Four former Redhawks still on NFL rosters this season

The Southeast Missouri State football program again is represented well on NFL rosters this season.

Southeast, in fact, has more former players currently in the NFL than any other Ohio Valley Conference program.

New England offensive lineman Dan Connolly, in his seventh NFL season, entered his third campaign as a regular after starting the majority of the past two year at multiple line positions.

Edgar Jones, an All-American defensive end at Southeast, earned a spot as a backup linebacker with the Chiefs after he signed with Kansas City during the offseason. Jones, who had been with the Baltimore Ravens, is in his sixth NFL season.

Dimitri Patterson, another former Southeast All-American, returns as a backup cornerback with the Cleveland Browns. He has played for several teams since joining the NFL in 2005.

Connolly, Jones and Patterson originally made the NFL as undrafted free agents.

A fourth former Southeast standout, All-American offensive lineman Eugene Amano, will miss the entire season on injured reserve after suffering a torn triceps muscle during training camp.

Amano, the most established among Southeast's NFL contingent, was a starter for the Tennessee Titans the past four years. He has played eight NFL seasons after being drafted by the Titans in the seventh and final round.

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It certainly wasn't the prettiest of victories, but at least the Southeast football team got into the win column with Saturday night's mistake-filled 30-18 triumph over Division II Mars Hill College in the Redhawks' home opener.

Southeast never had the game in hand until a touchdown with under four minutes left gave them a 30-12 lead and finally put away the scrappy Lions.

The squads combined for 10 turnovers -- six by Mars Hill and four by Southeast.

Now the Redhawks (1-1) will try to climb above the .500 mark when they visit regional rival Southern Illinois for a 6 p.m. kickoff Saturday.

The Salukis, 0-2 for the first time since 2001 and coming off two consecutive losing seasons, no doubt will be in a foul mood as they chase their first victory.

And the Salukis, despite romping 38-10 in Cape Girardeau last year, surely haven't forgotten what happened during the Redhawks' most recent visit to Carbondale, Ill., in 2010.

Southeast pulled off a 24-21 upset of SIU, which was playing just its second game in its $25 million Saluki Stadium.

It should be an interesting matchup.

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With the nine OVC football teams playing different types of early schedules, it's hard to read much into any of the squads' starts.

That will begin to change this week when Tennessee State hosts Austin Peay in the first conference game of the season.

And even more will be known after the following week, when the other seven OVC teams play their first league contests.

Tennessee State and Tennessee Tech are the OVC's only undefeated squads at 2-0, but they also are the only conference teams to not play an FBS opponent.

Austin Peay and Murray State are both 0-2. The other five OVC squads are 1-1.

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The Jacksonville State football team suffered a hit last week when star senior running back Washaun Ealey was suspended after being arrested on drug possession charges. He did not play in Saturday's home opener against Chattanooga. It has not been determined when or if Ealey will return to the field.

Ealey was charged with second-degree marijuana possession and possession of drug paraphernalia, both misdemeanors.

Ealey rushed for more than 1,000 yards last season after transferring to Jacksonville State from the University of Georgia.

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Former Southeast stars Trenton Moses and Shae Simmons recently concluded their impressive debut professional baseball seasons with the Advanced Rookie level Danville Braves.

Moses, a third baseman from Advance High School drafted by Atlanta in the 26th round, led Danville in batting .298 (39 for 131) and added three home runs, 10 doubles, 18 RBIs and 19 runs scored.

Simmons, a Scott City High School graduate drafted by Atlanta in the 22nd round, averaged more than two strikeouts per inning. He fanned 21, walked eight and allowed 11 hits over 10 1/3 innings -- all out of the bullpen. He went 0-2 with two saves and a 3.48 ERA.

That came after Simmons did not allow an earned run in 14 1/3 innings with the Rookie level Gulf Coast League Braves before being promoted. He was 2-0 with 15 strikeouts.

And congratulations to Moses on his recent marriage to his longtime girlfriend.

Marty Mishow is a sports writer for the Southeast Missourian.