Collins may be lost for season

The season for touted Southeast Missouri State running back Austen Collins is probably over before it really even got started.

Collins, a junior college transfer who sixth-year coach Tim Billings thought might be the Redhawks' best back since he took over the program, was injured on the second play of Thursday night's season opener against Southern Illinois.

After running for five yards on the game's first play, Collins took a swing pass behind the line of scrimmage from quarterback Mike Haley. Collins was hit hard near the sideline and stayed down for several minutes.

Collins was finally helped up and placed on a cart, his right leg in a brace. He was taken to a local hospital with what was believed to be some type of dislocation of the right knee.

Although nothing was official late Thursday night, Billings believes Collins will be out for the season.

"He's probably done for the year," Billings said. "Hopefully he can come back next year.

"It's tough when you lose one of your best players."

Said Southeast senior wide receiver T.J. Milcic, "My heart goes out for him. He just got here [Collins arrived not long before preseason practice started], and now they say he's done for the year."

Billings thought entering the season that the Redhawks were fairly deep at running back, and now that depth will be put to the test, with juniors Elton Peterson and John Radney, along with true freshman Tim Holloman, likely sharing much of the load.

Hicks has big debut

Sophomore cornerback Monroe Hicks made his presence felt in his first collegiate game -- and in his home town, no less.

Hicks, a Central High School graduate, transferred to Southeast last year after originally attending Central Missouri State. He practiced with the Redhawks in 2004 but could not participate in games under NCAA transfer rules.

Thursday, Hicks returned an interception 47 yards for a touchdown early in the second half. He also very nearly had a second interception, and was named Southeast's player of the game.

But Hicks was more disappointed with the 58-23 loss to the Salukis than he was pleased with his first collegiate touchdown.

"It was all right," he said of the TD. "But I'm all about winning."

Central High School products accounted for 11 of Southeast's 23 points. Redshirt freshman kicker Colin Schermann booted his first collegiate field goal -- a 32-yarder early in the second quarter that got the Redhawks on the scoreboard -- and also made two extra points, although he had a PAT blocked late in the game. Schermann had just the one field-goal attempt in his first college game.

Noteworthy

* Sophomore tight end Joseph Tuineau caught four passes for 43 yards. Junior college transfer wide receiver Samora Goodson also had four receptions, but for only 10 yards. Milcic caught three passes for 86 yards, including a 71-yard touchdown. Also with three receptions each were senior Jamel Oliver, junior Antonio Scaife and senior Brian Matthews.