Southeast football team works on re-writing history in spring scrimmage

There are a number of scenarios from last season that the Southeast Missouri State football team would like to re-do.

Among the list of in-game situations, the one that sticks out most to Southeast coach Tom Matukewicz is the final few minutes in their loss to Ohio Valley Conference rival Murray State.

With 3 minutes, 5 seconds to play, Southeast had a 35-28 lead and just needed to make a stop to regain possession and run out the clock. Instead, MSU scored with 46.6 seconds left to force overtime. The Redhawks made three field goals in the extra periods before ultimately giving up a touchdown to end the game.

In Thursday's spring scrimmage at the Rosengarten Athletic Complex, Matukewicz didn't waste much time letting the Redhawks relive that scenario and fix their mistakes.

"We were ahead. We had 3:05 left in the game, they had the ball on the 35 [yard line], and we're up by seven," Matukewicz said. "We've got to be able to close that game out. We didn't, and so that's the exact same scenario we practiced today because that's fresh in our mind. If there's just some scenario that makes no sense to them, then they don't correlate it. So we topped it off with that, and the defense did it this time and that's what it's all about."

Southeast's defense stepped up, forcing an incomplete pass on fourth down, capping off a productive practice, according to Matukewicz, who added that situations will be an integral part of the Redhawks remaining practices leading up to next season.

"The main focus was situations," Matukewicz said. "So when we install things, we take it from fundamentals to scheme, get our plays in and then move it to situation. So today, we had red zone, we had third down and we had several two-minute scenarios that we didn't do a very good job of this season. So we practiced those, and I just wanted them to be in those situations so we could teach them the right way to execute. You know it's not always going to look good, and so there are several areas we want to try and get better at. But I'm very pleased. I'm just wanting to make sure we do everything we can to stay healthy and execute correctly when the game is on the line."

On the offensive side of the ball, quarterback Tay Bender handled each situation thrown his way with ease.

The 6-foot-4 sophomore, who transferred from Iowa Western Community College at the end of the season, took 20 snaps and was 4 of 5 passing with two touchdowns.

"I watched him between the plays, and I really thought he showed up that way," Matukewicz said about Bender. "He communicated to the kids, when a lot of times you're just thinking, 'What do I need to do next?' For him to be able to focus, and think to encourage and help lead, even in the middle of that chaos as the plays are coming in and out, really impressed me."

Bender found freshman wide receiver Adrian Davis on a 35-yard hookup during his first series, and ended his day of throwing on a high note with a 25-yard pass in the end zone to junior wide receiver Paul McRoberts.

"That goes back to him believing in me," McRoberts said after Bender found him in the end zone on a post pattern down the right sideline. "He don't know me from a can of paint, really. We're still growing our relationship and brotherhood, but he's seen film of me, and he's like, 'Hey man, I can't wait to do that with you.' So him throwing that there with all them people around me, it showed me that he has faith in me. I'm proud of him, and I want him to keep that mindset, and keep going."

McRoberts also caught a touchdown pass from junior Alex Niznak and said he has a lot of trust in the veteran quarterback. McRoberts added that he's beginning to build that same type of chemistry with Bender.

"Today he was more relaxed than I've ever seen him," McRoberts said about Bender. "I know when he first got here he was all excited and jittery, and like, 'I can't wait to throw it to you, I can't wait to do this.' I really love him and his energy and everything because he's so confident. You know how people say, 'You can't be cocky.' His way is not cocky at all. He's so confident that he wants to be great, and I want him to be great. So it's like two people that want to be great and we understand each other. But today, he performed and he stepped up when Niznak didn't do as great as he wanted to. Niznak did his thing, too, but Tay Bender, he wants it."

Niznak, who will be a fifth-year senior, who joined the Redhawks right before the start of last season, saw the same amount of snaps and started the day with a fade pass down the right sideline to freshman Richie Eisenhart for a 2-yard gain. But after two straight incomplete passes, Niznak threw an interception, ending his first series.

"Sometimes you have some of those days. I had one of them about four days ago, so it happens," Matukewicz said. "You've got to do everything you can to get yourself out of it. He's just got to do a better job of flushing it, and he'll come back because he's an unbelievable competitor. He's a great kid.

"It's all about how quickly you can process information and make decisions. I think he's doing a good job of that, and it's helped that he was here all fall. He'll come around as will all of these guys mentally and physically."