Southeast football team tops Skyhawks in OVC opener

MARTIN, Tenn. -- The Southeast Missouri State football team held a four-point lead when the Redhawks' defense gave up a 48-yard pass with about six minutes remaining in the game that put the University of Tennessee at Martin on the Southeast 5-yard line.

The Redhawks defense held the Skyhawks there when senior cornerback Tim Hamm-Bey broke up the pass from UT Martin quarterback Jarod Neal with 5 minutes, 44 seconds left in the game.

"You've got to win one-on-one situations," Hamm-Bey said. "That was one of the keys to victory this week, and whenever coach puts us in one-on-one situations, as a defense and as a defensive secondary, we always want to win."

Southeast's defense had to face the Skyhawks once more with a drive starting on the Redhawks 45 with 3:19 remaining after a punt from the back of the end zone.

The defense gave up a 7-yard pass, but an incompletion and a sack by freshman linebacker Kendall Donnerson and senior linebacker Wisler Ymonice made it fourth-and-4 when Neal attempted a 39-yard pass in the end zone that was broken up by senior corner back Reggie Jennings.

Those two fourth-down plays allowed Southeast to maintain its lead and win its Ohio Valley Conference opener 31-27 at Hardy Graham Stadium in Martin, Tennessee.

Southeast Missouri State coach Tom Matukewicz and his assistants celebrate their fourth-down stop of UT Martin in the final moments of Saturday’s game. (Fred Lynch)

"Those were huge. I mean, we weren't able to pressure the quarterback all night," Southeast coach Tom Matukewicz said. "It doesn't take a rocket scientist to see that. We tried different things and then finally we just kind of sold out to an all-out man pressure the last two times, and our defense just dug down and found a way to get a little pressure. You saw him move, and that ended up being the game because he had all kinds of time in the pocket, which was causing all kinds of issues in the other quarters.

"I'm just so proud because … they miss an assignment, they give up a big play, but you've got to flush it because you're going to have to play again if you want to win this football game. I'm just proud of the leadership they have and that they were able to come back."

The Redhawks (3-2, 1-0 OVC) gave up several big plays on defense earlier in the game. UT Martin scored on a 23-yard pass from Neal to Rod Wright less than five minutes into the game.

Southeast answered on a 65-yard pass from senior quarterback Kyle Snyder to junior receiver Peter Lloyd a minute and a half later to tie it 7-7.

The Skyhawks were held to a 36-yard field goal with 3:57 to play in the first to take a 10-7 lead.

The teams continued to trade scores the entire game. Snyder scored on a 1-yard run 1:45 into the second and again with 4:24 left in the half to put Southeast up 21-17.

Southeast Missouri State's Ron Coleman rushes 26 yards after a fake punt against UT Martin during the third quarter Saturday, Sept. 27, 2014 in Martin, Tenn. (Fred Lynch)

Neal had connected with Kyle Kerrick on a 24-yard touchdown pass with 11 minutes left in the half before Snyder's second rushing touchdown.

UT Martin's Jackson Redditt made a 29-yard field goal with 11:47 to go in the third quarter, but Southeast's special teams impressed the rest of the game.

The Redhawks faked a punt on fourth-and-6 on their next drive of the game, and senior Ron Coleman rushed 26 yards to the UT Martin 30.

"We've been wanting to run it, so the first time we line up it was there, so we talked about it," Matukewicz said. Jon Slania -- he's the upback -- comes over and he's like, 'It's there,' and I go, 'I know. I know.' He said, 'You need to call it.'"

So Matukewicz called it, but said he's got a "kill switch" where he gives thumbs up or thumbs down just before the snap to either affirm the call or change it.

"It was there, so we gave him the thumbs up," Matukewicz said. "They did an unbelievable job executing, and how about Ron Coleman? The guy could barely walk because he got hit in the quad and he rushes for an unbelievable first down right there. That was big. That was huge. That's like a turnover."

Four plays later Redhawks sophomore kicker Ryan McCrum blasted a 47-yard field goal to give Southeast a 24-20 lead with 8:08 left in the third.

"We got after them on special teams, and that's what is so exciting because it was atrocious when we got here," Matukewicz said, noting the Redhawks downed their own punt on the 1-yard line in the second quarter. "And you can't win on the road without good defense and special teams. Defensively we could've played better, but situational defense was pretty good. You have the ball on first-and-5 from the 5, and to come away with no points was awesome. I think at the end of the day that was the difference in the game."

Neal, who completed 20 of 37 passes for 350 yards, threw his third touchdown pass with 5:18 remaining in the third -- a 35-yard reception by William Tanner to put UT Martin back up 27-24.

Southeast moved the ball down to the UT Martin 10 before the end of the quarter. Snyder, who completed 19 of 30 passes for 269 yards, was picked off on the first play of the fourth quarter.

"It was just one of those things where it's like, 'Hey, it happened. It's done. It's over with. Learn from it,'" Snyder said. "I kind of threw it off my back foot, took a shot and our receiver kind of fell down, but whatever, it is what it is. It's just one of those things where when we get the ball back on offense, just go down and score again, which we did."

The Southeast defense forced the Skyhawks to punt on their next drive and Snyder threw a 28-yard touchdown pass to Lloyd with 9:04 left in the game to put the Redhawks ahead for good before the defense's fourth-down stands.

"Coach Tuke always talks about how the margin between winning and losing is very fine," Hamm-Bey said, "so whenever you can pull it off and put some good film out there, it's a good thing."

Lloyd led the Redhawks offense with two touchdowns and 179 yards receiving on 10 catches, which helped fill the void left by junior receiver Paul McRoberts, who is out with a fractured foot.

"Man, I could french kiss Peter Lloyd right now," Matukewicz said. "I am so, so proud of him. And this didn't just happen overnight. He has worked really, really hard and that's what happens when preparation meets opportunity -- you kill it. He's been a good player the whole time, he just got that opportunity finally."

The Redhawks will host Tennessee State on Saturday at Houck Stadium for Southeast's homecoming game.

"I feel exhausted," Matukewicz said. "What a game. What a fun game. We had adversity and we'll have more -- different types. That's what's fun. Each week we've got to try to find a way to go 1-0. That could look different next week, and of course you've got an unbelievable opponent in Tennessee State, so it's not getting any easier."