Refreshed Southeast Missouri State football team set for Homecoming matchup vs. Tennessee Tech

Southeast Missouri State's Cameron Sanders celebrates after scoring on a 77-yard run during the second quarter against Eastern Kentucky on Sept. 30 at Houck Field.

BEN MATTHEWS

A week off went a long way for the Southeast Missouri State football team.

Redhawks coach Tom Matukewicz and his players set several goals during their bye week, using the spare time to get healthy both physically and emotionally ahead of a Homecoming matchup at 1 p.m. Saturday against winless Tennessee Tech at Houck Field.

"There's just a lot of pressure on game day on the players and the coaches, and I just wanted them to get away from it," Matukewicz said. "I gave them three consecutive days off, which is pretty unusual, but my goal was to get a fresh, hungry football team back on Monday. I think we got that.

"We sent eight coaches on the road recruiting. That's obviously a time to get a lot of work done there, and then we developed the younger players in our program. We had several scrimmages for those guys and found a little bit more about some of the younger players on offense, like quarterback and things like that."

Prior to its bye week, Southeast (1-4, 1-1 Ohio Valley Conference) picked up its first victory of the season in a 29-10 win over visiting Eastern Kentucky. The Redhawks recorded a season-high four takeaways and held the Colonels to just 11 yards rushing, even after losing senior defensive lineman Josh Wilson to a knee injury in the second quarter.

Southeast Missouri State running back Marquis Terry breaks free for a big gain against Eastern Kentucky on Saturday, Sept. 30, 2017 at Houck Field.

BEN MATTHEWS ~ bmatthews@semissourian.com

Matukewicz said he expects Wilson to play in a limited role against the Golden Eagles, while senior cornerback Rico McWilliams is also expected to return to the lineup.

"I feel pretty good," Matukewicz said. "I don't think we'll miss anybody."

Against EKU, the Redhawks racked up 299 yards rushing, averaging 6.8 yards per carry. Junior running back Marquis Terry led the way with a season-high 184 yards and two touchdowns on 31 carries, a performance that earned him honors for OVC Co-Newcomer of the Week.

"Our offensive line is coming together and really opening up some holes," Matukewicz said. "He always gets the most out of his runs, but he just seemed like he found a little more, too. Even some of his 7- or-8-yard runs were even more impressive than the long run he had. He did a nice job."

Junior RB Cameron Sanders had a 77-yard TD run for Southeast in the second quarter, finishing with 86 yards on four carries. A week prior versus Eastern Illinois, Sanders scored on a 93-yard kickoff return, forcing the coaching staff to find more ways to get him involved on offense.

"We just ran an outside zone," Matukewicz said about Sanders' TD run against the Colonels. "The offensive line did a great job of securing the edge behind Drew Forbes, and he got that seam. And I think we blocked downfield harder. He did make one guy miss, but we also had a wideout run and get in front of a corner to secure the touchdown."

The bye week allowed the Redhawks to get an early start in preparing for TTU (0-6, 0-3 OVC), which is coming off a heartbreaking 24-23 loss last week at Eastern Illinois. The Golden Eagles jumped out to a 14-0 lead in the first quarter but were outscored 24-9 the rest of the way. In the second half, kicker Nick Madonia connected on field goals of 51, 32 and 33 yards, but his lone miss was a potential game-winning, 48-yard attempt that sailed wide right in the final seconds.

TTU is the only team in the OVC that has yet to win, which is mostly due to a minus-8 turnover margin that ranks last in the league. That trend, however, has taken a turn, as the Golden Eagles have committed just one turnover in their last nine quarters of play.

"They've been having troubles in the red zone on offense," Matukewicz said about TTU. "They've had to settle for field goals, which has kept the point total down, and defensively, they're giving up big plays. What we would consider a big play, they've given up 61 of those in six games, so that's a lot."

The Golden Eagles rank last in the conference in total defense, allowing 416.5 yards per game, and are last in the league in rushing defense (220.8 ypg). They rank fifth in pass defense, giving up 195.7 ypg.

"What stands out is they're really aggressive," Matukewicz said. "They're blitz-heavy, a lot of people around the football, so it'll create some negative-yardage plays. But then, also, if you can crack that first level, you're going to get a big play.

"We've got to stay patient, but we've got to be able to make the big play, both in the run game and the passing game."

While TTU ranks third in the OVC in total offense with 336 ypg, it's the lowest-scoring team in the league with 15.3 points per game. The Golden Eagles are averaging 234 ypg passing (second in OVC) and 102 ypg rushing (seventh in OVC).

"They're committed to the run. They want to run the ball. They haven't had as much success as they've wanted, but they have been able to throw it," Matukewicz said. "... It just comes down to the same thing. We've got to just play with discipline in the secondary, and we'll be fine."

Redhawks senior quarterback Jesse Hosket has five TDs and six interceptions and is third in the league with 912 yards passing. His efficiency has dipped in his last two starts, during which he's completed 31 of 66 passes (47 percent) for 325 yards with two picks.

Terry is averaging a league-leading 108 ypg on the ground, while sophomore wide receivers Kristian Wilkerson and Trevon Billington have 356 and 324 receiving yards, respectively. Wilkerson is averaging 71.2 ypg, and Billington is generating 64.8 ypg, which rank third and fourth in the conference, respectively.

Southeast is averaging 332.4 ypg in total offense, which ranks fourth in the league, while its 20.2 ppg is fifth in the OVC. The Redhawks are third in the conference in pass offense (182.4 ypg) and fifth in rushing offense (150 ypg).

Defensively, senior outside linebacker Chad Meredith leads the team in total tackles with 29, including four for loss. Senior OLB Kendall Donnerson has 28 tackles, including a team-high 21 solo stops and eight TFLs.

In the secondary, senior cornerback Mike Ford has eight pass breakups, while newcomer Shabari Davis has six PBUs and a team-high two interceptions.

The Redhawks are giving up 25.4 ppg and 344.6 ypg, both of which rank fifth in the OVC. Southeast is fourth in the league in rushing defense (121 ypg) but ranks last in pass defense (223.6 ypg).

Ahead of what's expected to be an emotional Homecoming game, Matukewicz had a simple message to his players: "Reflect and reach."

"Reflect on why we had success, so we know how to repeat it. And then reach a little deeper. Reach for a little more," Matukewicz said. "A lot of teams stop getting better, for whatever reason, because the focus starts to go to other things.

"I challenged the team to still keep the focus on you. If you get a little better, the team gets a little better because I still feel like we're not playing as well as we could. I still feel like some of our newer players can play better. I think Jesse can play better. I mean, there's a lot we can do better, so hopefully we continue to see a team that's committed to getting better."

Series history

TTU leads 15-10

Previous meeting

TTU won 21-20 on Oct. 22, 2016, in Cookeville, Tenn.

By the numbers

12 -- The all-time number of wins Southeast has in Homecoming games since moving to the Football Championship Subdivision level in 1991. In contrast, the Redhawks have lost 24 since then. Under Matukewicz, Southeast is 1-2 in Homecoming matchups, including a 17-10 defeat last season against No. 2 Jacksonville State.

21 -- The number of points TTU scored in the second quarter on the way to a 21-20 victory over the Redhawks last season in Cookeville, Tennessee. Southeast held the Golden Eagles to just 74 yards rushing, but two missed field goals and an interception that was returned for a touchdown proved to be the difference.

4 -- The number of punts that redshirt freshman Jake Reynolds dropped inside the 20-yard line in the Redhawks’ win over EKU. He punted nine times for 392 yards, averaging 43.6 yards per punt. Three of Reynolds’ punts were 50 yards or more, including a 59-yarder. He ranks seventh in the OVC in punting (40.3 ypp).

Stat leaders

TTU

Passing: Andre Sale 1,375 yards

Rushing: Andrew Goldsmith 342 yards, Yeedee Thaenrat 259 yards, Rodrick Napper 35 yards

Receiving: Dontez Byrd 665 yards, Darrius Stafford 139 yards, Goldsmith 114 yards

Tackles: Elliott Normand 57, Aderick Moore 52, Clay Davis 41

Southeast

Passing: Jesse Hosket 912 yards

Rushing: Marquis Terry 540 yards, Cameron Sanders 128 yards, Eddie Morris 79 yards

Receiving: Kristian Wilkerson 356 yards, Trevon Billington 324 yards, Zack Smith 86 yards

Tackles: Chad Meredith 29, Kendall Donnerson 28, Omar Pierre-Louis 27

Tennessee Tech coach Marcus Satterfield

Thomas Corhern ~ TTU Sports Information

Opposing coach's view:

“We’re getting ready to play SEMO at SEMO. They’re one of my favorite teams to watch in the league. They’re physical. They like to run their power-run game. They’re physical on defense. They’ve got a physical mentality. You can tell they get that from their coach and their coaching staff. I always like to watch them. It’s going to be fun to go to Cape Girardeau to see what we can do.”

-- Tennessee Tech Marcus Satterfield

Scouting the opponent

Tennessee Tech senior wide receiver Dontez Byrd leads the OVC with 45 receptions for 665 yards.

Thomas Corhern ~ TTU Sports Information

In their second year under coach Marcus Satterfield, the Golden Eagles have gotten off to a rocky start.

TTU opened the season with a 41-14 loss at home versus Western Illinois before dropping three straight on the road, including a 24-21 loss against host Eastern Kentucky to start conference play.

At 5-foot-11, 180 pounds, senior WR Dontez Byrd is the Golden Eagles' top playmaker. He has a league-leading 45 receptions for 665 yards to go along with three TDs. Beyond that, TTU's receiving corps has provided scarce production. Junior wideout Darrius Stafford has six catches for 139 yards and a TD, while sophomore WR Hunter Coleman has amassed 97 yards and one score on nine grabs.

Redshirt freshman Andre Sale is the team's signal caller. The 6-2, 210-pound Sale leads the OVC with 1,375 yards. He's completed 113 of 186 passes (61 percent) with seven TDs and eight interceptions.

A pair of sophomore RBs -- Yeedee Thaenrat and Andrew Goldsmith -- split carries for the Golden Eagles, combining for three scores. Goldsmith has 59 rushes for 342 yards, while Thaenrat has racked up 259 yards on 75 totes.

TTU's offensive line has allowed a league-high 19 sacks, with opposing defenses averaging 3.17 sacks per game. Right tackle Jarred Dorton (6-7, 340 pounds) is the unit's lone senior starter.

The Golden Eagles' defense operates in a 4-3 alignment, led by Will linebacker Elliott Normand. The 6-foot, 225-pound senior has a team-high 57 tackles on the season, including 4 1/2 for loss, to go along with one interception and one forced fumble.

Sophomore Aderick Moore, who starts at the Mike linebacker spot, has 52 tackles on the year, while junior Deven Sullivan (Leo) has 30 tackles, including three for loss.

Junior safety Deontay Wilson (39 tackles) and sophomore safety Clay Davis (41 tackles) have each recorded an interception for TTU, while junior cornerback AJ Flemister has a team-high six PBUs.

The Golden Eagles have produced only two sacks this season. The starting defensive line features two juniors and two seniors. Backup defensive end Chris McElderry, a junior, leads the unit with 30 tackles.

OVC schedule

Saturday

* Tennessee Tech at Southeast, 1 p.m.

* Eastern Illinois at Murray State, 3 p.m.

The Panthers are riding a three-game winning streak and will be looking to exact revenge against a Racers team that claimed a 40-38, come-from-behind victory when the two teams met a year ago. EIU had won four straight in the all-time series heading into last year’s meeting.

With three victories in OVC play, the Panthers are coming off last week’s win over TTU, a game in which backup quarterback Bud Martin threw for 204 yards and three TDs to lead the EIU rally.

MSU racked up 267 yards of total offense last week in defeating No. 25 UT Martin 13-10 on the road. Gabriel Vicente’s 32-yard field goal lifted the Racers to victory as time expired. MSU quarterback Shuler Bentley passed for 243 yards with a TD.

* Eastern Kentucky at #3 Jacksonville State, 3 p.m.

* Austin Peay at Tennessee State, 6 p.m.

OVC standings