COACH'S CORNER: INDIANS MUST RECOVER FROM TOUGH DEFEAT

We are now in the midst of a bye week after a tough 17-14 homecoming loss to an improved Tennessee Tech football team on Saturday.

Many have approached me in consolation due to the way the game ended. I'm appreciative for their thoughts. All I know to do is to get our team rested up, healed and go back to work in preparation for our road trip against Middle Tennessee.

From the Tech game it would be easy to mope around, question and second-guess ourselves. The game of football teaches us many things, the most important how to be resilient and stay focused on achievements and correct mistakes.

Our defense continues to play well as the only offense Tech could get going was one hitch-and-go touchdown pass early and then an occasional quarterback scramble. In a reversal from some previous games, our defense was on the field for 57 snaps and our offense for 75.

Offensively, for the first half we struggled moving the ball. We ended up with excellent field position at the end of the half due to a good defensive series and a poor Tech punt. Justin Martini hooked up with Dante Bryant on a hitch-and-go to make the score 10-7 Tech at halftime.

The extended homecoming halftime was a blessing as we had a rather warm day for football. We kicked off deep to start the second half but broke down on our coverage to give Tech good field position.

After an exchange of series, Justin Terrill boomed a 74-yard punt. Our defense came through. Then later in the third quarter our offense came to life with an 18-play, 88-yard drive to take a 14-10 lead.

Our offensive line literally wore out the Tech run defense. Aaron Layne found the crease in our stretch play and Martini and Mitch Fryer hooked up for three completions during the drive. By far "The Drive" was the best-executed of this year.

Our offensive line should come away from this game with a great deal of confidence as we rushed for 167 yards against a defense that had only given up an average of 60 rushing yards per game.

We got the ball back late and moved for one first down but failed to put two or three first downs together to seal the win.

With less than three minutes left we sent our punt team out. That unit has been rock solid all year. A bobbled snap and very poor protection led to a Tech block for a touchdown, putting the Eagles ahead 17-14.

We got the ball back and ended up moving to the eight-yard line. However, we were detected holding and the play came back. We ended up attempting a 57-yard field goal that came up short.

I'm proud of our team and the way we fought back. We have to always focus and execute even on the things we do well, like the punt team on every situation.

We will begin our preparation for Middle Tennessee on Thursday. Last year's win over the Raiders means little as we have to prove ourselves on a weekly basis.

We appreciate the good homecoming crowd and we'll see you back at Houck Stadium in three weeks against Eastern Kentucky.

John Mumford is the head football coach at Southeast Missouri State University