SOUTHEAST LOOKS FOR TURNAROUND IN 1999

As has been the case the past several seasons, Southeast Missouri State University's football team will once again attempt to turn things around this year.

Since going 7-5 and finishing a best-ever third in the Ohio Valley Conference in 1994 during the school's fourth Division I-AA season, the Indians have found the going tough.

After a 5-6 record in 1995, the Indians have been 10-23 since, including last year's 3-8 mark that featured a sixth-place tie in the eight-team OVC. Southeast has not been above sixth in the league for the past three years.

Taking all that into account, Southeast head coach John Mumford realizes most people are again expecting the Indians to struggle as the 1999 season approaches.

"There are no expectations for us, not even in Cape Girardeau," said Mumford, who is in his 10th season as the Indians' boss. "We're not expected to be very good. We have to find a way to turn that around and use it to our advantage."

The challenge once again for the Indians is to try and prove the prognosticators wrong.

Every preseason OVC poll has tabbed Southeast for a seventh-place league finish. Add to that the fact the Indians will be facing arguably the toughest schedule in school history and Mumford realizes the task his team faces.

"It definitely is a very daunting schedule," he said. "But I don't think it's indomitable.

"We know where the polls have us but those things don't really mean much once you get on the field. Really, there is no place for us to go but up."

While Mumford realizes it takes talent to win football games, he thinks the Indians will enter the season with a better frame of mind than in years past.

"Our goal was to come together during two-a-days and we've really done that," he said. "For the first time, we had a senior group walk into my office and say `let us take this team.'

"Now, we haven't played a game yet, but something like that is quite refreshing. I think it shows the commitment of these guys."

The Indians, who open the season Sept. 2 with a Thursday night home game against Southern Illinois, will be counting on a blend of returning starters, transfers (both from junior colleges and four-year schools) and young players.

"We have some players coming back who have established themselves, but we will be very young," Mumford said.

While the Indians lost 10 starters from last season -- including many of their statistical leaders on both sides of the ball -- they return 13 players with starting experience, including six on both offense and defense.

Offensively, sophomore quarterback Bobby Brune (Cape Central) enters the season in charge after coming on strong during his redshirt freshman campaign last year, when he passed for 1,167 yards and completed better than 62 percent of his attempts, going 97-for-156.

Mumford said he also likes the quarterbacking ability of returnee Mike Gross (Jackson) and is intrigued by the talents of newcomer Rashad West. Both are sophomores.

Three veteran running backs return in tailbacks Riki Smith (259 yards) and K.D. Koleosho (237 yards), along with fullback Broderick Benson (423 yards, 15 receptions), the Indians' top returning rusher. Another returning fullback is Sturge Cumberford (101 yards).

Two local redshirt freshmen, Devree Flint (Jackson) and Mark Blissett (Sikeston), have plenty of promise while Mumford is extremely high on true freshman Iven Brown, who gained over 2,000 yards last season at Gosnell (Ark.) High School.

Several key receivers return in Leslie Weaver (27 receptions, 389 yards), Corey Chester (21, 299) and Andy Dunaway (Cape Central, 8, 68). Chester was also one of the nation's top Division I-AA return men last season. Mumford is also high on redshirt freshman Jerl Huling while Marcus McKinley is back after a medical redshirt season and talented Glenn Haley has been moved from the secondary.

At tight end, John Borne and Bryan Walker are veterans who have not yet had many balls thrown their way, but that could change this year.

The offensive line, which averages 6-feet-3 and 297 pounds per man, returns three veterans in Ian Walters at left tackle, Chris Kiefer (Perryville) at right tackle and Chad King (Fredericktown) at left guard. Chris Evertsen, who was redshirted last year and has been slowed by a knee injury, is at right guard while juco transfer David Fielder is at center.

Veteran Nick Reggio is back as the Indians' placekicker. He was 8-for-15 on field goals last year, with only one miss inside 40 yards.

On the defensive side, returning up front with starting experience are Brad Richardson (45 tackles), Jason DeWolf (41 tackles) and Joel Becker (35 tackles). Becker is the team's top returning defender in sacks and tackles for loss, with four each.

Demond Williams is listed as the fourth starter up front while Mumford also has high hopes for Missouri transfer Kyle Piper.

Two starters return at linebacker in Jeremy Atwell (31 tackles, OVC-leading four fumble recoveries) and David Bowling (50 tackles). They're joined by highly-touted Tulsa transfer Donovan LaViness.

The secondary should be a major strength, with a host of veterans, led by returning starters John Smith (67 tackles), Isaac Powell (49 tackles, team-high three interceptions) and Brian Hinton (37 passes, two interceptions). Smith is the squad's top returning tackler.

Andre Clark is penciled in at the other corner while Joe Williams and Leotis Belcher also saw plenty of action a year ago.

Stepping in at punter will be Seth Carriere, who averaged 44.3 yards per boot in the juco ranks last year.