Redhawks missed chance to turn season around Saturday

As somebody who likes and respects Southeast Missouri State's football players and coaches -- they're generally class acts -- and wants to see them do well, I hoped the Redhawks might be able to revive their season Saturday night in Nashville, Tenn.

The Redhawks entered a key part of their schedule where three straight games appeared winnable without requiring an extraordinary performance.

Instead, Southeast was far from impressive in suffering its fourth consecutive loss, a not-as-close-as-it-sounds 23-17 defeat to Tennessee State.

TSU, which looks like a mediocre team at best, dominated the second half and probably should have won going away.

The Redhawks, who never led, had just 30 yards on 16 second-half offensive plays before scoring a touchdown with barely a minute left to close within six points. But TSU recovered the onside kick and ran out the clock.

Stop me if you've heard this one before, Redhawks fans, but it would be a shock now if yet another Southeast football season did not finish with either three or four wins at the most -- and that's if the Redhawks are fortunate.

Southeast (1-4, 0-3 OVC) likely will be big underdogs in remaining games at Eastern Kentucky on Oct. 31 against Jacksonville State on Nov. 7 and against SIU on Nov. 21.

That leaves apparently winnable games against Austin Peay this Saturday, at Tennessee Tech on Oct. 24 and against Murray State on Nov. 14.

But the TSU contest also appeared winnable, so the bottom line is that it will be difficult to sweep those three contests.

The Redhawks' next opponent, Austin Peay (1-4, 0-2), has been racked by off-the-field problems -- several starters recently were suspended after running into legal troubles -- and, like Southeast, has suffered four straight losses and looks like it could be among the OVC's worst teams.

Southeast needs to take care of the Govs on homecoming or the season could get ugly.

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Two OVC football teams made major statements Saturday.

Jacksonville State, ineligible for the OVC title because of NCAA Academic Progress Rate shortcomings, opened its conference schedule with a 52-7 home rout of a Tennessee-Martin squad expected to be among the league's top contenders.

The Gamecocks have crushed three straight opponents since beginning the season with losses to a pair of Division I-A teams, including a near-upset of Florida State.

Eastern Kentucky took a major step toward its third consecutive OVC championship with a 36-31 win at Eastern Illinois to hand the Panthers their first defeat.

The Colonels have won 22 of their last 23 OVC games, including three straight to begin 2009.

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Former Southeast assistant men's basketball coach and Charleston native Ronnie Dean last week was named coach at Highland (Ill.) Community College for the 2009-2010 season.

Dean spent the 2008-2009 campaign as an assistant at Highland after being a Southeast assistant the previous four years.

With Dean recruiting most of the players, Highland went 31-6 last season and finished seventh at the national junior college tournament. Highland is ranked ninth nationally in one preseason poll.

Dean told me he's excited about this opportunity.

Dean also told me that former Bell City High School star Will Bogan is no longer at Highland after being dismissed from the basketball program for violating team rules.

The 6-foot-10 Bogan, who played one season at Southeast in 2007-2008 before leaving the program, redshirted at Highland last year while practicing with the team. He had one season of junior college eligibility remaining and was being pursued by some major Division I programs.

Dean said -- and I agree -- it's sad that Bogan continues to squander so many athletic and academic opportunities.

There is serious doubt whether Bogan will play basketball at any collegiate level or attend college again, which would also be sad.

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I'm happy to report that longtime Capahas manager Jess Bolen is doing well after having surgery in St. Louis last week to clean out a blocked artery in his neck.

I can't wait to hear Jess back on the Sports Huddle, which should be soon.

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It should be a fun night at Capaha Field on Friday when the Southeast baseball program holds its first alumni game.

Southeast has invited all former players, coaches and their families to campus during homecoming weekend.

Introductions will begin at 6 p.m., with the alumni game at 6:30.

Marty Mishow is a sports writer for the Southeast Missourian.