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Wednesday, August 30, 2017
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).
Southeast was second in the conference and 15th in the Football Championship Subdivision in red zone defense.
One key area the Redhawks will look to improve will be in sacks and interceptions. They intercepted the ball just five times all of last season and produced only 17 sacks, both of which ranked second-to-last in the league.
Linebackers
Southeast Missouri State oustide linebacker Kendall Donnerson.
Laura Simon
Defensive coordinator and outside linebackers coach Bryce Saia is expecting big things from his two returning starters at outside linebacker.
Senior Chad Meredith, a STATS FCS Preseason All-American, will return to his OLB role, along with senior Kendall Donnerson.
Meredith racked up 86 tackles (45 solo), including 10 1/2 for loss, and had four sacks en route to being named a first team All-OVC selection last season. Donnerson also had four sacks to go along with 50 tackles, including a team-high 13 TFLs.
"They'll rise up to the challenge," Saia said. "We don't have a lot of returning starters from last year, but they're two of them. They'll live up. They'll do it."
The 6-foot-4, 244-pound Meredith enters the season having started 22 straight games, while Donnerson (6-2, 248 pounds) saw action in all 11 games last year, starting 10.
"They've matured a lot," Saia said. "They're worried about the main thing, blocking out all of the noise on the outside, and I think they're focused right now."
At inside linebacker, the Redhawks will turn to a pair of new starters in sophomore Zach Hall and redshirt senior Rider Garrett. They'll replace Roper Garrett and Terrance Hill, who are both gone to graduation. Roper Garrett had a team-high 92 tackles in 2016, while Hill had 52.
Southeast inside linebackers coach Tyler French said he's seen tremendous growth from Hall and Rider Garrett.
Southeast Missouri State's Chad Meredith.
Laura Simon
"We've got to try to start fresh with them," French said. "It's just a gradual incline on their progress. They're out here working every day. They're taking away the mistakes they make and are improving on those. ... They're kind of the leaders in the room, and they're doing a good job."
Hall (5-11, 238 pounds) started just two games last year but appeared in all 11. He registered 36 tackles (16 solo) and had 3 1/2 TFLs. He'll handle the Mike ILB spot, while the 5-11, 224-pound Rider Garrett will handle the Will ILB position after amassing 13 tackles last year.
"It's a unit that cares about each other, and they're out here working hard every day," French said about the ILBs. "They're making steps to get better each and every day. I'm proud of where they're at right now."
Newcomer Demarcus Rogers, a 6-1, 230-pound junior who transferred from Northeast Mississippi Community College, will spell Hall, while junior Devin Alexander (6-0, 242 pounds) will be the backup for Rider Garrett. Freshman Eli Morris and sophomore Nick Thompson will provide further depth at inside linebacker.
"I think that's the only way the room will get better, is if they're getting pushed by the ones behind them," French said. "If they're not getting pushed, then we're not getting better at what we're doing."
Providing relief for Donnerson will be 6-3, 255-pound junior Marcus Goree, a newcomer from Fort Scott Community College (Kan.). Behind Meredith will be sophomore Justin Swift (5-11, 209 pounds) and redshirt freshman Omardrick Douglas (6-1, 240 pounds).
Defensive line
Southeast Missouri State defensive tackle Joshua Wilson.
Trent Singer
Senior Joshua Wilson will anchor the Redhawks' young unit up front.
The 5-11, 330-pound defensive tackle is the lone senior on the defensive line. He'll start at defensive tackle but will be used at each position in the trenches, according to defensive line coach Ricky Coon.
"When we need to, we can put him at the middle at nose, and then when we need to, we can slide him out to tackle," Coon said. "That's really, really beneficial for us to have people who can do that. His versatility is going to be really important."
Wilson started 10 games in 2016, finishing the year with 41 tackles (15 solo) and four TFLs. Coon called Wilson "one of the best players" he's ever coached.
"He's strong. He's fast. He's athletic for as big as he is," Coon said. "He wasn't blessed with a lot of height, but he makes up for it by being so hard to block. I'd take him one-on-one with any offensive lineman in FCS football. He's a big, big part of what we're doing."
Sophomore Reggie Miles (6-4, 315 pounds) will start at nose tackle, while sophomore Clarence Thornton (6-2, 284 pounds) will get the nod at defensive end.
Miles is a newcomer from Ellsworth Community College (Iowa). As a freshman last season, he recorded 36 tackles, three sacks and a forced fumble.
"He came in during the spring. ... He didn't take a lot of reps [at nose tackle] during the spring, but he's doing it in the fall so we can develop that depth," Coon said about Miles. "He's going to be a good player for us."
Southeast Missouri State defensive lineman Clarence Thornton runs a drill with a blocking pad during practice on Tuesday, Oct. 4, 2016 at the Rosengarten Athletic Complex.
Trent Singer
Thornton appeared in just six games last season as a true freshman, but Coon believes he has "all the ability in the world."
"He's going to be very special," Coon said about Thornton. "He's very athletic."
Coon has been surprised by the emergence of sophomore Ryan Ochoa (5-11, 280 pounds), who will serve as Thornton's backup. After walking on, Ochoa was awarded a scholarship in late April.
"He just takes coaching, and he plays physical," Coon said. "He does a great job, so he's going to play a lot for us."
True freshmen Daterraion Richardson (6-0, 315 pounds) and Bryson Donnell (6-1, 314 pounds) will back up Miles and Wilson, respectively.
"I think youth is our biggest thing right now, but they've done a great job," Coon said. "... It's been a process fundamentally to get those guys where they need to be, but they're coming along really nicely. And they're working hard."
Secondary
Southeast Missouri State cornerback Mike Ford.
Andrew J. Whitaker
Redshirt senior Mike Ford returns at cornerback, while the rest of the starters in the defensive backfield will need to be replaced.
Ford (5-11, 196 pounds) started seven games last year but missed the final four weeks due to a broken arm. He registered 40 tackles (30 solo), two sacks, one interception and six pass breakups.
First-year cornerbacks coach Ray Smith said Ford's growth in maturity has taken a big step forward.
"He's been trying to be a leader for those young guys," Smith said. "He is the elder statesman of the group, so he's just been trying to push those guys, do it the right way, show them how to practice, encourage them to be better and to be his best."
Shabari Davis, a 6-0, 180-pound sophomore, will start at the other cornerback spot. Davis is a newcomer from Garden City Community College (Kan.).
Smith understands the unit is young but believes there's plenty of potential.
"We've just got to grow up really fast and gain that experience, but with repetition in games, that will come," Smith said. "... They get a lot of reps. They get a lot of repetition going against our good receiving corps and with our safeties on the back end so that there's great communication."
Southeast Missouri State's Shabari Davis runs through a tackling drill Tuesday, Aug. 1, 2017 during the first Redhawks football practice at the Rosengarten Athletic Complex.
Fred Lynch
Omar Pierre-Louis appeared in all 11 games last season and will get the nod at safety. The 5-11, 193-pound redshirt senior had 32 tackles (15 solo) and two PBUs. He'll be joined by Bydarrius Knighten, a 5-11, 180-pound redshirt freshman.
Sophomores Jermel Adams (6-0, 185 pounds) and Isaac Diabagate (5-9, 204 pounds) will provide depth at safety.
"We've got good depth," safeties coach Eric Burrow said. "We've got a lot of talent. We're just young, and they've got to grow up fast."
Cape Girardeau Central graduate Al Young, a 5-11, 182-pound sophomore, will also see playing time after making the switch from wide receiver to cornerback. Sophomore Taj Jenkins (5-11, 181 pounds) is also in the mix at CB.
"I feel like we've got some depth behind Mike, but we're young," Smith said. "At the end of the day, they're getting a lot of experience with our receivers, and they're getting a lot of reps so that they can get their feet wet."
Special teams
Southeast Missouri State's Cameron Sanders carries on a 93-yard touchdown run against Austin Peay during the third quarter Saturday, Oct. 29, 2016 at Houck Stadium.
Fred Lynch
Junior Cameron Sanders was named to the All-OVC Preseason Team after averaging 27 yards per kick return last season, returning one for a touchdown. The 6-2, 206-pound Sanders will reprise his role as the team's starting kick returner.
"I'm really excited about that unit," special teams coach Matt Martin said. "Obviously it all starts with Cam Sanders, but we're going to have 10 guys around him that are going to be good football players. They're going to play hard, and they know exactly what we want on special teams. ... The nice part about Cam is he's a big, strong dude, so an arm tackle is not going to bring him down, where it might with some of the smaller guys. We're excited about having that feature back there."
Junior Nicholas Litang, a 5-9, 190-pound newcomer from New Mexico Military Institute, will replace the graduated Ryan McCrum at placekicker, winning the job over redshirt freshman Kendrick Tiller during fall camp. Tiller (5-10, 170 pounds) will handle kickoffs.
"He's done a good job. He's consistent," Martin said about Litang. "I don't think his heart rate ever gets much above 10. He's a cool customer, whether he makes it or misses it. It's about the same attitude every time. That's kind of what you look for in a kicker.
"Kendrick Tiller's had a nice camp. He's done a really good job with kickoffs."
After losing first team All-OVC punter Alex Knight to graduation, junior Evan Scales (6-2, 212 pounds) has emerged from camp as the successor. Redshirt freshman Jake Reynolds (5-11, 173 pounds) will be the backup, but Martin said he wouldn't be surprised if both players saw action.
Southeast Missouri State kicker Nicholas Litang practices a field goal after the scrimmage Saturday, Aug. 19, 2017 at Houck Stadium.
Fred Lynch
"I think they're both very similar," Martin said. "Evan does a little bit better job with the rugby-style punting. Jake does a little bit better job when we put it in the air. He's a little more of that Alex Knight style, puts a high ball up there. ... With every type of punt that you put out there, the challenges are to just figure out how people are going to attack you, and that's been our biggest emphasis so far in this fall camp. We're going to use both."
Cape Central graduate Zach Stagner, a junior, will be the long snapper, while sophomore Corey Manne will be the holder. Redshirt freshman Camden Boyle will be the team's short snapper.
There are a number of different names in the mix at punt returner, with Davis leading the way. Sanders and Young could also be used.
"We look for ball security," Martin said. "Coach [Ghaali Muhammad-Lankford] has done a great job with those guys, getting them ready."
