As anticipation builds up, Southeast bulks up

After last year's breakthrough 8-4 season, a lot more eyes are on Southeast Missouri State University's football team.

And even though practice won't begin until early August, the Indians -- which return 19 starters from the school's winningest team since 1969 -- are determined to be physically and mentally prepared for the season.

That explains why Southeast has seen a steady increase in its voluntary summer strength and conditioning program now in full swing. And it's why the Indians don't mind doing everything -- no matter how unpleasant at times -- that strength and conditioning coach Paul Helsel demands.

"Maybe at times we're ticked off at him," said a laughing Eugene Amano, the Indians' center from California. "But we know it benefits us. We know it prepares us to be a fourth-quarter team.

"Last year, a lot of people didn't know what to expect from us. But we put it together, and now we don't want to go back down. Knowing that everybody is here working hard, that's great motivation."

Said offensive tackle Dan Connolly, a St. Louis native, "Being together in the summer builds camaraderie and it's good for us. We work out together and we get a lot stronger. I know if I was home, I wouldn't do all this.

"Last year we snuck up on people. Now we have a big target on our back. We have to work harder than ever and we talk about that."

More than 60 players are involved in the voluntary summer strength and conditioning program, which is roughly a 90-percent participation rate.

"Last year, we had about 55 tops, but we hit 55 this year in early June," Helsel said. "About half of the incoming freshmen are here working out, which is impressive."

Nobody is more appreciative of the Indians' commitment than fourth-year head coach Tim Billings, particularly because the summer after Billings was hired to turn around a struggling program, less than 10 players were in the summer program.

"The participation level increases every year, and that's really gratifying," Billings said. "Just about all of our key players are here this summer. It shows you the kind of commitment our players make."

And the importance of that cannot be understated, Helsel said.

"I'm big on clichés, and I really believe that games are won from January to August, not during the season," Helsel said. "These are voluntary workouts. By NCAA rules, we can't make them be here. This is the biggest group we've had stay here, and it shows their level of commitment to the program and to winning.

"This is an important time of the year. If they want to win championships, they have to come together as a team and this is a big part of that."

Southeast players generally lift weights four times a week during the summer and also participate in conditioning, agility and speed work on two of those days. It's all under the direction of Helsel, the strength and conditioning coach for every Southeast sport.

Helsel, about to enter this third year at Southeast, draws high praise from Billings for helping make the Indians' strength program one of the best around.

"Coach Helsel has done a tremendous job helping us get bigger and stronger," Billings said. "When I first got here, we got pushed around all the time. It's not that way any more."

Helsel likes to hear that kind of talk and takes pride in the role he played during last year's landmark season that saw the Indians' finish No. 24 nationally. And he believes the best is still to come.

"We did not lose a game last year in the fourth quarter because of conditioning, and we sure won some," Helsel said. "This will be the strongest group Southeast has put on the field in a long time."

And also the most successful, if Helsel's summer workouts have anything to do with it.

"I talk to the players all the time about how we snuck up on a lot of people last year, but that won't be the case this year," said Helsel, who under NCAA rules is the only coach allowed to have contact with the Indians as a group prior to the start of practice early next month. "We have to work even harder."

Which is fine with the Indians.

"I think it really helps us," said record-setting quarterback Jack Tomco, a native of Alaska. "Really, you have to do it. Every other team is doing it, and you have to or you'll get behind."

mmishow@semissourian.com

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