Southeast Missouri State finds easiest way to success is with football in its hands

Editor's note: This story has been corrected to say that TSU's defense entered the game with 10 interceptions.

Southeast Missouri State running back Lennies McFerren carried a football with him to class in the week leading up to the Redhawks' game against nationally-ranked Tennessee State.

The senior had fumbled in each of the team's last two games, and was determined to erase the turnovers off film.

It paid off for the Ohio Valley Conference's fourth leading rusher -- neither he nor any of his teammates had a turnover in Southeast's 28-21 upset win over TSU that propelled them into the Sports Network FCS Top 25 at No. 23.

Southeast coach Tom Matukewicz knew coming into the game against TSU that having a balanced offense would be necessary against one of the nation's top defensive teams, and having success running the ball would make the Tigers' job more difficult.

TSU's defense entered the game with 10 interceptions, but quarterback Kyle Snyder wasn't picked off once. TSU also averaged 5.0 sacks per game but didn't get one against Southeast.

"I'm a defensive coach, so I know what it's like if all you can do is pass or all you can do is run it," Matukewicz said. "That was the plan going into the game -- you've got to force Tennessee State's D-line to play the run and then play action and some things like that to keep them off-balance, and it worked out really well."

Southeast didn't throw a pass the entire fourth quarter, and possessed the ball for 10 minutes, 31 seconds of that final period.

The Redhawks had two drives that were longer than six minutes -- one that overlapped the end of the third quarter and start of the fourth.

"It was everything," Matukewicz said about the two lengthy drives. "I know they got frustrated and our defense was on the sideline trying to rest [while we tried] to just methodically move the football and just find a way to get some first downs."

The second drive of the fourth quarter took 6:14 off the clock. The Redhawks ran the ball 10 times and ended with a 7-yard touchdown run -- the eventual game-winner -- by McFerren.

TSU had allowed 78 rushing yards per game coming into the contest, but the Redhawks racked up 226 yards rushing against the Tigers, and all three of their touchdowns were on the run. Snyder had a 6-yard touchdown run and Lewis Washington scored on a 1-yard run.

"We took that as a plus -- we like a challenge," McFerren said about TSU's stats.

McFerren rushed for over 100 yards for the first time in his career at Southeast, finishing with 115 yards and a touchdown on 21 carries.

"I'm just so proud of him for taking the opportunity that was given to him and running with it," Matukewicz said.

McFerren stepped into the starting running back role after junior DeMichael Jackson fractured his hand in Southeast's game against Kansas on Sept. 6.

He's currently fourth in the conference in rushing, averaging 78.7 yards per game.

Jackson is supposed to get his cast taken off today. He's doing extra conditioning after practices, and hopes that he'll be able to play next week.

"It's been hard sitting out and watching my teammates go out and fight every week but I've just been working on my strength and working on getting my body right for whenever I do return," Jackson said.

The Redhawks (4-2 overall and 2-0 in the Ohio Valley Conference) travel to Murray, Kentucky, to face Murray State (1-4, 0-2 OVC) on Saturday,.

Noteworthy

* Matukewicz likened the midpoint of the season to halftime of a game.

And for the Redhawks, if the second half of their season trends like the second halves of their games thus far, then the future looks bright. They've outscored opponents by 32 points in the fourth quarter alone.

"People talk about a letdown. You have a letdown when you're emotionally spent," Matukewicz said following Tuesday's practice. "We're ahead at half, just like we were last Saturday. Now what? You've still got another half.

"I kind of wanted to simulate an off week, even though we don't have an off week, so I gave them 48 hours off, which is not normal. It wasn't for physically; it was for emotionally, to get their mind off of football, just go be a student for a little bit. That way I had a hungry team that came back on Tuesday, ready to hear the plan, ready to go kill a Tuesday practice."

* Southeast is ranked for the first time since the end of the 2010 OVC championship season following its win over TSU.

"A lot of people are in polls because of what they did last year," Matukewicz said. "We're definitely not like that. We're going to have to earn what we get."