Significant test awaits Southeast Missouri State football team in opener

The 2010 Southeast Missouri State football team took most of the nation by surprise with its record-setting season that seemingly came out of nowhere.

Don't count Southern Illinois coach Dale Lennon among that group.

"Even going into last year we knew they were pretty good," Lennon said. "The year before they had been in a lot of close games, so what they did really didn't surprise us."

There don't figure to be many surprises Saturday when Southeast and SIU open their 2011 seasons with a 6 p.m. kickoff at Houck Stadium.

Lennon expects the Redhawks, coming off that historic campaign, to field another strong squad despite losing 14 starters, including three All-Americans.

"Now that they've had that type of success, we know we have to be ready," Lennon said. "But I like that for a first game."

And the Redhawks fully expect SIU to come at them with every barrel blazing after Southeast shocked the Salukis a year ago.

"They're going to be ready to play," Southeast coach Tony Samuel said. "We've got to be ready to play."

SIU entered last year's meeting with Southeast ranked fifth nationally and a heavy favorite in the second game in its brand-new, $25 million Saluki Stadium.

The Salukis had romped in the previous four matchups against Southeast by a combined score of 170-57. It looked like they again would have their way when they led 21-3 late in the third quarter.

But Southeast staged a stunning rally, winning 24-21 to improve its record to 2-1. The upset jumpstarted the Redhawks' incredible season that saw them win the program's first Ohio Valley Conference title and gain the program's first playoff berth.

"They're a really good team," SIU junior quarterback Paul McIntosh told the Southern Illinoisan newspaper. "The last memory I have of them is them walking off our field with a victory, so we got to come out and try to get another victory back."

The Salukis went on to compile their first losing record since 2002 after falling to Southeast. They suffered a rash of injuries and finished 5-6 to end a run of seven straight playoff appearances.

That has the Salukis -- who have 75 wins since 2003, third-most among Football Championship Subdivision programs -- highly motivated for a bounce-back season. National voters think it will happen since SIU is ranked 17th and 19th in the two major FCS polls. Southeast enters the year just outside the top 25.

"We have a lot to prove," said Lennon, whose squad returned 14 starters compared to only eight for Southeast. "We know we have the potential to be a good team, but we haven't proven it yet."

SIU's offense will be directed by McIntosh, who saw limited action behind then-senior Chris Dieker last year but had a strong 2009 season after Dieker went down with an injury.

McIntosh passed for 231 yards and rushed for 222 yards a year ago. He threw for 888 yards and set a school single-season rushing record by a quarterback with 588 yards as a sophomore. He had a big performance during a 2009 win over Southeast.

"He's a very good quarterback. He's very accurate and he's a good runner," Samuel said. "He's got a lot of experience."

The Salukis return a stable of running backs, led by Shariff Harris. He rushed for 604 yards and scored eight touchdowns a year ago.

SIU's ground attack is bolstered by the return of all five starting linemen, including preseason All-Americans Bryan Boemer and David Pickard.

SIU led the Missouri Valley Football Conference in total defense last year.

"They're a very good football team," Samuel said. "Very strong in the offensive line, team speed on defense."

Southeast's offense is led by all-OVC senior Matt Scheible, among the nation's top dual-threat quarterbacks who will be making his 25th consecutive start under center.

"He's a playmaker. That was obvious in our game last year, to lead them back from a 21-3 deficit," Lennon said.

Southeast was 5-0 at Houck Stadium last season, marking the program's first undefeated home record since moving to the FCS level in 1991.