Southeast Missouri State defense leads OVC with 27 sacks

Following Tuesday's football practice at Houck Stadium, sophomore outside linebacker Chad Meredith had just finished saying how he'd rather have 10 sacks a game than a touchdown because there's nothing more exciting for him than getting to the quarterback.

He trailed off before adding, "... But that hit Roper had. Geez."

That hit by junior inside linebacker Roper Garrett happened midway through the fourth quarter in the Redhawks' 44-16 win at Austin Peay.

The 6-foot-1, 234-pound Garrett sprinted untouched through the offensive line, slamming into Govs quarterback Trey Taylor near the APSU 5-yard line. Meredith scooped the ball up at the 1 and trotted into the end zone for his first career touchdown.

Garrett's sack was the third for the Redhawks in the game, pushing them to the top of the rankings for most sacks in the Ohio Valley Conference.

"I was coming off the edge and the guy had pretty good protection, so I was going to my second move, and I look in and I see Roper just smack the guy and see the ball flying," Meredith said. "So I just finished the play out, and as soon as I got in the end zone I was looking to Roper to celebrate with him because that was a heck of a hit."

Hits like those have become a common occurrence for the Redhawks. They had two more sacks in the final 6 minutes of the game to up their season total to 27, which ranks 11th in the nation.

It's the first time since 2007 that they've had 20 sacks in a season.

Garrett, who ranks fourth in the conference in tackles (80) and sacks (4.5), and sixth in tackles for loss (10), relishes making those plays for his team.

"Especially if our team needs momentum, I like to be that spark," Garrett said. "We need a sparkplug on our team, and I feel like I'm going to do everything I can to be that spark for our team to get us ready."

Even more impressive is the the high sack total has come despite two defensive linemen sustaining season-ending injuries -- Travis Sanders with a torn ACL and Austin Black with a chronic back problem that will require surgery. Nose tackle Josh Wilson also tore his right ACL but has been able to continue playing. However, the rest of his season remains uncertain after he injured his left knee vs. APSU. He has an MRI scheduled for this morning.

Southeast's opponent on Saturday, Jacksonville State, which is ranked No. 1 in both the Football Championship Subdivision Coaches Poll and the STATS FCS Poll, is second in the league with 24 sacks.

The Redhawks were seventh in the nine-team OVC last season with 15 sacks.

Defensive coordinator Bryce Saia said it's a matter of the players getting more comfortable and consistent in their second year with the defensive system.

"You know, being able to bring in multiple packages with our nickel and dime, and having different multiple pass rushers giving their offense multiple looks definitely helps free up our rushers and gets pressure on the quarterback," Meredith said.

The 6-5 Meredith is 14th in the OVC in tackles (57), ninth in sacks (3.5) and fifth in tackles for loss (10.5).

"An average player can get to the spot," Meredith said about what Saia tells them. "An average player can run up field, but the good ones are going to get to the quarterback and make a play when he gets there."

The sack-happy Redhawks will face a challenge with JSU quarterback Eli Jenkins.

The 6-2, 205-pound junior is the top rushing quarterback in the league, averaging 50.4 yards per game, and fourth in passing with an average of 197.7 yards per game.

"He is a running back with a rocket arm," Saia said. "I've coached I-AA football before. I've been fortunate to coach Division I FCS as they call it now. I've been fortunate to coach it at a very high level, and I consider them a very high level."

The Gamecocks have allowed 11 sacks all year, and only nine of them have been when Whitlow was at QB.

He was sacked twice last week in a 24-3 win over Eastern Illinois after only being sacked once in the previous four weeks.

"He's really mobile, and if he doesn't see what he likes quick, he's going to scramble, so we're going to have to protect the edges and make him scramble," Meredith said. "And when he scrambles, we've got to make plays on him."

The Redhawks didn't record any sacks against the Gamecocks when they came to Cape Girardeau in the season finale last year.

Neither Garrett nor Meredith played in that game.

Garrett had a broken leg that required surgery four weeks prior, and Meredith didn't play after tearing his labrum in the fourth game of the season. Meredith was able to get a medical redshirt.

"I'm proud of them. I'm happy for them," Saia said. "Those guys are good kids. They work hard year-round, and they've made it. I'm happy for them because football's not like baseball or basketball [that play a lot of games]. We get guaranteed 11 or 12, and we work year-round at it."

Garrett is excited at the chance to face defending OVC champion JSU, which comes into Saturday's contest at 8-1 and 6-0 in the OVC.

"I'm biting my chops a little bit to play them," Garrett said. "I really wanted to play them last year, and it was a bummer not being able to. But this year I get my shot at them, and I'm ready to show them what our team has."

Football banquet

The Redhawks will hold their second annual Brick-By-Brick Football Awards luncheon Nov. 22 at the Isle Casino Event Center.

The event is open to the public and begins at noon.

The deadline to RSVP is Nov. 15 and reservations can be made at GoSoutheast.com/FootballBanquet or by calling 573-651-2005.

The cost is $20 per person and a student-athlete can be sponsored for that amount. A table of student-athletes can be sponsored for $200.