BACKUP QB SPARKS WIN

CARBONDALE, Ill. -- Southeast Missouri State University football coach Tim Billings has said all along how much faith and confidence he has in No. 2 quarterback Bobby Brune, who spent much of the past two seasons as the Indians' starter.

Saturday, Brune was pressed into duty late in the first half when Rashad West suffered a sprained ankle against Southern Illinois.

All Brune did was direct four touchdown drives, and his short pass to Leslie Weaver that turned into a 63-yard touchdown with 1:16 remaining proved to be the game-winner during the Indians' miraculous 34-33 victory over the host Salukis.

"I've told everybody that we have three good quarterbacks (including true freshman Jeromy McDowell)," said Billings just moments following Saturday's game. "I have a lot of confidence in Bobby. I feel he's an excellent quarterback."

Brune, a former standout at Cape Girardeau Central High School, completed 16 of 25 passes for 230 yards and two touchdowns Saturday.

"It's a shame Rashad got hurt, but I always prepare like I'm playing," said Brune. "I always try to be ready to go."

On the game-winning touchdown pass to Weaver, Brune said he at first thought he threw the ball too low.

"The ball was real slick (there was some heavy rain early in the second half that made McAndrew Stadium's artificial playing surface wet) and I didn't think it would get there," he said. "But it was a great feeling when we scored."

The status of West for next Saturday's home opener against Illinois State was not immediately known following the game, but he didn't appear to be too seriously hurt, meaning Brune will probably be relegated to his backup role again.

But you can bet he'll be ready to play if the situation arises.

* Southeast's undersized defensive line -- which lacks depth -- appeared to be getting pushed all over the field during the first half as SIU tailback Tom Koutsos piled up 159 yards and scored three touchdowns, on runs of 8, 12 and 57 yards.

But it was a different story in the second half as Koutsos was held to just 30 yards and the Salukis were limited to only 95 total yards.

"We didn't do anything differently," said Billings. "We just played harder."

For the game, SIU had 342 total yards while Southeast had 268, that figure including a net of minus 17 yards rushing when sacks are figured in.

* Weaver led Southeast's receivers with five catches for 153 yards. In addition to his winning 63-yard reception, he caught a 67-yard pass from Brune to set up Southeast's first touchdown, in the second quarter. That was a similar play in which Weaver took a short pass and turned it into a long gain.

Curtis Cooper, a junior-college transfer who Billings raved about in the preseason, caught five passes for 37 yards, and his 66-yard punt return for a touchdown late in the third quarter helped spark the Indians.

"He's an exciting player," said Billings of Cooper. "He can make things happen."

Iven Brown caught four passes while Byron White and Corey Chester each had three receptions and Tarik Simpson added two.

Before he was hurt, West completed nine of 16 passes for 55 yards, with two interceptions. He never could get loose on the run as SIU kept him bottled up.

Defensively, according to unofficial pressbox statistics, safety Joe Williams was credited with a whopping 17 tackles. Linebacker Sturg Cumberford had 11 while ends Rodney Woodall and Charles Sorter added eight each. Woodall was credited with two quarterback sacks.

* The penalty-filled game saw SIU whistled 13 times for 137 yards while Southeast had eight penalties worth 75 yards.