Schedule gives Redhawks shot at winning record

Expectations are low for the 2007 Southeast Missouri State football team -- at least outside the program -- which kicks off coach Tony Samuel's second season Thursday night at Division I-A Cincinnati.

But there does appear to be an opportunity for the Redhawks -- picked to finish eighth in the 10-team Ohio Valley Conference -- to claim a rare winning record.

It's largely due to a friendly schedule that features six opponents that went a combined 11-55 last year, with none posting more than three victories.

That makes Southeast's 4-7 record in Samuel's rookie campaign look downright salty compared to the aforementioned six.

The non-murder's row includes Division II Southwest Baptist (1-10), Indiana State (1-10), Murray State (1-10), Missouri State (2-9), Austin Peay (3-8) and Samford (3-8).

And the Redhawks get four of those squads at home, playing only Missouri State and Samford away from Houck Stadium.

Of course, while Southeast fans might look at those six games as potential wins for their team, the six opponents -- well, five, because Southwest Baptist will be completely overmatched -- are probably looking at the Redhawks in the same light.

Southeast's other five opponents will, on paper at least, be much more difficult to contend with as they combined to go a stout 37-23 in 2006.

That murderer's row features Cincinnati (8-5) -- which is paying the Redhawks $250,000 for an expected beat down -- defending OVC co-champions Tennessee-Martin (9-3) and Eastern Illinois (8-5), along with Eastern Kentucky (6-5) and Jacksonville State (6-5).

The Redhawks play only Eastern Illinois and Jacksonville State among that group at home, which makes their task in those five games even more daunting.

Southeast has had only two winning seasons during 16 years of Division I-AA football, the most recent coming in 2002. Since then the Redhawks have gone 14-31.

Most people outside the program don't figure the 2007 Redhawks, who are extremely young and inexperienced, will reverse that trend.

But their schedule should at least give them a fighting chance.

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Mario Whitney, the former Jackson High School football and track phenom who saw little action during his lone, injury-plagued season at the University of Missouri, is trying to revive his college football career.

Whitney, who rushed for 43 touchdowns and nearly 2,800 yards, including a then single-game state record 463 yards, as a Jackson senior in 2001, has joined the football program at NAIA William Penn University in Oskaloosa, Iowa.

Whitney, who won the 100-meter and 200-meter dashes at the 2002 Class 4A state track meet, was widely regarded as among the nation's top 100 high school football recruits.

He signed with MU, but struggled with injuries and left following the 2002 season. He later kicked around at several junior colleges.

I ran into Whitney shortly before he left for William Penn a few weeks ago and he seemed excited about playing football again.

Whitney, who has two years of NAIA eligibility remaining, is about 25 pounds heavier than during his prep days -- when he played at around 185 pounds -- and admittedly not quite as fast, but he told me he still has plenty of speed.

I've always liked the personable Whitney and here's hoping he excels at William Penn, which is coming off a 5-6 season and opened the 2007 campaign Saturday.

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If you're a Southeast basketball fan -- or coach Scott Edgar, for that matter -- senior center Mike Rembert needing a second surgery on his right knee was certainly bad news.

Although Rembert "only" had arthroscopic surgery, some fairly extensive repair work was reportedly needed.

Edgar said he is hopeful that Rembert will be ready to go when official practice begins Oct. 13, but that might be a bit too optimistic.

In fact, I hope I'm wrong, but it wouldn't surprise me if Rembert might not even be ready when the regular season opens Nov. 10.

Rembert, the Redhawks' top rebounder and No. 3 scorer last season, had his first surgery on the knee way back in March, after suffering the injury late in the season.

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A positive Southeast basketball note: Contrary to recent rumors that started on the Internet, big freshman center Will Bogan from Bell City High School is definitely eligible for the upcoming season, as are all the scholarship Redhawks.

But there is a chance Southeast could be without a walk-on from last year.

Edgar told me that guard Xavier Delph from Notre Dame High School is not currently on the team as he spends the first semester concentrating on his academics. I assume that means he's academically ineligible right now.

Edgar said whether or not Delph -- who played just five minutes as a freshman last season and did not score a point -- rejoins the Redhawks at all this season is still up in the air.

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For people wondering what happened to Slamfest, Cape Girardeau's popular outdoor basketball tournament that has been held in late August each of the past 15 years, the event has given in to the heat.

Stafford Moore Jr., one of the tournament directors, said the 16th annual Slamfest will be held at Indian Park from Sept. 28 through 30.

Moore told me the change in dates was due to a combination of the wishes of teams and spectators who wanted to avoid the heat.

Teams interested in participating should call Moore at (573) 270-5399. The registration deadline is Sept. 20.

Marty Mishow is a sports writer for the Southeast Missourian