Now we'll see what the Indians are made of

Tim Billings should know how to win -- he's spent half a lifetime as an assistant on winning teams.

Before coming to Cape Girardeau, Southeast Missouri State University's head football coach was an assistant at Marshall. In his last season there the team was undefeated and was ranked 10th in the nation.

He coached for two years under Barry Switzer at Oklahoma, where the team was ranked No. 1 in the nation both years.

Billings himself was an all-conference defensive back for Southeastern Oklahoma State University and was the Oklahoma Intercollegiate Conference Scholar Athlete of the Year in 1978.

It's a good thing he's prepared for this season, because we aren't.

It's easier to win with a chip on your shoulder than it is when you're pressured to win. And there is plenty of pressure on the 2003 Indians (by the way, they're still the Indians for now), but Billings will help the Indians cut through that pressure. Just like he did with Marshall, Oklahoma and Missouri.

If you tell Southeast fans that the team is favored to win, they believe and begin to expect it -- which reminds me of something Bobby Bowden once said:

"Our fans expect us to win. The media expects to win. Our team expects us to win," Bowden said. "The only problem is, I don't know if we're good enough to win."

The Indians are good enough. They just have to avoid falling into the mind-set of being "the same old Indians."

One reason they can't: receiving. Who's going to catch the ball? Willie Ponder's graduation is not just a loss --it's a void. He had 86 receptions last year for 1,450 yards. The next closest receiver had 36 for 571. There were three others besides Ponder with more than 30 catches, but none over 40, and their yards combined don't equal Ponder's.

One reason they can: rushing. Corey Kinsey is awesome. Not just for-lack-of-a-better-word-awesome. He's there-is-no-word-to-describe-it-awesome. His ability to make defenders miss is remarkable, plus he's focused this year. His benching in the spring has him ready to shred the defenses this fall. He could go for 1,500 yards this year.

The place to be this fall will be Houck Stadium, but for now there's a few other places to be in your week ahead:

Today

The first day of the 2003-'04 high school sport season is today. Central hosts Perryville for a game of softball, but you won't find them at Arena or Shawnee parks. Central plays on its new fields for the first time at 1000 Silver Springs Road.

The last bobblehead day of the season in Memphis is today. The first 1,500 fans receive a Rockey the Rockin' Redbird bobblehead for the game against the Oklahoma RedHawks at 7:05 p.m.

Tuesday

Notre Dame begins its softball season against St. Vincent at 4 p.m.

Wednesday

The battle for the Governor's Cup rages on. The Rams host the Chiefs in the final preseason game of the year at 7 p.m.

Thursday

Don't leave the kids at home for this one. If you bring them, you get free stuff. At Busch Stadium, all fans 48 inches and shorter receive a free Six Flags coupon Thursday night. The Cardinals host the Cubs in an important series for once at 7:10 p.m.

Saturday

Of the nine returning starters on offense this year for the Missouri Tigers, no one has a more exciting asterisk next to his name than Brad Smith. Smith started this game last year as a freshman and put on a show for a national audience. He proved the game wasn't a fluke by becoming just the second player in major-college history to throw for 2,000 yards and rush for 1,000 yards. Let's hope he can dodge the sophomore slump like he dodges linebackers. Missouri vs. Illinois at the Ed, 11 a.m.

David Wilson is a sports writer for the Southeast Missourian and a student at Central High School. His column appears every Monday.