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Wednesday, August 30, 2017
Years in the making, senior outside linebackers Chad Meredith and Kendall Donnerson have been building toward this moment.
The two players have been battle-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.
There might not be a more dangerous set of starting edge rushers in the Ohio Valley Conference in 2017, which is why Southeast defensive coordinator Bryce Saia feels fortunate to have Meredith and Donnerson returning after impressing as juniors.
"They're not selfish," Saia said. "They care about the bigger cause than just themselves. They have played the same position and just rotated in and out. They've got good hearts. They've both got love in them, and they care about the team more than themselves. That's why they're special."
The 6-foot-4, 244-pound Meredith comes into the season tied for seventh in program history with 24 career tackles for loss. He was a first team All-OVC selection last season after notching four sacks and 86 tackles, including 10 1/2 for loss. Meanwhile, Donnerson isn't far off. His 21 career tackles for loss is tied for 10th all-time in school history, and he's coming off a year in which he racked up four sacks and 50 tackles, including 13 for loss.
The pair represents half of the Redhawks' returning starters on defense, but Saia understands the importance of their roles in relation to the talent they possess.
"When you run a 3-4 defense, it's all about the edge, so the Redhawk football program is gifted to have them," Saia said. "They can do it."
'Speed kills'
Southeast Missouri State's Kendall Donnerson.
Laura Simon
It's not often that a true freshman gets immediate playing time, but Donnerson was a rare exception.
He now measures at 6-2, 248 pounds, but when he first arrived at Southeast in 2014, Donnerson was nearly 30 pounds lighter. His weight, or lack thereof, kept him off the radar of many of the bigger schools, leaving Southeast ahead of the pack among a handful of Division II offers.
"Not many schools were looking at me because of my weight. They said I couldn't hold the weight," Donnerson said. "One day, Coach Saia called me and offered me a full-ride scholarship, so now I'm here making the best of it."
Donnerson attended Maumelle High School in the small city of Maumelle, Arkansas, located just northwest of Little Rock along the Arkansas River. He was a four-year starter at Maumelle, earning all-state honors his final two seasons, during which he combined to produce 220 tackles and 45 sacks.
In his first year with the Redhawks, Donnerson's lack of weight wasn't conducive to his role as a pass rusher, but one part of his game couldn't be denied.
"When he came in at like 215, 220 (pounds), he was running in the 4.4s, 4.5s (seconds in 40-yard dash)," Saia said. "Speed kills, so you had to play him in a special situation when he was that young."
Donnerson saw action in all 12 games during his rookie season but recorded just nine tackles. His usage increased as a sophomore in 2015, as he finished the year with 32 tackles, including six for loss, in 11 games. His best performance of the season came on Sept. 5 against Southern Illinois, when he racked up eight stops (seven solo) to go along with a sack and a forced fumble.
But a breakout campaign was on the horizon, as Donnerson was 18 pounds heavier going into last season. As a junior in 2016, he started 10 of 11 games and more than doubled his TFL total (13), which ranked second in the OVC. His seven quarterback hurries was also a team-high.
At the end of the season, Donnerson was awarded with the team's top linebacker award, along with inside linebacker Roper Garrett.
Southeast Missouri State outside linebacker Kendall Donnerson runs a drill with a blocking pad during practice on Tuesday, Oct. 4, 2016 at the Rosengarten Athletic Complex.
Trent Singer
"I think the game just slowed down a little bit," Redhawks coach Tom Matukewicz said about Donnerson's junior season. "When you're on defense, it's all about processing information and being instinctive and anticipating plays like that, and it just started to catch. ... I think he started playing a little quicker."
"The light finally came on," Saia said. "His junior year, he switched from being a role player to being the guy, and he handled it great."
Saia raves about Donnerson's ability to listen to his coaches, part of which is attributed to a major alteration he underwent in his transition to the college level. In high school, Donnerson played with his hand on the ground as a 4-3 defensive end, but has since transitioned to his OLB position in the Redhawks' 3-4 defense.
"We stood him up here," Saia said. "Now, over the years, he's gotten so big that maybe he could put his hand down, but it was his weight. It wasn't his athletic ability."
Athleticism and physicality are distinct elements to Donnerson's game, while his intensity represents a more intangible side. As he hoists his hand vertically on his helmet to imitate a shark's prowess in the water, Donnerson's celebration after making a big play has become a staple, and his teammates tend to feed off that energy.
"I love him having fun out there," Matukewicz said. "He's just kind of a relentless player."
From walk-on to MVP
Southeast Missouri State's Chad Meredith.
Laura Simon
A torn labrum derailed Meredith's college plans during his senior year of high school, and suddenly, the opportunity to play for the Hilltoppers of Western Kentucky had been lost.
As luck would have it, the connection between Meredith and Southeast was produced by a former teammate, John Popovich. The two played together in high school at Christian Academy of Louisville, and during a visit, Popovich was joined by Meredith, who was offered a spot as a preferred walk-on at inside linebacker.
Meredith was placed on a 50-percent scholarship after his first camp, and as a true freshman under the direction of former Redhawks coach Tony Samuel, he saw action in eight games, recording six tackles. But with a 6-5 frame, Meredith was simply too big to play his ILB position at the college level.
In December 2013, Matukewicz was named the successor to Samuel, and along with the transition, SEMO's defense switched to a 3-4 alignment, with Meredith being moved to the outside.
"He was a kid who was not normal," said Matukewicz, who awarded Meredith with a full-ride scholarship following his first camp as coach. "Normally when they're that tall, they're kind of gangly and awkward and things like that, but right away, he did well.
"The 3-4 really helped him. They recruited him as a 4-3 'backer. I think the 3-4 is perfect for him."
Saia compares Meredith's change of position to a previous stint. He served as the safeties coach at Toledo from 2012-13 when Matukewicz was the defensive coordinator. With the defense he inherited upon arriving to Toledo, Matukewicz switched to a 3-4 alignment and re-evaluated his personnel, moving a defensive end -- 6-3, 240-pound Jayrone Elliott -- to outside linebacker in various packages.
Southeast Missouri State outside linebacker Chad Meredith takes part in practice on Tuesday, Oct. 4, 2016 at the Rosengarten Athletic Complex.
Trent Singer
Elliott went undrafted in 2014 but is currently an outside linebacker for the Green Bay Packers, playing right behind All-Pro pass rusher Clay Matthews.
"This system is user-friendly to tall, long, athletic guys, so it really fits Chad schematically," Saia said about the 3-4.
In 2014, Meredith played in four games, making two starts, but his season came to an end when he was set back by another shoulder injury. He registered just 16 tackles and was granted a medical redshirt.
When Meredith returned in 2015, he was able to show the long-term production from his switch to OLB. He led the Redhawks with 10 1/2 TFLs and was second on the team with 68 tackles, starting all 11 games and earning the team's Vogelsang Defensive MVP award.
And last season was no different. As a junior in 2016, Meredith had a team-high four sacks and was second on the team in tackles, increasing his total to 86, including 10 1/2 TFLs. He was a first-team All-OVC selection and was once again named the Redhawks' Defensive MVP.
"Schematically, it kind of rejuvenated his career, but his 'want to' is off the charts," Saia said. "He's just a special player."
"I've told Coach Saia this -- I think he saved my career, moving me from inside 'backer to outside 'backer," Meredith said. "It really put me in a position that I could thrive at."
Collision course
Southeast Missouri State outside linebackers Chad Meredith and Kendall Donnerson run a drill during practice Tuesday, Sept. 27, 2016 at the Rosengarten Athletic Complex.
Trent Singer
They arrived at Southeast one year apart, but Donnerson and Meredith have grown into their roles and expectations together over time.
In their earlier years, they were in a positional battle for the same OLB spot. That experience ultimately pushed both players to be better.
"We were both in the film room together and were both working on our plays and getting our playbooks," Meredith said. "That kind of built our bond, and then when we both went to opposite sides and were starting, we could once again play off each other and help each other out there."
"When I first met him, I knew he was going to be beside me and have my back all the time," Donnerson said. "... We're like brothers now."
One former player who's mentioned as a key influence in their early college years is Wisler Ymonice, perhaps better known by his nickname, "Wiz," who was a senior OLB in 2014 when Matukewicz took over the program.
"Wiz took those two under his wing, and I love Wisler Ymonice to this day," Saia said. "He helped guide them, and they listened."
"When he left, he had already kind of set the ground work for that, so me and Kendall could just come together," Meredith said about Ymonice. "We already had that friendship in place when we first came in just from playing on the same side of the ball, so we kind of just connected right off the bat."
Matukewicz said Ymonice was one of the key players who bought into the program when the new coaching staff arrived, calling him "a natural leader."
"He cares about kids. It's easy for a senior not to care about a freshman, but he did," Matukewicz said. "You talk about a legacy, we're here three years later talking about Wiz. Why? Because of the legacy he left in those kids' minds.
"He took the time to really take them under his wing and talk to them about how to be great, how to handle things. I don't think they'd be as good as they are if it wasn't for Wiz."
Southeast Missouri State's Chad Meredith tackles Eastern Kentucky's Henry Enyenihi during the fourth quarter on Saturday, Oct. 8, 2016 in Richmond, Kentucky.
Nathan Hutchinson ~ Richmond Register
Matukewicz was delighted to watch what transpired on Aug. 21, when Donnerson was introduced for the first time as a captain, joining Meredith on the team's 2017 leadership council.
"That's completely voted by his teammates, so it's just quite an honor for him," Matukewicz said. "We certainly appreciate those two guys.
"When two of your better players are your hardest workers, you've generally got a great chance."
Already in camp, both players have been exposed to a handful of scouts from NFL teams, including the Cleveland Browns, Los Angeles Rams, Detroit Lions, Seattle Seahawks, Washington Redskins and Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
But in pursuit of jolting a football program that's been mired in mediocrity for far too long, playing beyond college is a mere afterthought for Meredith and Donnerson. They're focused on doing their part to elevate the team, because if the Redhawks are built for success in 2017, the success will likely start with their strength at the edge.
"One of my big goals is to just go out playing my best football, not worrying about what's going on around me, but just focusing on my game and making sure the team's right," Meredith said. "I just want to go out playing my best."
