DIFFERENT TRIBE OF INDIANS TO TAKE FIELD IN JACKSON

Area football fans will get a chance to preview Southeast Missouri State University's new-look Indians tonight when their annual spring game is held at Jackson High School.

The intrasquad contest, set for a 7 p.m. start, is being played in Jackson because a new artificial surface -- Field Turf -- is in the process of being installed at Houck Stadium.

"We appreciate being able to play in Jackson," said first-year Southeast coach Tim Billings. "Jackson has a great football tradition and we hope the fans will come out and take a look at our football team. It should be a good evening."

The Red vs. White game will give fans a chance to see the new offense and defense being installed by Southeast's new coaching staff.

"We will have an attacking defense that stresses speed and a wide-open offense that we call basketball on grass," Billings said. "I've been very pleased with our spring practice. I think the players are real excited and I think they have responded well to the new coaching staff.

"The coaching staff has also bonded together and has done a good job of motivating the players. The (spring) game will be another chance for us to evaluate the players and will give our fans a chance to see what we are doing. We're all really looking forward to it."

Although the Indians are thin at certain positions, Billings said every effort will be made to have tonight's activities resemble an actual game as much as possible.

"We're thin at a few positions, but we'll try to play a game as much as we can," he said.

Each of the teams will have an honorary coach, with Cape Girardeau mayor Al Spradling and Jackson mayor Paul Sander filling those roles.

There are a number of activities being planned for the evening. The team members and their parents will have a cookout at 4 p.m. and former Southeast players from Jackson will be introduced and honored at halftime.

There are three players from Jackson on the Southeast team: quarterback Mike Gross, defensive lineman Kent Langston and running back Devree Flint. All are scheduled to see action tonight.

Cape Girardeau also has three players on the Southeast roster in quarterback Bobby Brune, defensive end Tatum Kitchen and wide receiver Andy Dunaway. Brune and Kitchen are slated to play tonight, but Dunaway will miss the game with a broken ankle he suffered during spring drills.

There will be no admission charge for tonight's game.

"We want to have a good time and make it enjoyable for the fans," Billings said. "It's fun to go out and play in front of a crowd. Hopefully there will be a good show for the fans, and it's an opportunity for the fans to meet the players and coaches. It should be a fun night."