BILLINGS TO GET FIRST LOOK AT INDIANS ON FIELD

After nearly three months of trying to get settled into his new position as Southeast Missouri State University's head football coach, Tim Billings will finally get to see his players on the field.

The Indians begin spring practice today. Under NCAA guidelines, Southeast is allowed to hold 15 spring workouts, 12 of them in pads. Spring drills will culminate with a public scrimmage on April 15.

"All I've done (since being hired in December) is administrative stuff," said Billings with a smile. "I'm excited to get on the field and watch them run around."

Billings, the defensive coordinator at nationally-ranked Division I-A power Marshall last season, has some basic goals for his first spring practice period at Southeast.

"We want this time to install our offense and to evaluate," he said. "I don't know the players that well, so this is a big evaluation time.

"We want to find our weak points so we can address them (in August when fall practice begins). We might move some people around to try and get our best 22 on the field."

In fact, Billings said he anticipates moving quite a few players to different positions in order to get as much speed on the field as possible, particularly on defense.

"My basic philosophy is speed kills," he said. "We want to get speed on defense."

Southeast's basic look on defense shouldn't change much as the Indians will continue to utilize a 4-3 featuring four down linemen, three linebackers and four defensive backs.

"We'll mix our coverages up more," he said. "My philosophy is a lot of different looks."

Southeast's offense will take on a new look as the Indians utilize a one-back formation that is designed to spread the defense out.

"We'll be multiple, with some no-back and some two-back, but basically one-back. We'll have some no huddle," Billings said. "We'll set up the run with the pass. I'd like to be 50-50, some days more run than pass because that means we're ahead.

"We'll spread you out. It's basically basketball on grass."

Of the basketball reference, Billings grinned and added, "If we can do as well as the (Southeast) basketball team, we'll be in good shape."

The Indians return 11 starters from last year's 3-8 team. Asked what he perceives the squad's overall talent level to be, Billings said, "I don't know. There are some good football players here. I'm excited about the ones I have."

Added Billings, "They've worked hard. They really worked on getting bigger, stronger and faster this spring."

According to Billings, working on his team's collective attitude will be a big factor as the Indians head into the 2000 season.

"We need to instill confidence in what we're doing," he said. "There's such a fine line between being good and being a champion. We want to build that."

* Billings recently filled out his coaching staff with the addition of Russ Martin as offensive coordinator.

Martin has been the head coach at Black Hills State College in South Dakota the last four years, during which time the Black Hills passing offense was nationally ranked in NAIA.

Martin has also been an assistant at Baylor, Kearney State, Kansas Wesleyan and Bethany.

"I think we have a really good mixture of experience and youth," said Billings of his staff.

Also recently joining Billings' first staff at Southeast is volunteer assistant Tony Joe White, who will work with tight ends. White, a former quarterback at East Texas State, has been quarterback coach at Southwest Baptist the past two seasons.

* Although work on the installation of the new artificial surface at Houck Stadium is progressing well, there is still a good chance the field won't be ready by April 15.

Billings said that tentative plans are to hold the Indians' spring scrimmage in Jackson.