OVC's big surprise pays visit to Houck

~ Southeast football will host Austin Peay, which has far surpassed its predicted last-place finish in the preseason poll.

Austin Peay's success this year might be a surprise to the majority of the Ohio Valley Conference.

But not to Southeast Missouri State coach Tony Samuel.

Samuel said before the season that he considered Austin Peay one of the league's potential breakthrough squads.

That has turned out to be the case. The Governors rank as the OVC's biggest surprise entering today's game against struggling Southeast at Houck Stadium.

"I was one of the few people last year who really thought they would be good," Samuel said.

Austin Peay, which only returned to scholarship football a year ago, was picked to finish dead last in the 10-team OVC as it rejoined the conference this season.

Instead, the Govs are a fourth-place 3-2, and their overall record is a solid 5-3. They need just one victory in their final three games to clinch only their third winning season since 1984.

Austin Peay's football program left the OVC in 1996 as it dropped down to the non-scholarship level.

The program resumed scholarship football last year and went 3-8 against a nonconference schedule.

Included in that three-win season of 2006 was a 38-13 home loss to Southeast, although the game was tied 10-10 at halftime. Samuel saw enough in that contest to believe the Govs had the makings of a solid team.

"I was impressed when we played them," Samuel said. "I thought they would be a team to look out for."

The Govs have been just that under first-year coach Rick Christophel, a former Austin Peay player who took over the program in March of this year after Carroll McCray abruptly resigned.

Austin Peay's five wins are the program's most on the scholarship level since 1991.

"I don't know if you can say surprised," said Christophel, a 1975 Austin Peay graduate, of his thoughts on the Govs' season so far. "I think the kids have worked hard and bought into our philosophy.

"We've had some balls bounce our way and we've been able to avoid injuries for the most part, which is important."

Austin Peay's statistics are not overwhelming, but the Govs have relied on a strong running game and a solid defense, while limiting their mistakes, to squeeze out numerous close victories.

The Govs, who are averaging 25.5 points per game while allowing 24.6 points, have claimed their three OVC wins by three points apiece. One of their league losses was by a point in overtime.

"We've been very fortunate to get into the fourth quarter and find a way to win," Christophel said.

That, according to Samuel, appears to be the Govs' philosophy.

"They try to get to the fourth quarter close," Samuel said. "And they've got a very good running back to do that."

Samuel was referring to senior tailback Chris Fletcher, Austin Peay's career rushing record-holder who leads the OVC in rushing this year with 124.8 yards per game.

Fletcher has rushed for 998 yards and 10 touchdowns, averaging 5.5 yards per carry. He gained 1,401 yards last year.

"He's one of the best running backs in the league," Samuel said.

While Austin Peay is surging, the Redhawks (2-6, 0-5) are reeling after five straight losses. They are last in the conference.

But Samuel, in his second year at Southeast, is confident the Redhawks will continue to battle hard. So are his players.

"We're still working hard every week," senior defensive tackle Patrick Christian said. "We're going to stay after it."