BILLINGS: INDIANS WILL BE BETTER

As Tim Billings prepares for his second season as Southeast Missouri State University's head football coach, there is no doubt in his mind that the program's rebuilding process is moving along in the right direction.

Just don't ask him if the Indians' 2001 record will reflect the improvement he is confident his squad is going to demonstrate.

"I don't have a clue. I wish I could say we'll win six games, but I don't know if we'll win two," said Billings Tuesday afternoon during an informal gathering with several members of the local media. "I just know we're a better football team. I feel like we're better at every position than we were last year. But we have no control over other teams. We'll take it one game at a time, coach our rear ends off and let the chips fall where they may."

On the progress the Indians have made in the past year or so, Billings said, "Right now, since I've been here, there is no question we have better football players and a better football program. Now, we just have to keep going. How long it's going to take to get there, I don't know."

Billings and his staff are preparing for the start of preseason workouts early next month. He and his assistants are trying to turn around a program that has not had a winning season since 1994, has not won more than three games in a season since 1997 and has not finished higher than sixth in the Ohio Valley Conference since 1995.

A year ago, in Billings' debut season as a college head coach, the Indians turned in their third consecutive 3-8 record despite winning two of their first three games. Billings cited a lack of size and strength as primary reasons Southeast wilted in the fourth quarter of many of its losses.

"In six of our eight losses last season we were in the game with a chance to win going into the fourth quarter. Our lack of overall size and strength really showed up in the fourth quarter and we didn't get the job done," Billings said. "We're a lot more athletic this year, with a lot more playmakers than we had last year. We're not as strong as we need to be, but we're a lot stronger than we were last year."

All of which, according to Billings, should give the Indians a much better chance of finishing games strong this year.

Senior shortage

On the down side, according to Billings, is the Indians' extreme youth. Out of approximately 80 players on the current roster, only 11 are seniors and just four of those are listed as starters going into fall practice.

Youth and inexperience will be particularly apparent on the offensive line -- which suffered several key graduation and defection losses -- and in the kicking game, where All-American Jason Witczak, who handled the bulk of the punting and place-kicking a year ago, completed his eligibility.

"We're going to be really young. There will be an opportunity for freshmen at every position to get some playing time. You don't really like to, but we have to do it," he said. "On the offensive line, there's no question there will be some true freshmen who will have to play for us, and our kickers will be true freshmen.

"But just because we're young, doesn't mean we can't win football games."

The kicking game might be the Indians' most unsettled position because no kicker or punter on campus has been in the program before. But Billings likes the prospects he has there, as he does on the offensive line.

Southeast's two place-kickers on the current depth chart are recent graduates from local high schools in Cape Girardeau Central's Brian Emmendorfer and St. Vincent's Derek Kutz, who were regarded as two of the best in the state on the prep level.

"We feel really fortunate we were able to get both of them," said Billings.

Listed No. 1 on the depth chart at punter is freshman Tyson Beattie, a native of Australia who was recruited after sending the Southeast coaching staff some film.

"We've only seen him on film but we're excited about him and looking forward to getting him in here," Billings said.

Competition at QB

As for the high-profile quarterback position, Billings is still hopeful that senior Rashad West -- who split time with senior Bobby Brune the past two years -- will be able to perform up to his normal standards despite suffering a knee injury during a pickup basketball game a few weeks ago.

"He's got a brace and he's got good stability right now," said Billings. "He seems to be getting along fine and we're optimistic."

Billings said he continues to anticipate a highly competitive three-way battle behind center between West, Brune and touted redshirt freshman Jeromy McDowell.

"We're going to play the best football player at quarterback, I don't care who it is," Billings said.

The Indians, who open the season Sept. 1 at Division I-A Eastern Michigan, will welcome about 30 newcomers in Aug. 3. That group of primarily freshmen will have two-a-day practices Aug. 4-6.

Southeast's veterans will report Aug. 7, with full-squad two-a-days set to begin either Aug. 8 or Aug. 9.