Southeast Missouri State fooball team looks for first victory vs. UT-Martin

Southeast Missouri State football coach Tony Samuel has seen glimpses of what his young and inexperienced squad is capable of during the Redhawks' 0-3 start against high-level opposition.

"We've played well in some situations. We've not put together a whole game yet," Samuel said.

Samuel said now is the time to do just that as the Redhawks embark on their eight-game Ohio Valley Conference schedule.

Southeast (0-3) begins OVC play Saturday with a 6 p.m. Family Weekend matchup against 23th-ranked Tennessee-Martin (2-1) in the Redhawks' home opener.

"We're into our fourth game now," Samuel said. "I tell the players, there's no more young players anymore, everyone's got experience. It's time to get it done."

Getting it done won't be easy against a UTM squad that has been one of the OVC's biggest surprises after the Skyhawks were hit fairly hard by graduation following an 8-3 overall record and 6-2 conference mark in 2012.

The Skyhawks, picked fifth in the nine-team OVC's preseason poll, have two wins over squads that were ranked at the time in Chattanooga and Central Arkansas, which is still rated 13th. UTM's only loss was at perennial FBS power Boise State.

"Very good football team," Samuel said. "If you look at their roster, there's a lot of juniors and seniors. There's a little more experience than you think on that team."

UTM coach Jason Simpson, whose squad has never posted a losing OVC record while winning a league title during his previous seven seasons, said he has been pleased overall with the Skyhawks' start although there is plenty of room for improvement.

"Obviously any time you can get a win you're happy with that. As coaches, you always have something to complain about," said Simpson, tied with Samuel as being the longest-tenured current OVC head coach. "We've got a long way to go as a football team, but I am pleased with the wins."

UTM, like Southeast, has used two quarterbacks quite a bit this year. Simpson said that will be the case Saturday even though Dylan Favre went all the way in the Skyhawks' most recent outing, the victory over Central Arkansas.

Favre, a junior college transfer who is the nephew of future NFL Hall of Fame quarterback Brett Favre, is slated to start against Southeast. He has completed an OVC-best 71.7 percent of his passes (38 of 53) for 384 yards, five touchdowns and three interceptions.

Favre is also a dangerous runner, having rushed for 133 yards.

"A really active quarterback, very athletic," Samuel said. "He's shifty. He's very dangerous."

Simpson said sophomore Jarod Neal, who saw limited action last year, also will play Saturday.

Neal has completed 57.1 percent (16 of 28) for 134 yards with no touchdowns and two interceptions. He has rushed just twice for only three yards.

The favorite target for UTM's signal callers is senior Jeremy Butler, who has caught 25 passes to rank second in the OVC in receptions per game. He is averaging 11.2 yards per catch.

Last year Butler caught 51 passes for 14.7-yard average and 10 touchdowns.

UTM possesses dangerous running backs in senior DJ McNeil and sophomore Trent Garland.

McNeil, who leads the OVC in rushing yards per game, has totaled 299 yards for a 4.5 avg.

Garland has proven to be a big-play threat, rushing for 147 yards with a 9.2 average.

"They're doing some really good things on offense," Samuel said.

Defensively, UTM's headliner is senior linebacker Ben Johnson, who has 27 tackles and is tied with Southeast senior safety Ben Kargbo for second in the OVC in tackles per game.

Johnson earned all-OVC first-team honors last season with a league-high 131 tackles to rank sixth nationally.

"They really have a good defense," Samuel said.

The series between the teams is tied 14-14, but UTM has won seven of the last eight meetings, including 27-17 in Cape Girardeau a year ago.

Simpson, however, pointed out that last season's meeting was tight all the way and the Skyhawks lost at Southeast in 2010.

"Tony has got a well-coached team. Defensively they've given us fits," Simpson said. "Look at our last two trips [to Houck Stadium]. ... it's a fourth quarter game."

Saturday's contest won't make or break the conference title hopes of either side, although Samuel said the importance of the game cannot be overstated.

"It's a big game for both teams. It's a very, very important game for us," Samuel said. "The conference is going to be tight. You really want to start out strong and win that first one."