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OpinionDecember 3, 1997

Southeast Missouri State University's football Indians had a disappointing year. The team finished 4-7 overall and 1-6 in Ohio Valley Conference play. Speculation was heated: Would John Mumford return for a ninth season as Southeast's football coach? Yes, said the administration, which extended Mumford's contract one year...

Southeast Missouri State University's football Indians had a disappointing year. The team finished 4-7 overall and 1-6 in Ohio Valley Conference play.

Speculation was heated: Would John Mumford return for a ninth season as Southeast's football coach? Yes, said the administration, which extended Mumford's contract one year.

The administration's quick action will aid Mumford as he recruits for next year. The one-year extension also sends a strong message: The university stands behind Mumford, but it also expects a winning team.

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Mumford's first season was also Southeast's last as Division II. The team went 7-3 that year.

Then came the difficult transition to Division I-AA. The only winning record came in 1994, when the Indians went 7-5. Mumford was named OVC Coach of the Year.

But sports fans tend to embrace the "What have for done for me lately?" mentality. Coaches are judged on their wins and losses.

It is good to have Coach Mumford back for another year. He is certainly a class act. But the next year could prove crucial for both Southeast's football program and Coach Mumford's future in Cape Girardeau.

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