Billings, Indians lead OVC postseason list

Southeast Missouri State University's breakthrough football season was acknowledged in a big way Tuesday as Tim Billings won the Ohio Valley Conference's Coach of the Year award, based on voting by the league's coaches and sports information directors.

Billings, who led the Indians to an 8-4 record for their most wins since 1969, said the award should symbolically be shared by many others.

"It just goes to show you how much work has been done by everybody, our university, our coaches, our players," Billings said. "We've come a long way, and we're excited to see what we've accomplished in three years."

Billings' first two Southeast teams went 3-8 and 4-7 before the Indians broke through this year for their first winning season since 1994. And Southeast tied for third place in the OVC, equaling the program's best finish.

Billings, one of 16 finalists for the Eddie Robinson award that goes to the top coach in NCAA Division I-AA, is just the second Southeast coach to win OVC Coach of the Year. John Mumford was honored in 1994 after leading the Indians to a 7-5 record, which was their last winning season before this year.

While Billings captured one of the OVC's three major postseason awards, Southeast also had plenty of representatives on the all-OVC first and second teams that were released Tuesday.

Making the first team were senior wide receiver Willie Ponder and senior defensive tackle James Jennette. Ponder was one of just four unanimous selections.

Ponder, one of 16 finalists for the Walter Payton Award that is the I-AA equivalent of the Heisman Trophy, led the OVC in all receiving categories. He caught 87 passes for 1,453 yards and 15 touchdowns, which are all school records. Jennette led Southeast and was among the OVC leaders in quarterback sacks with six.

The Indians had nine players voted to the second team, including five on offense.

Offensive second-teamers are junior quarterback Jack Tomco, sophomore tailback Corey Kinsey, junior center Eugene Amano, sophomore guard Dan Bieg and sophomore tackle Dan Connolly.

Defensive second-teamers are junior end Ryan Roth, junior linebacker Ricky Farmer, junior cornerback Marco Tipton and sophomore cornerback Dimitri Patterson.

Junior offensive tackle Justen Meyer made the honorable-mention list, meaning four of the Indians' five offensive linemen were honored.

"Everybody who made all-conference was very deserving," Billings said. "And the great thing is, out of all those guys, only Willie and James are seniors."