SE switches quest to 1st year in black since 1994

Even though Southeast Missouri State University's football team has to readjust its goals now, coach Tim Billings knows there is still plenty left for the Indians to play for.

Speaking at his weekly media conference Monday, Billings said a winning record would be quite an accomplishment for his building program.

The Indians (5-4 overall, 2-2 Ohio Valley Conference) can accomplish their first winning season since 1994 if they capture two of their final three games, beginning Saturday when Tennessee Tech (2-6, 0-3) visits Houck Stadium for a 6 p.m. kickoff.

"It's going to be big, to show our program is really making strides," Billings said, referring to a possible winning record. "We have a lot to play for the last three games. Every game is crucial from here on out.

"People are excited about having a winning football program again. We're getting good fan support, people are believing in us. There has been a lot of excitement about our football program. We need to play well these last three weeks."

Southeast's second straight loss, 38-31 at Murray State Saturday, all but eliminated the Indians from OVC title contention and a shot at an NCAA Division I-AA playoff berth. Southeast is in fourth place in the seven-team OVC.

"We can't achieve those goals anymore, but we can have a really good season," Billings said. "Each year I've been here I feel like we've made steps to get better. This year, too. A lot of good things have happened this year and there's an opportunity for a lot more."

Tennessee Tech, which went a combined 15-6 the last two years to join the OVC's upper echelon, has struggled much of this season, but Billings still regards the Eagles as dangerous.

The Eagles are coming off a 19-0 home loss to Eastern Kentucky in which they gained just 143 total yards -- including minus 17 yards rushing. Still, they trailed only 5-0 well into the second half.

"Believe it or not, they're a good football team," Billings said. "They've been in a lot of games. They were neck and neck with Eastern Illinois, they were tied with Murray State, they lost a close game to Jacksonville State, they had to open with two I-A teams (Bowling Green and Iowa State).

"They're a scary football team. We're going to have to play really well to win this football game."

Big offensive numbers

With their 31-point performance against Murray State, the Indians have now scored 297 points this season to set a school record. The old mark of 282 came in 1989.

Senior wide receiver Willie Ponder, who leads the OVC in every receiving category, has tied his own school single-season touchdown receiving record of 11, set last year. Ponder, despite playing just two seasons for the Indians, has now also tied Southeast's career record for receiving touchdowns of 22, set by John Diepenbrock from 1965-68.

In addition, Ponder has become the first player in Southeast history to go over 1,000 yards receiving in two straight seasons.

Junior quarterback Jack Tomco has thrown for 2,235 yards, moving him into third place on the school's single-season list. Barring injury, Tomco is likely to pass single-season record-holder Jason Liley, the former Jackson High School star who threw for 2,580 yards in 1990.

Liley, Southeast's career passing leader with 6,179 yards, also has the Indians' second-best single-season yardage total of 2,326 in 1992.

Tomco had already established a Southeast single-season record for touchdown passes with 21, and three weeks ago against Tennessee-Martin he set school single-game marks for passing yards (429), total offense (429) and touchdown passes (5).

Sophomore tailback Corey Kinsey, the OVC's leading rusher, has 783 yards, putting him within range of becoming the sixth Southeast player to rush for at least 1,000 yards in a season.

Also, sophomore kicker Derek Kutz continues to add to his single-season school record for extra points. He is 38 for 38. The previous mark was 31 PAT's by Earl Wessel in 1989.Noteworthy

***True freshman Jamel Oliver is second in the OVC in kickoff returns as he averages 21.9 yards per return.

***Junior linebacker Ricky Farmer has moved up to second in the OVC in tackles, averaging 10.8 per game.