SEMO football star ready for his 'Coming out of my shell' year in 2023

ON the field, there hasn’t been much for 10th-year Southeast Missouri State football coach Tom Matukewicz to criticize when it comes to the play and production of Redhawk junior linebacker Bryce Norman. However, what you need to understand about Matukewicz is he is a coach that analyzes every aspect of his student-athletes, not just their ability to make tackles.

“If you are a great player, then you have to make others around you better,” Matukewicz said of Norman earlier in his career, “You can’t have excuses like ‘I’m going to lead by example.’ That isn’t leadership. It has nothing to do with leadership.

“By nature, that is just somebody who is a good teammate. And that’s not a bad thing.”

Matukewicz said, “Leading is bringing somebody with you.” Norman racking up tackles is great, but it doesn’t bring others up to his level, which is what Matukewicz has spent the past 12 months demanding of him.

“There is no DNA for that,” Matukewicz said of being a vocal presence. “At the end of the day, it is just a skill set. It is just like anything else; you have to develop it.”

And just like his football skills, Norman attacked that acknowledged weakness during this past off-season.

Earlier this spring, Norman joined six other teammates in being named a captain of the 2023 Redhawks.

“To be a captain on this team,” Norman explained, “I love everybody on this team. I feel like I am SEMO.”

He has been SEMO football ON the field.

The Jackson High School graduate has led the Redhawks in tackles in each of the past two seasons, which was even more impressive this past season, in which he missed the equivalent of one game due to a (questionable) targeting call.

Norman led SEMO with 66 tackles as a freshman inside linebacker but exploded that production last fall with 119 tackles.

He earned All-Ohio Valley Conference First Team honors, as well as was named a HERO Sports All-American.

“Having a relationship with all of the guys,” Norman continued on his evolution in the locker room, “was what I needed to do.”

Norman was really appreciative of the fact that becoming a SEMO football captain is an honor that has to be earned in the locker room, not just appeasing his coach.

The Redhawk players vote on which players earn that right.

“I love that they voted for me to be their captain,” Norman said. “I can’t thank them enough and I just love my boys.”

Norman often gets assistance from fellow inside linebacker Christian Fuhrman, who NEVER lacks the ability to be vocal on the field, in games. However, he credited Fuhrman for helping his development off the field this past year.

“It took some getting used to,” the humble and soft-spoken Norman said of being more vocal. “I can thank Christian. He kind of brought me out of my inner shell. Just getting to know the guys better. I’ve been here for two years, and I feel like having a relationship with everybody helps.

“This is my ‘Coming out of my shell’ year.”