Prep for season opener begins for Southeast Missouri State football team

The Southeast Missouri State football team will begin to hone in on its season-opening opponent this week.

That's good news for the Redhawks, who said following Saturday's second and final scrimmage that they're ready for a fresh angle.

"I'm excited about finally getting to look at film of somebody else," junior linebacker Blake Peiffer said.

Added All-American junior safety Tylor Brock: "We're looking forward to getting to work on our first game."

Southeast spent its two-week preseason camp focused solely on itself. The Redhawks are breaking in a lot of younger players who will be counted on for key roles.

Southeast Missouri State quarterback Trey Lewis delivers a pass during Saturday's scrimmage at Houck Stadium. (Laura Simon)

Southeast now will divide its attention with fall semester classes beginning today and the Redhawks less than two weeks away from the Sept. 3 opener at home against Southern Illinois.

"We'll start focusing on SIU and we'll still be focusing on our fundamentals," Southeast coach Tony Samuel said. "There's still a lot of work to do. We still need to clean a lot of things up."

Samuel said the Redhawks had a solid camp but now their mental toughness will be challenged even more because they not only have to worry about football but also academics.

"It's a whole different deal with classes starting," Samuel said. "Their concentration is going to be split. They've got to worry about their studies and football."

While the Redhawks will be focusing on SIU, the Salukis undoubtedly have been giving Southeast plenty of attention after what happened last season.

SIU, ranked fifth nationally, was a heavy favorite in the second game in its brand-new, $25 million Saluki Stadium.

The Salukis had romped in the previous four meetings with Southeast by a combined score of 170-57 and it looked like they again would have their way when they led 21-3 late in the third quarter.

But Southeast staged a stunning rally, winning 24-21 to improve their record to 2-1.

The upset jump-started the Redhawks' record-setting season that saw them win the program's first Ohio Valley Conference title and gain the program's first playoff berth.

Conversely, SIU wound up going 5-6 to end a run of seven straight playoff appearances.

Noteworthy

* Touted true freshman running back Lewis Washington still has not been able to practice due to a foot problem, but Samuel said the Texan is getting closer to taking the field.