Redhawks shake off blowouts in OVC opener

The Southeast Missouri State football team fell to 0-3 with Saturday's 38-31 loss at Tennessee Tech in the Redhawks' Ohio Valley Conference opener.

Although it was another defeat, there were positive signs for the defending OVC champion Redhawks.

First and foremost, Southeast appeared to show that its complete futility in the first two games -- a 38-10 loss to FCS power SIU and a 59-0 pasting at Purdue of the Big Ten Conference -- largely was because of the level of competition.

Southeast finally got its offense going, piling up 495 yards against a solid Tennessee Tech defense. The Redhawks were held to 414 yards in the opening two contests combined.

On the down side, Southeast's defense needs plenty of work after allowing 511 yards to the Eagles. The Redhawks have not recorded a sack all season and rarely have put heat on quarterbacks, which has made things way too easy for opposing signal callers.

But all things considered, except for the disappointment of falling just short, the performance had to be encouraging for the Redhawks. They played what looks like one of the OVC's better squads on fairly even terms.

I've said before that it's not realistic for fans to expect a repeat of last year's historic season after Southeast lost so many key players. But Saturday's performance indicates that the Redhawks should be able to compete well with most, if not all, of their OVC opponents.

Then it's a matter of which side wins the close ones.

The 2010 Redhawks were able to do that on a consistent basis after the 2009 Redhawks -- who finished last in the OVC -- were not.

Which of those units will the 2011 Redhawks resemble? Only time will tell.

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If the first few weeks are any indication, then the OVC football season is going to be exciting, competitive and unpredictable.

Tennessee-Martin opened eyes for the second time this season when it crushed visiting Murray State 48-26 on Thursday.

Murray State was picked second in the OVC's preseason poll and had broken into the national rankings before the Skyhawks posted the rout.

Tennessee-Martin, the preseason No. 6 selection, already has faced the top two squads in the league's preseason poll and emerged 1-1. The Skyhawks held a late lead at heavy conference favorite Jacksonville State on Sept. 1 before the Gamecocks rallied.

And how about Austin Peay? The Governors were predicted to finish last in the OVC but opened conference play at home Saturday and stunned Eastern Kentucky, tabbed for third in the preseason poll, 23-17.

Jacksonville State was Saturday's other OVC winner. The Gamecocks squeezed out another narrow conference victory, 28-21 over visiting Eastern Illinois.

Jacksonville State and Tennessee Tech lead the league at 2-0, while Austin Peay is the only other OVC squad that has not suffered a conference loss.

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Eastern Washington, which eliminated Southeast from last year's FCS playoffs and went on to win the FCS title, entered this season ranked No. 1 nationally.

The Eagles have started 0-4, including 0-2 in Big Sky Conference play. They likely will have to win the rest of their games just to have a shot at making the playoffs.

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The Southeast women's soccer team won their opening OVC match Friday at Austin Peay, and it looks like they'll have a solid chance to win the conference title.

Southeast's volleyball squad is off to a strong OVC start under first-year coach Julie Folliard. Picked to finish ninth in the 11-team OVC, the Redhawks are a second-place 4-1.

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Here's a shoutout to local resident Don Osborne, who I failed to mention in my recent article about Jackson High School senior guard Dru Haertling giving a verbal commitment to the Southeast women's basketball program.

Osborne has played a major role in Haertling's development over the past few summers, serving as her primary summer coach since she was in eighth grade.

Marty Mishow is a sports writer for the Southeast Missourian.