Redhawks face OVC contender after open week

~ Southeast will try to claim its first conference win at Eastern Kentucky.

Southeast Missouri State ended what was basically the first half of its season with a game against a nationally-ranked team.

The Redhawks, after a week off, begin the second half of their season with a contest against another nationally-ranked squad.

Needless to say, the Redhawks will have their work cut out for them as they shoot for their first Ohio Valley Conference win Saturday at Eastern Kentucky.

"They're a very good football team," Southeast coach Tony Samuel said during his weekly media briefing Monday.

Samuel said the Colonels proved that Saturday as they won at two-time defending OVC champion Eastern Illinois 28-21.

That victory boosted Eastern Kentucky (4-2, 3-0) to the top of the league standings and into the national rankings.

The Colonels are rated 23rd by The Sports Network, while Eastern Illinois dropped from 16th to 24th.

Eastern Illinois was the last team the Redhawks played, Sept. 29, as Southeast held a 16-14 third-quarter lead before the visiting Panthers rallied for a 31-16 victory.

Southeast (2-3, 0-2) then had an open date, which Samuel said was much-needed after the physical nature of the Eastern Illinois game.

"Hopefully some of those kids, we got some guys nicked up against Eastern Illinois, it gave them a chance to come around a little bit," Samuel said.

Probably the most notable among the hobbled Redhawks is quarterback Houston Lillard, who missed the Eastern Illinois contest with two cracked ribs suffered early during a Sept. 22 loss at Samford.

Samuel said whether Lillard plays at Eastern Kentucky is "up in the air, but I doubt it."

That means fellow junior college transfer Victor Anderson -- who had been splitting time with Lillard until Lillard's injury -- will again receive the starting nod.

Samuel said he expects redshirt freshman Steve Callanan, who split time with Anderson against Eastern Illinois after not having previously seen significant action, to play again this week.

"I think so. I think he deserves to play," Samuel said. "I thought he stepped up well for his first game."

Samuel pointed out that it is becoming increasingly common around the country, on all levels, for teams to play more than one quarterback.

On the big-time level, Florida did it last season on its way to the national championship, and top-ranked LSU is doing it this year.

"A lot of people put way too much into this [two] quarterback thing," Samuel said. "It's not news anymore.

"You try to accentuate what they do best."

As for the chance true freshman Jared Van Slyke -- whose redshirt was burned when he came in for a few plays at Samford -- will see action Saturday, Samuel said that is up in the air.

"He's practicing well. He's working extremely hard," Samuel said. "We just have to wait and see where he fits in."

Regardless of who plays quarterback, the Redhawks will no doubt try to get their struggling passing attack going.

Southeast ranks 113th among 116 Division I-AA squads in passing offense (95.4 yards per game).

Despite ranking 16th nationally in rushing offense (217.4 yards per game), the Redhawks are 91st in scoring offense (18.2 points per game).

Southeast is last in the OVC in both total offense and scoring offense.

National rankings

Southeast has several players who rank high in national statistics.

Senior linebacker Adam Casper's average of 11.4 tackles per game is eighth nationally and leads the OVC.

Junior tailback Timmy Holloman is No. 8 nationally and No. 2 in the OVC with an average of 131 yards rushing per game.

Sophomore Doug Spada is tied for fifth nationally in field goals per game -- he has made nine of 10 -- and is 14th in punting with a 42.4-yard average.