MUMFORD PREPARES TO WELCOME INDIANS BACK TO PRACTICE

Southeast Missouri State University football coach John Mumford and his staff have been spending plenty of time lately doing some of the necessary evils associated with the job.

"We've been spending a lot of time with meetings and preparation work, the things coaches don't really like all that much but have to be done," said Mumford with a laugh. "We'd much rather be on the field coaching our players."

Mumford and his staff won't have long to wait as they gear up for the start of preseason practice. Things will begin happening around the Southeast camp Saturday when freshmen and other newcomers report. The veterans will come in Monday, with full-scale, two-a-day workouts set to begin Wednesday.

"We're looking forward to getting everybody in here and to the start of practice," said Mumford, who actually will have one more necessary evil to take care of before that time -- Friday's Ohio Valley Conference Media Day in Nashville, Tenn.

But after that, he and his assistants will be able to concentrate solely on football. The newcomers will have practices among themselves Sunday and Monday. The veterans will have physicals and conditioning/strength tests Monday and Tuesday, followed by the start of full-squad workouts.

Mumford said that, beginning Wednesday, the Indians will have two-a-days until Southeast's fall semester begins Aug. 24. The season opener is set for Sept. 3, a Thursday, when Division II Truman State comes to Houck Stadium for a 7 p.m. kickoff.

"This is always an exciting time of the year for coaches and players," said Mumford. "I think everybody is anxious to get started."

The Indians are coming off a 4-7 season that included a 1-6, seventh-place finish in the eight-team OVC. That came on the heels of a 3-8 (3-5 OVC) season in 1996.

Mumford said he doesn't look at it like the Indians have something to prove after last season.

"I really don't like to put it in those terms," he said. "I feel like we created some momentum the second half of the season and we're looking to carry that over into this season.

"Last year is over. We just need to take the good out of last year and build from that."

The Indians did close fairly strong a year ago, going 2-2 in their last four games. They routed Austin Peay, lost an extremely competitive game to OVC power Eastern Kentucky, rallied to beat Southern Illinois and lost a close contest to Tennessee State in the finale.

"I think we came on toward the end of last year and were a pretty good football team," Mumford said. "We want to carry that over."

Mumford figures the majority of the Indians will report in pretty good shape.

"We had around 35 stay around for the summer and work out with our strength coach (Tom Kelso)," he said. "That's a good number, better than we've had the last few years."

Mumford said the Indians' basic offensive and defensive philosophies won't change much from last year.

"You won't see much difference, but they will be more consistent and better," he said.

Last year's team featured several Division I-A transfers, which improved the talent level, but Mumford acknowledged that the cohesiveness was never quite there. He said that shouldn't be a problem this season.

"I know it (cohesiveness) will be better," he said. "We didn't bring in any I-A transfers. Some people are making a living off of that. We didn't pursue that. We've just tried to build a nucleus."

The Indians lost some of their most talented players from last season, but they return 14 starters, including nine on offense. Mumford expects battles at most positions and likes the outlook.

"I think we have a good team coming back," he said. "If they work hard, play together and execute, then we can reach our potential."