SEMO QB is healthy again, but inconsistent in spring return

SCOTT CITY – In an intrasquad scrimmage, by (most) rules, one team has to win (i.e. play well) and one team must lose (i.e. play not as well), and that was the case in Friday’s Southeast Missouri State football spring game, which was held at Scott City High School in front of a very impressive size of crowd.

Team Redhawk nipped Team SEMO 17-16 on a late trick play, which ended a night where the defense was probably the most impressive aspect of both teams’ play through much of the contest.

Team SEMO featured starting quarterback Paxton DeLaurent, who was healthy for the first time since injuring his foot in mid-November and finished the night having both highs and lows in his play.

“I thought it was bad on Paxton’s part,” 10th-year Redhawk coach Tom Matukewicz said of DeLaurent’s night.

Matukewicz was referencing two early interceptions thrown by DeLaurent, the first picked off by former Cape Central defender Dony’e Taylor.

“Two picks where he was just trying to do too much,” Matukewicz said. “He has to let the game come to him a little bit.”

Later in the scrimmage, DeLaurent moved his team to the 17-yard line of Team Redhawk, but, once again, he threw a pass that was picked off by senior linebacker Izeal Terrell, who rambled with it 45 yards to the Team SEMO 40-yard line.

“A pick in the Red Zone,” Matukewicz lamented, “that cost points.”

Following a short touchdown pass from junior wide receiver Dorian Anderson to junior tight end Mitchell Sellers, both of whom are transfers from Shorter University (NCAA Division II) and Southern Mississippi, respectively, which gave Team Redhawk a 17-10 lead, DeLaurent looked sharp in the two-minute offense.

With the clock ticking down, DeLaurent completed three consecutive plays and also did son for a fourth, which would have been for a score, but the wide receiver bobbled the ball as he went out of bounds in the end zone.

The play highlighted DeLaurent’s regained agility and ability to extend plays with his movement.

“He settled down,” Matukewicz said of DeLaurent, “he did OK. But he is better than that.”

Rebuilt O-line is getting there

One of the major concerns for Matukewicz entering spring football was his restructured offensive line.

The Redhawks lost five players (Terry Cook, Phillip Wilder, Shyron Rodgers, Will Christopher, and Nate Korte) from their two-deep last fall, with Cook (left tackle) and Korte (right tackle) being starters. However, there was growth over the 15 spring practices, according to Matukewicz.

“I feel pretty good about our tackles right now,” Matukewicz said. “Going into the spring, that was a huge question mark.”

SEMO offensive line coach Lucas Orchard lost both left tackles from last season, so he has been working with redshirt freshman Jamarcus Hill (6-foot-5, 275 pounds) and Northeastern Oklahoma A&M transfer, Trey Gibbs (6-foot-3, 270) at that spot.

“We have a lot of young guys,” Orchard said, “and transfer guys, and freshmen, who are competing for time.”

At right tackle, senior AJ Laux (6-foot-4, 297) has “bounced around positions,” according to Orchard, but has experience, having played in nine games last season.

“We’re trying to find a home for him,” Orchard said.

Also vying for reps at that spot is Jones (Miss.) Community College transfer, Marshakie Applewhite (6-foot-3, 290 pounds), who goes by the nickname of ‘Fat,’ according to his coach.

“That is his name,” Orchard explained. “That is what he goes by.”