Indians' beliefs still high after loss

Southeast Missouri State University football coach Tim Billings said before the season that it was vital for his young team to get off to a strong start in order to build confidence.

So, now that the Indians are just 1-2 after three games -- even though they very easily could be, and probably should be, 3-0 -- where do the Indians rank on the confidence meter heading into Saturday's contest at 0-2 Illinois State?

Just fine, according to Billings.

"I really don't think it's shaken at all," said Billings during his weekly media briefing Monday morning. "I think the kids are optimistic, I really do.

"We're going to be OK. I feel good, I really do. There's nothing broke. The sky's not falling. The wheel's not flat. We just have to put some air in the tire."

Added Billings, "Sure, we're all disappointed. We could be 3-0. But I think the optimism far outweighs the disappointment."

In Southeast's season opener at Division I-A Eastern Michigan, the Eagles had to convert a fourth-and-10 play in the closing moments to keep their winning drive alive as they pulled out a 16-12 victory.

Then Saturday night against visiting Southwest Missouri, the Indians piled up 510 yards of offense to 378 for the Bears and led most of the way, but four second-half turnovers helped the Bears prevail 31-28, thanks to a touchdown with under three minutes remaining.

"It really is frustrating for the coaching staff and players because a play here and there and we could be 3-0," Billings said. "I told the team, championship teams make those plays. But we're still at the learning stage."

Billings knew that his young squad would experience some growing pains this year, but he also knows that the Indians are not far away from being a legitimately solid team.

"We're young and we're trying hard, but we have to find a way to win those games," he said. "We're very close to being a good football team, but we have to make plays."

Big offensive numbers

The Indians are certainly racking up some impressive offensive statistics through the early part of the season.

Redshirt freshman quarterback Jeromy McDowell has already passed for 935 yards and should break the school's single-season yardage record for a freshman in the next couple of weeks. The record is 1,273 by Lance Brune in 1970.

McDowell also figures have a shot at breaking the school's overall single-season passing yardage mark of 2,580 by Jason Liley in 1990.

McDowell, who is completing just 49.2 percent of his passes (58 of 118), has thrown seven touchdown passes along with six interceptions. McDowell leads the Ohio Valley Conference and is 11th nationally in total offense.

Receiver Willie Ponder, who has caught 21 passes for 411 yards, leads the OVC in every receiving category. Nationally, Ponder is seventh in receiving yards per game and 11th in receptions per game.

Fellow receiver Adrian Sanders is second behind Ponder in every OVC receiving category.

Tailback Curtis Cooper, who had 315 all-purpose yards against Southwest Missouri, is 13th nationally in that department.

As a team, Southeast is fourth nationally in passing offense with 320.67 yards per game and 15th nationally in total offense with 428.33 yards per game.

Defensively, freshman cornerback Dimitri Patterson is seventh nationally with two interceptions.