COACH'S CORNER: INDIANS SET THEIR SIGHTS ON RACERS

As I write this, it's 12:30 a.m. Sunday on the return trip from Illinois State. We've absorbed a 55-7 loss to the Redbirds, who more closely resembled giant condors.

ISU is the best team that we have played at the Division I-AA level -- ever! They look more like a real Division I-A team than the likes of Arkansas State, Hawaii and Middle Tennessee, which we have played in the past.

Our players played hard and in some areas better than in the first game against SIU, but the Redbirds were just too good.

The Redbirds' offense was very efficient. They throw the ball off a five-step rhythm, which makes it difficult to get any pressure and is easier for the offensive line. We tried to bring the house at them early and tighten down the coverage but ISU checked to the option and was able to get outside on us. They combined both the run and pass well and were very balanced.

Offensively, we did pop a few runs and threw the ball around to several receivers. Quarterbacks Rashad West and Mike Gross saw extensive action.

Rashad was obviously pumped up and sailed a few balls to open receivers, which is understandable since it's been a while since he's played quarterback in an actual game. Mike and a group of young players drove the ball for our only score at the end of the game.

I must say that three young defensive backs, Demar Winston, Charles Lewis and Eddie McCray, showed that they were very capable. Jerl Huling and a host of receivers caught the ball well.

ISU ran back a couple of punts a long way, which was disturbing. We are line-driving the ball and not getting off blocks and filling our lanes properly.

The staff and program at ISU have done a super job with the atmosphere they have created. The game was very noisy, unfortunately at our expense.

Up next is a road trip to Murray State, which is coming off a tough 58-51 loss to SIU. We look forward to playing the Racers as we begin Ohio Valley Conference play.

We have now played arguably the preseason top (ISU) and bottom (SIU) teams in the Gateway Conference. We obviously know more about the OVC but feel as before that there is more balance from top to bottom in the Gateway.

The OVC, as felt by many coaches during preseason meetings, will be a wide-open race. We feel that we must work hard and focus on what we can control, make sure we are in the hunt at the end of each game and let the other teams knock each other off.

As I said earlier, we head over to Murray State for a 6 p.m. game Saturday. The Racers are coming off losses to Wisconsin and SIU.

At one point, SIU was ahead 35-0 in the first half but Murray scored over 40 points in the second half, showing their usual explosiveness and the ability to overcome the first-half adversity.

Hope to see you at Murray. It is one of the best atmospheres in the OVC.

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