Southeast Missouri State football team prepares for first meeting against Dayton

Southeast Missouri State coach Tom Matukewicz, right, watches his team play against Kansas during the second half Saturday in Lawrence, Kansas.

Reed Hoffmann ~ Associated Press

Although Ohio Valley Conference play is still two weeks away, the Southeast Missouri State football team understands the importance of its non-conference slate.

The Redhawks continue that season-opening stretch of games when they travel to face the Dayton Flyers at noon Saturday at Welcome Stadium in Dayton, Ohio.

"You want to get momentum and gain confidence before those conference games," Southeast quarterback Jesse Hosket said. "That's what this week's about, just going in and playing our game. Let's get some confidence going into conference play."

It'll be the first meeting between the two Football Championship Subdivision schools and the first of a home-and-home series. The Flyers will travel to Cape Girardeau in 2018.

"It's a tradition-rich program," Redhawks coach Tom Matukewicz said about Dayton. "They love their football. ... I know they scheduled this game because they want to try to beat an Ohio Valley team to try and get into the playoffs, but we scheduled the same thing, to try and beat an FCS team and a good team."

Southeast Missouri State quarterback Jesse Hosket scrambles away from Kansas during the second half of an NCAA college football game in Lawrence, Kan., Saturday, Sept. 2, 2017. (AP Photo/Reed Hoffmann)

Southeast (0-1) is a week removed from dropping a 38-16 decision against Football Bowl Subdivision opponent Kansas, a game in which the Jayhawks jumped out to a 14-0 lead and never trailed.

The 22-point loss didn't discourage Matukewicz, who was pleased with the performance of several new starters. Sophomore Shabari Davis, a transfer from Garden City Community College (Kan.), averaged 26.3 yards on three punt returns, and he also started at cornerback and recorded an interception. Junior running back Marquis Terry, another JUCO transfer, had 23 carries for 87 yards, while sophomore wide receiver Trevon Billington scored his first career touchdown on his first career reception in his first career start, finishing with four catches for 44 yards.

"There's a lot of data -- that's the thing a coach appreciates after you play a game," Matukewicz said. "You just have so much more information about your team, and now we're just going to work on that. ... Offensively, we were just a block here or a ball here from really having a good day, and defensively, we just gave up big plays because of mistakes."

Matukewicz was also impressed with his offensive line, which didn't give up a sack against a talented Jayhawks defensive front led by Big 12 Conference Preseason Defensive Player of the Year Dorance Armstrong Jr.

"We were able to move the ball. We were able to run the ball a little bit," Matukewicz said. "Jesse got hit, but it wasn't just a floodgate. ... I think we're really improved there, but it wasn't good enough. So that's the challenge, to improve and go out to Dayton and see if those guys can really impose their will."

Hosket completed 25 of 44 passes (56.8 percent) for 170 yards with two TDs and no interceptions against Kansas. The Redhawks were led in receiving by sophomore Kristian Wilkerson, who finished with nine catches for 68 yards and one score.

SEMO's offense started slow but found a groove as the game progressed, putting together its longest drive in the fourth quarter. The five-play, 75-yard drive was capped by a 22-yard TD pass from Hosket to Wilkerson.

"They had some really good players up front on the D-line. I think that was a great team to start off against," Hosket said about Kansas. "It set the bar high for us. We've got a lot of things to work on and grow on as an offense."

Meanwhile, Dayton (0-1) opened the season with a 13-10 loss at Robert Morris. The Flyers led 10-0 but were shut out in the second half, as the Colonials came back and won on a 26-yard field goal in the final seconds.

"It's going to be a great game," Matukewicz said. "I know we'll get their best. I'm sure they're disappointed."

Dayton competes in the Pioneer Football League, which, unlike most other FCS conferences, doesn't award athletic scholarships to football players. Coming off a 9-2 campaign in 2016, the Flyers were picked to finish second in the league's preseason poll and are led by 10th-year coach Rick Chamberlin, who has a 74-28 record with the program.

"I just think they're really, really sound," Matukewicz said about Dayton. "They play hard. Technique-wise, maybe one of the best teams we'll play. Their shoulders are square. They use their hands well. ... They've got good players."

Senior Tucker Yinger is the Flyers' featured running back and a key piece of the offense. The 6-foot, 191-pound Yinger had 24 rushes for 107 yards against RMU.

"He finishes runs," Matukewicz said about Yinger. "You can tell when a team can run it by if the defense knows they're going to run it and they still run it. It's kind of easy to catch some guys off guard or whatever, but several third downs they converted by running the ball.

"He just always has his helmet forward. He always finishes forward."

Southeast fared well against the run in Week 1, as the Jayhawks were able to rush for only 73 yards on 25 totes, averaging 2.9 yards per carry. Senior outside linebacker Chad Meredith and senior safety Omar Pierre-Louis each had six tackles, while senior cornerback Mike Ford finished with five tackles, including two for loss, and accounted for the game's only sack.

"I think Mike Ford was probably the best DB on the field," Matukewicz said. "He made a lot of plays."

Matukewicz said he placed an emphasis during this week's practice on getting better in two-minute situations, but other than that, the game week routine has remained pretty much the same.

"It's still about us. We haven't talked a lot about Dayton," Matukewicz said. "We're just focusing on the things that we need to do better, our keys to victory."

Series history

First meeting

Previous meeting

N/A

By the numbers

23 -- The number of games in a row that Meredith has started at outside linebacker. Hosket has started 12 straight games since taking over the offense in his first season with the program in 2016. Hosket is also the program’s first QB in six years to start back-to-back seasons. Also on offense, junior left tackle Drew Forbes has started 12 in a row.

6 -- The number of all-time games Southeast has played against PFL opponents. The Redhawks are 3-3 in such contests (3-2 against Morehead State and 0-1 against Drake). MSU is with Southeast in the OVC outside of football. Southeast has won its last two games against PFL foes, the last of which was a 21-12 victory over Drake in 1995.

45 -- The length of yardage on the field goal made by Redhawks kicker Nicholas Litang in the third quarter against Kansas. It was Litang’s first start in a Southeast uniform since transferring from New Mexico Military Institute. His missed extra point late in the fourth quarter ended SEMO’s streak of consecutive made PATs at 53.

Stat leaders

Dayton

Passing: Kyle Kaparos 122 yards

Rushing: Tucker Yinger 107 yards, Sean Prophit 43 yards, Kaparos -3 yards

Receiving: Adam Trautman 50 yards, Yinger 25 yards, Matt Tunnacliffe 22 yards

Tackles: Andrew McCormick 11, Jack Cain 9, Khameron Wilcox 7

Southeast

Passing: Jesse Hosket 170 yards

Rushing: Marquis Terry 87 yards, Jesse Hosket 14 yards, Logan Larson 5 yards

Receiving: Kristian Wilkerson 68 yards, Trevon Billington 44 yards, Terry 22 yards

Tackles: Chad Meredith 6, Omar Pierre-Louis 6, Mike Ford 5

Dayton coach Rick Chamberlin

Erik Schelkun ~ Elsestar Images

Opposing coach's view

“They’re big. They’re fast. They’re physical. Those three words sum it on both sides of the ball. They’re what you think of in the Ohio Valley Conference, with the Eastern Kentuckys and the Jacksonville States. They’re just a very physical team. ... They know what they’re doing. They’re veterans. They’ve got a number of returners on both offense and defense, including their quarterback.”

-- Dayton coach Rick Chamberlin

Scouting the opponent

Dayton running back Tucker Yinger ran had 24 carries for 107 yards in last week’s loss to Robert Morris.

Erik Schelkun ~ Elsestar Images

A decade has passed since Chamberlin took over the Flyers' program. He replaced former Dayton coach Mike Kelly, who was inducted into the National Football Foundation's College Football Hall of Fame in 2011.

While Kelly set a high standard of excellence, the transition to Chamberlin has been practically seamless, according to WHIO Radio's Larry Hansgen, who serves as the play-by-play voice for the Flyers.

"Chamberlin has PFL titles in 2009, 2010 and in 2015 won the league and went to the FCS playoffs," Hansgen said. "With his next PFL win, he will pass Mike Kelly as the winningest coach in PFL history. The only change, perhaps, in his philosophy has been to cast a wider recruiting net."

Yinger is the leading tailback in Dayton's backfield, but sophomore running back Sean Prophit also possesses playmaking ability. Yinger averaged 4.5 yards per carry in last week's loss to RMU, while Prophit generated 6.1 yards per rush.

"Tucker Yinger and Sean Prophit are both explosive running backs, but the offensive line struggled against a bigger and quicker Robert Morris defense," Hansgen said.

The Flyers began the season without two-year starting QB Alex Jeske, who's out with a broken foot. Jeske's injury has set the table for Kyle Kaparos, who made his first collegiate start against the Colonials. Hansgen said Kaparos was "solid, but not stellar," as he finished 13-of-18 passing for 122 yards with one TD.

In the receiving corps, redshirt sophomore tight end Adam Trautman possesses versatility in the open field. He led Dayton with four catches for 50 yards in last week's loss, while senior wideout Matt Tunnacliffe accounted for the team's only touchdown, finishing with two catches for 22 yards.

"Adam Trautman is a do-it-all type of tight end who can line up anywhere on the field, has good speed and great hands," Hansgen said. "Playmakers at receiver Ryan Skibinksi and Jack Euritt didn't see the ball enough last week. Formation-wise, Dayton will run the spread but also is doing more power-I look this year."

Defensively, the Flyers use a four-man front with two linebackers and a safety/linebacker hybrid. Senior cornerback Christian Searles leads the Flyers' secondary and is coming off a 2016 campaign in which he had five interceptions.

"Cornerback Christian Searles can play for any team in the country at any level," Hansgen said. "The other corner is an issue."

Senior linebackers Andrew McCormick and Jack Cain led Dayton in tackles with 11 and nine, respectively, in last week's game. Other key players on defense include junior safety David Leisring and senior defensive end Nick Surges.

Hansgen said special teams coverage and punting have been a strength of this year's team, while placekicking has shown itself to be an issue. Freshman Patrick Sandler was 1 of 3 in field goal attempts against RMU. He converted on a 44-yard try but missed on two shorter attempts.

For a team that prides itself on eliminating self-inflicted errors, Dayton's struggles in Week 1 were uncharacteristic.

"Dayton usually does not beat itself but gave up a big play on defense (72-yard TD pass) and fumbled twice in the loss to RMU," Hansgen said.

With Jeske watching from the sidelines, Hansgen said it's hard to get a feel for which direction this year's team is headed.

"An offensive line with two new starters is still a question mark," Hansgen said. "The biggest difference notable, so far, is the graduation of record-setting all-league kicker Willy Will.

"Dayton probably will not be able to match up physically with SEMO or with Duquesne in the following week. A PFL title is the goal for the team and its fans, and that will probably come down to who wins the game versus San Diego on Sept. 30."

OVC schedule

Saturday

* Eastern Kentucky at Kentucky, 11 a.m.

* UT Martin at Ole Miss, 11 a.m.

* #5 Jacksonville State at Georgia Tech, 11:30 a.m.

The Gamecocks return to action after a week off and will square off against the Yellowjackets for the third time in program history. The last meeting between the two schools came in 2009 when GT claimed a 37-17 victory.

JSU opened the season two weeks ago with a 27-13 win over No. 12 Chattanooga in the Guardian Credit Union FCS Kickoff in Montgomery, Alabama. Roc Thomas had 122 yards rushing and a touchdown while also hauling in three catches for 68 yards to lead the Gamecocks to victory.

The Yellowjackets will look to bounce back from a 42-41 loss against nationally-ranked Tennessee on Monday in Atlanta, a game that ended in double overtime when GT failed to convert a two-point conversion. The Yellowjackets racked up 535 yards on the ground and were led by new QB TaQuon Marshall, who had 44 carries for 249 yards and five TDs.

* Southeast at Dayton, noon

* Austin Peay at Miami (Ohio), 2:30 p.m.

* Eastern Illinois at Northern Illinois, 2:30 p.m.

* #15 Central Arkansas at Murray State, 6 p.m.

* Tennessee Tech at Kennesaw State, 6 p.m.

* #23 Tennessee State vs. Jackson State, in Memphis, Tenn., 6 p.m.