Southeast Missouri State football team looks to replicate success against surging Govs

Southeast Missouri State's Marquis Terry jumps to catch the ball against Tennessee Tech on Saturday at Houck Field.

awhitaker@semissourian.com

With a fast start and a strong finish, the Southeast Missouri State football team put together its most complete performance of the season in last week's Homecoming win over Tennessee Tech.

Now it's time for the Redhawks to hone that consistent effort.

Southeast will be seeking its third straight victory when it travels to face a vastly improved Austin Peay team at 4 p.m. Saturday in a crucial Ohio Valley Conference matchup at Fortera Stadium in Clarksville, Tennessee.

The Redhawks, who are 2-4 overall and 2-1 in the OVC, are coming off a 31-3 win over TTU, a game in which they scored 17 points in the first quarter and 14 in the fourth. Southeast had three takeaways against the Golden Eagles and didn't commit a single turnover for the second game in a row.

"I loved how we started the game. I loved how we finished it. I loved how we won the turnover margin," Redhawks coach Tom Matukewicz said. "I'm disappointed in some of our penalties, and then there was a little bit of a letdown in the third quarter by our offense. But I thought we played well and came out healthy. We're ready for the next one."

Southeast Missouri State's Jesse Hosket looks to pass against Tennessee Tech on Saturday, Oct. 14, 2017, at Houck Field. The Redhawks won 31-3.

Andrew J. Whitaker

Quarterback Jesse Hosket threw for 161 yards and three touchdowns to lead SEMO's offense. The senior signal caller threw a pair of TD passes in the first quarter -- both of which came on third-and-goal -- before delivering a 47-yard scoring strike to wide receiver Kristian Wilkerson early in the final quarter to put the game out of reach.

"The pocket broke down a little bit," Matukewicz said about the play. "He did a good job of escaping well, where he still had his eyes downfield, and he was able to locate him and did a good job getting the ball to him."

The Redhawks gouged out 173 yards on the ground against TTU, averaging 5.1 yards per carry. Junior running back Cameron Sanders led the way with 102 yards on seven carries, including a 70-yard TD run in the fourth quarter that sealed the final score. Junior RB Marquis Terry added 55 yards on 17 totes.

On the flip side, Southeast limited TTU to just 91 yards on 40 rushes, an average of 2.3 ypc, while senior safety Omar Pierre-Louis recorded a pair of interceptions.

"We're doing a really good job stopping the run," Matukewicz said. "I think, fundamentally, we're playing really physical at the point of attack, which is really what's helping against the run.

"In the secondary, I just think there's a confidence that was lacking. The ball would get in the air, and we'd panic. And then all of a sudden, we'd interfere with the guy or hold him or something, so I think it comes down to confidence in the secondary. That's why we're playing a little faster. They've had a little success, so they're getting better."

Matukewicz hopes his team will be able to match that same first-quarter intensity against a Governors squad that has made significant strides in its second year under coach Will Healy.

APSU (4-3, 3-1 OVC) has won four of its last five games, including a 21-17 victory last week over Tennessee State. The Govs faced a three-point deficit in the fourth quarter before RB Ahmaad Tanner crossed the goal line with 1 minute, 26 seconds remaining, giving APSU the lead for good.

"I think the ball club we're playing prides itself on energy," Matukewicz said. "It's their Homecoming. They're going to have it packed, and so we need to match that intensity on our sideline."

For a program that went consecutive years without a victory (2015-16), the Govs have received plenty of national attention for what they've already accomplished in 2017.

Matukewicz believes defense has been the key to APSU's turnaround season. The Govs rank fourth in the league in total defense, allowing 280.7 yards per game. That's a 225.9 ypg difference from a year ago (506.6 ypg).

"I think their defensive line is drastically better than a year ago. ... That's why they're good on defense, for sure," Matukewicz said. "We've got to play with great physicality."

APSU is giving up 18.3 points per game, which ranks third in the conference and is 28.7 ppg better than last year's mark (47). The Govs rank first in pass defense (149.7 ypg) and fifth in rushing defense (131 ypg).

Plenty has also been rectified on the offensive side to allow APSU to thrive. The Govs are determined to assert themselves on the ground and are leading the conference with 235.6 rushing ypg. They rank 14th nationally in that category.

"They have some weapons, so they've got some big-play guys," Matukewicz said. "They haven't been able to throw the ball, but I'm not even sure they try. They really want to run the ball and control the clock and have great field position, all those types of things.

"Defensively, it's a challenge because it's not just like, 'Here's iso to the right, or power.' It's triple option, or RPOs -- a run with pass options off of it. It's a real challenge, just playing assignment football. ... We've just got to have discipline."

Senior outside linebacker Chad Meredith has 35 total tackles, including four for loss, to lead the Redhawks' defense, while senior OLB Kendall Donnerson has 30 tackles to go along with a team-leading nine TFLs. Pierre-Louis has a team-high three interceptions.

Hosket is 109-of-207 passing (52.7 percent) for 1,073 yards with eight TDs and six interceptions. His top target has been the sophomore Wilkerson, who leads the team with 39 receptions for 465 yards and three scores. Sophomore WR Trevon Billington isn't far behind Wilkerson with 23 catches for 328 yards and three TDs. Southeast ranks fourth in the conference in pass offense.

Terry ranks second in the OVC with 99.2 rushing ypg. He has 137 rushes for 595 yards and five touchdowns, averaging 4.3 ypc. Sanders is generating 11.0 ypc, with 230 yards on 21 attempts. The Redhawks rank fifth in the league in rushing offense with 153.8 ypg.

Southeast ranks second in the conference with a plus-3 turnover margin, while APSU is tied with Jacksonville State at zero -- the Govs have produced 14 takeaways but have turned the ball over 14 times.

"They've really taken the football away. They've had a couple sack fumbles, but they've also just taken the ball away," Matukewicz said. "Offensively, they've put it on the ground, but defensively, they've also gotten a bunch. So that turnover margin's a concern."

Series history

Southeast leads 15-10

Previous meeting

Southeast won 41-21 on Oct. 29, 2016, in Cape Girardeau

By the numbers

78 -- The yardage on Southeast punter Jake Reynolds’ longest punt in last week’s win over TTU, which stands as the fourth-longest in school history. Reynolds was named OVC Specialist of the Week after averaging 45.9 yards on seven punts. He currently ranks 29th nationally with 41.5 yards per punt.

2 -- The Govs’ ranking in the OVC in both red zone defense and red zone offense. APSU is allowing opposing teams to score inside the 20 at a 72.2-percent rate, while it’s producing points at an 80-percent rate. Offensively, the Govs have scored a league-high 18 touchdowns when inside the red zone.

13 -- The number of points the Redhawks have allowed in their last two games combined, both of which resulted in victories at Houck Field. In its last eight quarters of play, SEMO’s defense has forced seven turnovers, including five interceptions. The Redhawks currently have 13 takeaways on the season.

Stat leaders

Austin Peay

Passing: Jeremiah Oatsvall 387 yards, JaVaughn Craig 366 yards

Rushing: Kentel Williams 435 yards, Craig 374 yards, Ahmaad Tanner 333 yards

Receiving: Kyran Moore 198 yards, Gorel Soumare 109 yards, DJ Montgomery 108 yards

Tackles: Gunnar Scholato 61, Jeremiah Mitchell 55, Malik Davis 40

Southeast

Passing: Jesse Hosket 1,073 yards

Rushing: Marquis Terry 595 yards, Cameron Sanders 230 yards, Eddie Morris 79 yards

Receiving: Kristian Wilkerson 465 yards, Trevon Billington 328 yards, Zack Smith 86 yards

Tackles: Chad Meredith 35, Kendall Donnerson 30, Omar Pierre-Louis 30

Austin Peay coach Will Healy

APSU Athletics

Opposing coach's view:

“Lucky for us, you turn the film back on and watch SEMO. It’s a team that manhandled us a year ago and really got after us, out-physicaled us. I think they’re extremely well coached. They’re disciplined. They’re physical. They’ve got good schemes on both sides of the ball, and they match each other. There’s a physicality on offense and defense, and then I think they’ve got the third component in the special teams aspect where they can flip the field and win all three phases. They’re a really good football team that’s playing well with a lot of confidence.”

-- Austin Peay coach Will Healy

Scouting the opponent

Austin Peay sophomore defensive end Jaison Williams has 33 tackles, including 9 1/2 for loss, to go along with 7 1/2 sacks this season.

APSU Athletics

A 29-game losing streak appears to be a distant memory for a Govs squad that is well on its way toward a bounce-back season.

After opening the 2017 campaign with back-to-back losses against Football Bowl Subdivision opponents Cincinnati and Miami (Ohio), APSU secured its first win of the season in Week 3 with a 69-13 thrashing of Morehead State. The Govs followed up that performance with a 27-7 road win over Murray State before claiming a 7-0 victory over nationally-ranked UT Martin. Their lone blip in OVC play came the following week in a 34-14 loss against Jacksonville State.

In February, the Govs turned in the top recruiting class in the Football Championship Subdivision, according to 247sports.com, showing that the $19 million upgrades to their stadium facilities have rejuvenated a program that has long been in the doldrums.

"Healy's really been the face of the program since he stepped on campus," The Leaf Chronicle sports reporter Colton Pouncy said. "Austin Peay's success comes down to evaluating talent and getting that talent to commit to something bigger.

"Healy brought in back-to-back, top-five recruiting classes when the team hadn't won a single game. That really speaks to his ability to relate to young kids. His relatively young age helps in that department, and he's certainly used it to his advantage at Austin Peay. But now Healy and his staff are turning that young talent into a team. It's remarkable to watch considering the history of this program."

Sophomore defensive end Jaison Williams has emerged as the team's key playmaker on defense. The 6-foot-1, 225-pound Williams has 33 tackles, including 9 1/2 for loss, while his 7 1/2 sacks leads the OVC and ranks third in the country.

"Jaison Williams showed glimpses of his pash-rushing potential last year, but he's quickly establishing himself as one of the best defensive players in the OVC this season, if not all of FCS football," Pouncy said. "... Against Tennessee State last week, he sacked TSU quarterback Michael Hughes and forced a fumble to set his offense up with a short field and an early touchdown. He also came up with a sack on the final play of the game to end TSU's chances at a comeback."

Junior Gunnar Scholato (6-3, 234 pounds) leads the team in tackles (61) and is the starting Mike linebacker in the Govs' 4-2-5 base defense, while senior Jeremiah Mitchell (6-1, 229 pounds) has 55 tackles as the starter at the Will linebacker spot. Senior nickelback Malik Boynton (40 tackles, four pass breakups) and freshman cornerback Kordell Jackson (29 tackles, six PBUs) pace APSU's secondary.

"The strength of the team is the defense, which nobody would've guessed heading into the season," Pouncy said. "There have been games where the offense has struggled to get going, and the defense has picked up the slack. They rank 19th (nationally) in turnovers forced, fourth in passing yards allowed and 12th in total defense."

On offense, sophomore Kentel Williams is the team's featured tailback. The 6-foot, 190-pound native of Knoxville, Tennessee, has 76 carries for 435 yards and is one of three Govs with more than 300 rushing yards on the season. Sophomore QB JaVaughn Craig has 56 totes for 374 yards and six TDs, while the freshman Tanner has 60 rushes for 333 yards and two scores.

"This is a run-heavy, ground-and-pound offense," Pouncy said. "Will Healy said before the season that he believes he has four starting-caliber running backs on the roster and that it's the deepest position on the team. ... The offensive line also does a great job blocking this year."

Craig is the Govs' starter under center, while freshman Jeremiah Oatsvall has also seen some action at quarterback. Craig has thrown for 366 yards with three TDs and three picks, while Oatsvall has 387 yards passing with one TD and three interceptions.

Kyran Moore, a 5-10, 160-pound senior, is APSU's leader in the receiving corps. He has 15 receptions for 198 yards with one TD.

"I've only been around the team for a few months, but excitement in and around the program is high," Pouncy said. "It was high at OVC media day when the team was picked to finish last. It was high after losses to Cincinnati and Miami (Ohio). It's even higher now that they've strung some wins together to validate what they've been building.

"As far as excitement in Clarksville, Austin Peay has already set two Fortera Stadium attendance records this year and could set a new one this weekend for Homecoming. Students chant Will Healy's name during games. It's kind of crazy to see so much excitement for a program that was riding a 29-game losing streak a month ago. But that's what's been happening."

OVC schedule

Saturday

* #3 Jacksonville State at Eastern Illinois, 2 p.m.

First place in the conference will be on the line when these two teams meet in Charleston, Illinois. EIU will be looking to bring an end to JSU’s 27-game OVC winning streak.

The Gamecocks defeated visiting Eastern Kentucky in a 41-25 decision last week, as senior Darius Jackson was named OVC Defensive Player of the Week, finishing with seven tackles, a sack, two forced fumbles and a fumble recovery.

The Panthers are coming off another close victory after beating host Murray State 27-24 last week in double overtime. EIU has claimed all four of its conference wins by a combined 10 points.

* UT Martin at Eastern Kentucky, 2 p.m.

* Southeast at Austin Peay, 4 p.m.

OVC standings