Menu
SEMO NOTEBOOK: Dominant defense sets tone for Southeast Missouri State football success
Southeast Missouri State cornerback Mike Ford intercepts a pass against Eastern Kentucky on Saturday at Houck Field. Southeast won 29-10 thanks to a dominating defensive performance.
BEN MATTHEWS
It started from the outset.
Well, maybe not the very first play of the game -- that was a 47-yard catch by Eastern Kentucky wide receiver Ryan Markush. But certainly it began on the first drive. That's when the Southeast Missouri State defense set the tone for the entire game.
After the visiting Colonels needed just three plays to push down to the SEMO 2-yard line, the home side turned up the heat. Four rushes and zero yards later -- capped by a fourth-and-goal tackle by safety Bydarrius Knighten for a goal-line stop -- the Redhawks sent a clear message: You won't be moving the football on us tonight.
Southeast's defense held EKU to just 10 points on 317 yards of offense, most impressively completely erasing EKU's ground game while forcing four turnovers in a commanding 29-10 victory on Saturday evening at Houck Field.
Southeast Missouri State defensive linemen crowd the line of scrimmage during a game Sept. 30, 2017 against Eastern Kentucky at Houck Field in Cape Girardeau.
Ben Matthews
"The thing we were focused on most was just stopping the run -- making them have to throw the ball," Southeast senior linebacker Chad Meredith said. "I don't know the final stats, but ... "
That would be 11 rushing yards on 22 carries, Chad.
"We succeeded and we got the results we wanted."
The key for SEMO was holding the Colonels to 1 of 13 on third downs and 0 of 3 on fourth downs, plus just 1 of 3 in the red zone.
And while the Southeast offense did not commit a single turnover, Shabari Davis, Omar Pierre-Louis and Mike Ford all came up with interceptions, while Kendall Donnerson forced a fumble that Al Young recovered on EKU's 14-yard line.
Four plays later, Marquis Terry was in the end zone and Southeast held a 10-0 lead -- its largest lead of the season to that point. All set up by the defense.
"At the end of the day, we can just worry about our side of the ball," Meredith said. "We're going to do what we need to do, and we've got faith in our offense that they're going to do what they need to do. And that's what they did."
The defense set up the offense again in the fourth quarter, with Donnerson hurrying EKU quarterback Tim Boyle -- the Redhawks outside linebacker had three QB hurries in the game -- into a throw that was intercepted by Ford at the Colonels' 4. Two plays later, Terry capitalized again for a 29-3 advantage with 4 minutes, 52 seconds left in the game.
Really, all aspects of the excellent defensive effort were intertwined. The run stopping forced passing situations, which allowed Southeast to get into its nickel or dime package and put more pass-rushing players on the field. The result was an ability to get to Boyle effectively, which led to turnovers. And when there wasn't a turnover, it was still a hurried throw and an inability to extend drives on third down.
"I thought we got back there so the quarterback had to move around, and he made some plays, too. But we hit him. We sacked him. We turned him over," Matukewicz said. "I think the third-down success had to do with our rush."
Which, again, came out of the run defense.
Perhaps more impressive than just the numbers was that Southeast did it without starting defensive tackle Josh Wilson on the field for much of the game. The senior went down with a left knee injury in the second quarter and didn't return.
Matukewicz said the extent of the injury was unknown, though Wilson was on the sideline walking on his own without crutches or a brace.
"He's a great player. He's a load in there, and you hate that for a senior. So I hope he'll still be able to finish the season out," Matukewicz said.
What could have been a major blow -- the absence of a big body and a key leader -- seemed to have little affect on the actual on-field product.
Ryan Ochoa had a lot to do with that. A sophomore, Ochoa became the go-to fill-in during three down-lineman situations, and the defensive line didn't skip a beat.
Southeast Missouri State cornerback Al Young breaks up a pass intended for Eastern Kentucky's Neiko Creamer during a game Sept. 30, 2017 at Houck Field in Cape Girardeau.
Ben Matthews
"That's always a big part that we focus on is that you've got to be prepared for your opportunity," Ochoa said. "Unfortunately, 'Dub' (Wilson) went down, and he's a big part of our defense for the last four years. Next man up -- you've got to do what you've got to do."
Ochoa didn't end up with any official tackles, but the run defense showed no let-up with him in the game. And he was able to make Boyle feel the heat on a couple of occasions.
"He was a walk-on kid who earned a scholarship, so we're proud of him," Matukewicz said. "I know he's back there, and he almost got a sack and was trying to turn that big belly around. And he wasn't able to get him down.
"I call him 'Dollar General' because he's from a little-bitty town, and the only store he's got in the whole town is a Dollar General."
But there was nothing discount about SEMO's defense on Saturday.
When Southeast was hit for a big play -- EKU receiver Ryan Markush had three catches of more 30 yards, which accounted for 38 percent of his team's total offense -- it bounced back. None of those plays led to scoring drives. Not even field goals.
"We talk about having a six-second mentality," Matukewicz said. "You really have to reset your six seconds and reset and reset it. You've got to keep plugging along and can't get too frustrated. You can get frustrated, but you just keep plugging along."
Punt performance
While the defense held its own, it also got a little help from an area of the game that was a sticking point for the Redhawks early in the season -- punting.
After a rugby-style punt caused issues for SEMO's special teams early on, the coaching staff made the call to return to a traditional style of punting and to rely on redshirt freshman Jake Reynolds. That faith certainly paid off against EKU.
Gallery photos
Reynolds had nine punts, averaging 43.6 yards while putting four inside the 20-yard line, including two inside the 5.
Those deep punts were critical in setting up SEMO's defense for success.
With 8:25 left to play, Reynolds punted from midfield and forced a fair catch by the Colonels at their own 8-yard line. On EKU's first play of the ensuing drive, defensive pressure forced Boyle to intentionally ground the ball in the end zone, resulting in a safety.
On his next punt of the game, he kicked from inside EKU territory but got the ball to hold up at the 4-yard line. Two plays later, Boyle was intercepted by Ford at that very same spot, setting up a Redhawks touchdown.
"Jake did incredible, man," Ochoa said. "He had, what? Two punts inside the 5-yard line? We got a safety off of it and an interception. Both of those were caused by Jake, ultimately."
On a day when SEMO's defense did some major water carrying, Reynolds made sure he did his part.
"If our defense is put in good field position, we're going to win 99 percent of the time," Meredith said.
Offensive ups and downs
Terry and the ground game garnered the headlines for the Southeast offense and made sure a staunch defensive effort did not go to waste. But not everything was perfect for the Redhawks on that side of the ball.
Of SEMO's 375 yards of total offense, only 76 came through the air. Quarterback Jesse Hosket was 9-of-23 on the day, and the Redhawks did not have a passing score.
"I think we were trying to get Jesse out on the edge and he kind of got bottled up on all of our boots and play-action where we're trying to move the pocket," Matukewicz said. "They kind of had us dialed in on the protection thing. So then we kind of got up a little bit and 'Quis (Terry) was playing well, but I agree. I think we'd like to throw a little better. I think it just came down to we weren't able to get Jesse out on the perimeter."
Getting the aerial attack clicking will continue to be a concern, but every game is different, Matukewicz said, and the result is what matters.
"I mean, you've got to have balance. Obviously you can't just run the ball and you can't just throw it," Matukewicz said. "Last week we had balance but we also turned it over. So it just comes down to what it takes to win each game. Each game is going to be a little different."