3 ypg), second in rushing defense (113.9 ypg) and seventh in passing defense (271.4 ypg).

However, SEMO's minus-1 turnover margin has been a major point of emphasis for the defense.

"We know that we're negative right now in the margin, and last year we were way ahead of that," said senior inside linebacker Roper Garrett, who leads the Redhawks with 58 tackles and two interceptions. "We're going to keep working at it and create a lot of turnovers these next couple of weeks. ... We know we've got to work on our technique. We've got to go back to the drawing board and work on those things."

Junior outside linebacker Kendall Donnerson has amassed 34 tackles on the year, including a league-high 11 1/2 for loss, while junior OLB Chad Meredith has 52 tackles, including seven for loss.

The Redhawks will be without junior cornerback Mike Ford (team-high 30 solo tackles), who broke his left forearm during the second quarter of last week's game against TTU. Sophomore CB Steve Durosier got his first career start last week and will be joined this week on the opposite side by junior JJ Flye.

Defensively, the Govs are giving up a league-worst 45.6 points per game, which is 11.3 ppg higher than the Racers in eighth. APSU's defense is allowing 522.7 total ypg, 241 rushing ypg and 281.7 passing ypg -- all of which rank last in the conference.

Matukewicz believes the Govs are limited on the defensive side by depth and an undersized personnel.

"I think the coaches have to improve their personnel, but they play hard. So sometimes they get overwhelmed, but they always fight," Matukewicz said. "They're better than they were a year ago statistically. Even when you watch them on film, they play really, really hard."

Against the Golden Eagles, senior running back Will Young crossed the century mark in a game for the third time this season. He was hampered by an ankle injury early in the third quarter but finished with 102 yards on 16 carries, including a 1-yard TD run on the opening drive. Young currently leads the Redhawks with 498 yards rushing, which ranks fourth in the OVC.

Junior quarterback Jesse Hosket has thrown for 1,564 yards with nine touchdowns and only two interceptions. One of those interceptions was a pick-six in last week's game at TTU. Hosket responded on the following drive, delivering a 47-yard TD pass to redshirt freshman WR Kristian Wilkerson, who now leads the team with 398 yards receiving.

The Redhawks were also held back in last week's loss by a pair of missed field goals inside the red zone. Senior kicker Ryan McCrum knocked down two attempts, including a 51-yarder in the first quarter, but missed from 35 and 30 yards out, respectively.

"Our first red-zone chance on our first drive, we get down there first-and-10 and drive it on in there, so it wasn't all bad," Matukewicz said. "If we come out with a couple field goals, you're not happy, but you're certainly not as upset as you are now."

A greater cause

For the second year in a row, the Redhawks will don pink jerseys in honor of breast cancer awareness.

The jerseys were purchased through an online auction to raise money for Saint Francis Healthcare System's Pink Up campaign and is a way to celebrate survivors and honor those who have lost their battles with cancer.

"It's really impactful," Matukewicz said. "I've had two of my players lose a grandma and an aunt just this year to cancer, so it's just about a cause bigger than yourself.

"Sometimes you really don't think about it, but when you put that person's name on your back and go play the game in their honor and their family's looking down and watching their person's name running around on the field, that's really cool. I think it's really impacted our players and has affected them, which is exactly what we wanted."

The winners of the bids, which began in August and ended on Oct. 8, were given the opportunity to personalize their winning jerseys with a name in honor or memory of a survivor or loved one, if desired. Following the game, each player will present his jersey to its winning bidder.

"Sometimes you just need to step away from the game a little bit and realize we're a part of this community and have an obligation to this community to try and give back," Matukewicz said.

Garrett said last year's Pink Up Game was a moving experience, as the team raised $22,000 toward mammograms for women in the area who otherwise could not afford them.

"It's great for the community, great for everybody involved," Garrett said. "It's a really big deal for not just me but for everybody on this team."

Series history

Southeast leads 14-6

Last meeting

Southeast won 44-15 on Nov. 7, 2015, in Clarksville, Tenn.

By the numbers

3 -- The number of games the Redhawks have lost this season by eight points or less, including last week’s one-point loss at TTU. Two of those losses came in back-to-back weeks — at Southern Illinois (30-22) on Sept. 10 and against Indiana State (27-24) on Sept. 17 at Houck. Southeast has been outscored by a combined 45 points in its five losses.

1 -- The number of third-down conversions the Govs have allowed in their last two games. APSU held Mercer to 0 of 12 on third down last week and limited JSU to 1 of 10 on third down the week prior. Before their last two games, the Govs were allowing opponents to convert third downs at a 58-percent rate (37 of 64).

39 -- The number of punts from Redhawks senior Alex Knight, who leads the OVC and is eighth in the nation with 44.2 yards per punt. Knight has eight punts of 50 or more yards and is the school’s third all-time leader in career punting yards with 8,019. He currently has 1,724 yards punting on the season.

Stat leaders

Austin Peay

Passing: Timarious Mitchell 985 yards

Receiving: Jared Beard 693 yards, Kyran Moore 306 yards, Rashaan Coleman 123 yards

Rushing: Kendall Morris 306 yards, Mitchell 159 yards, Tommy Hays 143 yards

Tackles: Gunnar Scholato 86, Malik Boynton 48, James Bond 44

Southeast

Passing: Jesse Hosket 1,564 yards

Receiving: Kristian Wilkerson 398 yards, Tremane McCullough 359 yards, Adrian Davis 331 yards

Rushing: Will Young 498 yards, McCullough 191 yards, Cameron Sanders 128 yards

Tackles: Roper Garrett 58, Chad Meredith 52, Mike Ford 40

Austin Peay coach Will Healy

Photo courtesy of APSU Sports Information

Opposing coach's view:

“I think the first thing that jumps off is how physical they are. I think their offense complements their defense really well. They’re going to pound the football, and then they’re going to use the play-action pass to take shots. They’ve got weapons on the outside that are very good. They can win one-on-one matchups. I think they’re big and physical up front. ... Their defensive front is where it starts. They’re going to stop the run. They’re tops in the country in a couple different statistical categories.”

-- Will Healy, Austin Peay coach

Scouting the opponent

Junior wide receiver Jared Beard is averaging a conference-leading 99 receiving yards per game while also leading the OVC in both receptions (49) and yards (693).

APSU Sports Information

Much of what has slowed the Govs down this season has been youth, particularly on an offensive line that starts three sophomores in the interior.

That youth has been "a double-edged sword" for APSU, according to The Leaf Chronicle sports reporter Autumn Allison.

"They have a big collection of young players that are really talented, but when you have upwards of 17 sophomores and down players on a two-deep roster, there are going to be some slip-ups because of the lack of experience," Allison said in an e-mail. "APSU is showing that they are better than they were last year, but better doesn't always mean good, as their record says.

"It's a long road to rebuilding, and that is something to keep in mind. The Govs are starting below the ground floor when it comes to that process."

APSU runs a spread offense that's led by redshirt senior QB Timarious Mitchell. The 6-foot signal caller has thrown for 985 yards, seven TDs and three interceptions on 77-of-126 passing (61 percent). The Govs have also relied on junior QB Tommy Hays, who has 412 yards on 34-of-53 passing (64 percent) with three touchdowns and three picks.

"The offense has been focused on speed to capitalize on the minutes they do have the ball and also focused on creating options while trying to develop a two-pronged approach," Allison said. "The biggest difference is that APSU players have bought in to this idea and are starting to get into a roll with it."

Redshirt sophomore RB Kendall Morris leads APSU on the ground with 306 yards and one TD on 68 rushes. Mitchell and Hays have also contributed in the rushing attack, combining for 302 yards and five touchdowns.

However, Beard has been the offense's most effective weapon, averaging 14.1 yards per catch with three TDs. Junior Kyran Moore has contributed 306 yards receiving and two touchdowns.

"Jared Beard is a special kind of athlete," Allison said. "He has good hands because he works on it tirelessly. During the offseason, he would literally catch 100 balls a day to work on that."

While redshirt sophomore middle linebacker Gunnar Scholato has racked up a team-high 86 tackles and leads the OVC in that category, Allison points to defensive end Jaison Williams (39 tackles, 6 1/2 for loss) and defensive back Trent Taylor (35 tackles) as two of five key starting freshmen in the Govs' 4-2-5 base defense.

"Trent is the type of player that offenses hate to face because he's in their face, he's stopping plays and then he's jumping up in the air celebrating it," Allison said. "Jaison, on the other hand, is a defensive end and is going to be one of the top defensive players in the league in a few years -- absolute monster despite him being undersized."

Sophomore DE Lloyd Tubman (22 tackles, 5 1/2 for loss) and senior DB Roderick Owens (33 tackles, two interceptions) are also key contributors on defense. Redshirt freshman Trevor Morehead, a former standout at Chaffee, has seven tackles as the team's second-string nose tackle.

The Govs have gotten off to slow starts and have struggled against bigger competition this season, but Allison has been impressed with the team's determination and attitude.

"There is so much more excitement about the program," Allison said. "This year started with a practical hype train. The players themselves are more excited in general. I think the biggest thing is that Will Healy has managed to create a culture with the guys and raised their expectations."

OVC schedule

Saturday

* Eastern Kentucky at UT Martin, 2 p.m.

* #22 Eastern Illinois at #2 Jacksonville State, 2 p.m.

The matchup pits two nationally-ranked teams that have combined to win the last four OVC championships. It’ll be homecoming for the Gamecocks.

EIU led 21-3 at home against Murray State last week but was unable to hold on, as the Racers escaped with a 40-38 upset victory.

JSU won its 20th straight conference game and did so without scoring a touchdown on offense, as the Gamecocks went on the road and defeated Eastern Kentucky 24-7.

* #25 Tennessee State at Murray State, 3 p.m.

OVC standings