Former Mule earns travel spot for SEMO

Former Poplar Bluff Mule Kayson King decided to take it up a notch this year for his mom’s birthday.

King said she was planning a calm, quiet day in but he decided to throw a wrench in those plans and get her a present in the process.

King, a freshman center for on the Southeast Missouri State football team, earned the right to travel to the Redhawks’ first game last week as they took on the Kansas State Wildcats in Manhattan, Kansas.

The game? Sept. 9. King’s mom’s birthday? Also Sept. 9.

“Telling her was pretty cool,” he said. “It got emotional because she was planning on the day by herself.”

King’s parents had already canceled their hotel room for the game a few weeks prior because he wasn’t sure he would get an opportunity that isn’t commonplace for a freshman.

“It was me and another scout team player that played defense,” he said. “We found out in the locker room. That Friday, he announced to the team so it was pretty excitiing to see the team kind of cheer and go crazy. That was pretty cool.”

Zack Gieg is the Redhawks’ Rimington Award winning center which goes to the top center in the country in the Football Championship Subdivision. Gieg is also a 2023 Preseason Athlon Sports All-American this year but more importantly for King, he’s his mentor.

King said he wanted to come into year one at SEMO and absorb everything he could from Gieg.

“When I first got here and I learned that I was playing center behind Zack and a couple of players, I knew that would be a great opportunity to start learning from a great player,” King said. “He’s helped me a lot.”

After tearing it up on the gridiron and the baseball field for the Mules, King said he was used to long days of practice but with he said he had a little bit of an advantage at 6 p.m. practiced because he was used to it playing for Poplar Bluff.

“Getting up early is one of the big things that people have problems with and honestly, I’ve felt like I’ve been on top of that,” he said.

King is playing for another veteran coach this season in Head Coach Tom Matukewicz.

Coach Tuke is entering his 10th year at the helm of the Redhawks and King said while practices at Mules Stadium were tough, college takes it to another level. He said everything flows from the beginning as efficiciency is key.

While a lot of what’s happening during his first year were things King knew would be an adjustment but there’s one thing he didn’t see coming.

“I’m the smallest lineman,” he said.

According to King’s page on SemoRedhawks.com, he stands at 6-2, 250. But in terms of college linemen, he knows he had some work to do but he also knows he can trust those around him.

“When I look back to high school, all the stuff I’ve learned and then what I’ve learned now, it’s pretty insane,” he said. “All of the guys in there, they have awesome personalities. I become friends with them pretty quick.”

King and the Redhawks have a home game this week as they take on Lindenwood at 6 p.m. before hosting the Salukis of Southern Illinois on Sept. 16 for Family Weekend.