SEMO football preview: QBs, receivers focused on small details as season starts

This story is part of the Southeast Missouri State football preview series. Click here to read the personal story of senior receiver Paul McRoberts, who has gone from almost quitting football to being an NFL prospect.

Southeast Missouri State receivers coach Salim Powell's expectations are high for his position players, many of whom return with experience.

He pushes them to be consistent in hopes that they will become a "premier receiving corps."

"Like the small details," Powell said of his focus for the group, "because with a returning group you just want to keep redefining, redefining, redefining until you get it to exactly how you want. It's never going to be perfect, obviously, but in a sense of just being consistent in everything that they do and even participating in special teams. We play a big role. I tell these guys all the time, 'You're elite players. You need to be able to play special teams and play offense.'"

Senior Paul McRoberts is the undeniable leader of the group. The star receiver had 711 yards receiving and nine touchdowns in just seven games last season.

"Coaching Paul McRoberts is a good and bad thing," Powell said, "because teams are going to double him up or have some type of game plan for him. As far as him as a player, I'm trying to develop him even more."

Powell wants McRoberts to understand the offense as a whole and what every other player on the field is supposed to be doing.

Peter Lloyd returns for his senior season after missing the final two games with a broken leg that required surgery. He had 633 yards receiving and three touchdowns.

Junior Darrius Darden-Box also is a top receiver on the depth chart.

Adrian Davis is back for his sophomore year after playing in all 12 games as a freshman and making nine starts. The 6-foot-3, 190-pound Davis had 307 yards and four receiving touchdowns in his first season as a Redhawk.

"He played a substantial amount of snaps that usually you don't want to throw guys in the fire like that, but I think he handled it and he had a great offseason," Powell said. "This summer was good for him. Just watching him run around you can see that he's more explosive. He's flying off the ball. And just for him the key to his development is going to be mechanics, the finer mechanics to the game. He can run, he has big hands, he has length, but as a younger player he still has habits. But he's starting to eliminate things.

"He's getting off the line, getting back on his line, not getting pushed off his route because he's gotten stronger. You can just see that he's done some good things. He has a ways to go, but he's a very talented player."

Jackson graduate and Southeast sophomore Stephen Dunn is expected to start at tight end after playing in every game last year. Sophomore Logan Larson is expected to get playing time as well.

"The biggest thing for our tight ends is that we're at the point of attack on most of our run plays, especially so we have to take pride in knowing that us getting our job done typically is very important for the play," tight ends coach Joe Uhls said.

The Redhawks offense will be led by junior transfer Tay Bender, who was announced as the starting quarterback on Aug. 28. The 6-4, 220-pound Bender transferred from Iowa Western Community College, where he helped the team to the 2014 National Junior College Athletic Association championship game and a runner-up finish.

Senior Alex Niznak is currently Bender's backup with Jackson graduate and true freshman Dante Vandeven being the No. 3 QB.