COACH'S VIEW: INDIAN TRIP WAS NICE, EXCEPT FOR THE SCORE

It was great to go back home last week to a place where I had lived and worked for the past 10 years. I got to see a lot of friends and our football team got to experience a great atmosphere for college football, playing in front of an enthusiastic crowd of over 30,000 fans

It was a strange feeling being on the opposite side of the field at Marshall, where I had been a part of so many great victories. It was strange seeing many of the players I had helped recruit be on the opposing team. I had been to many of their homes, knew their families and had developed a strong relationship with many of the players.

Once the ball was kicked off, though, we were in a battle against one of the top 30 teams in the nation. For the first quarter and a half, we were able to play with Marshall. We had some big defensive stands and moved the ball on offense.

At the end of the first quarter, the score was tied and I felt pretty good about how our team was reacting to the game. We had some mistakes in the second quarter that hurt us and a couple of late touchdowns gave Marshall a 28-7 halftime lead and really seemed to take something out of us.

In the second half, we didn't play as well and the score continued to mount, finally ending up 63-7. I actually felt numb on the sideline. It has been a long time since I've been beaten this bad.

On the bus ride back to Cape Girardeau, the realization of losing and losing bad really started to sink in. I hadn't even thought about the possibility of being beaten that bad, but it happened and it hurt.

The next morning, though, the sun did shine. My son and daughter still loved me and I realized that it was just one game.

All hope is not gone. Football is a fun game, a great game that creates emotions from the top of the world to the bottom of the barrel. I've been at the top of the world the past few seasons at Marshall and on the bus ride home I was at the bottom of the barrel.

I am still excited about our team. Once our players learn to turn on the light and play for four quarters as a team, we will spend more time at the top of the mountain than at the bottom of the barrel.

I told our players after the game that they had made a mistake by showing the coaches that they could play with a good team. We know we have the talent and ability to be a good team. We just have to execute for four quarters and prove it.

Saturday's game at Southern Illinois is a key one for both teams, who are both looking for that first victory. It should be a very exciting game that will probably be determined by defense and the kicking game.

There are no excuses...we have to go over to SIU and execute for four quarters. If the light turns on and we do those things, we will have a chance to get a key win. This will be a turning point for both teams.

Let's hope we are pointed toward the top of the mountain. It is no fun being at the bottom of the barrel.

Tim Billings is in his first season as the head football coach at Southeast Missouri State University