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O'Neal to walk on at SEMO
Chase O'Neal was synonymous with Poplar Bluff Mules football this fall as a starter on both the offensive and defensive lines and also as a team leader.
Now, that success is paying off for him, as he has signed to be a preferred walk-on at Southeast Missouri State University in Cape Girardeau.
“I've been to multiple SEMO camps, and I got to have a really good relationship with Coach Tuke (Tom Matukewicz) and Coach (Lucas) Orchard at SEMO,” O'Neal said, “and I felt like it was the right place for me to continue my journey playing football.”
Poplar Bluff offensive line coach Zac Randolph coached O'Neal and had words of praise for him.
“He's a great player, but more more importantly, he's a good kid.” Randolph said. “We told the senior group from the beginning that they are the foundation that we want to build this program up from — and he was a big part of that. He's a coach on the field, works really hard, plays really hard — and then on top of that, he's got a great attitude as well.”
SEMO is coming off another successful season which saw the Redhawks earn a Division I FCS playoff berth as one of the top FCS schools in the country.
“It's a big step,” Randolph said. “Anytime you get to play college football and extend your career a little bit longer, it's a big deal. And going to a (school close to home) and getting to play for Southeast Missouri, who's had some success in these last few years, that's awesome. It's an extra incentive to keep playing hard and keep working.”
This past season, the Mules shook off a 1-4 start to finish 5-6, including winning a first-round Class 5 District 1 game at Farmington and pushing state-ranked Cape Central to the wire in the district semifinals.
“I've enjoyed coaching him,” Randolph said. “I'm a little partial to him, because he's one of the big mean guys that I get to coach. So I'm a little partial to him. He's a good kid.”
So what stands out the most to O'Neal as he reflects on his high school career?
“Really, just how this team came together as a family,” O'Neal said. “This team is more of a family to me than anything's ever been in my entire life — and I think that's really helped me along the way.”
One of the better aspects of O'Neal going to SEMO is he will be reunited with former Mules linebacker Logan Hite.
“It's going to be great playing with Logan again,” O'Neal said. “Logan's a really good player, and I'm excited to be able to be on the same team with him again.”
O'Neal plans to major in physical therapy and also aims to be a part of the Redhawks' success on the field.
“I want to graduate with something in physical therapy and continue on with that,” O'Neal said. “But I also want to play as soon as possible — so (I want to) work really hard, grind it out, and hopefully play at some point in the next couple of years.”