Southeast Missouri State football team focuses on third-down offense at scrimmage

Southeast Missouri State football coach Tom Matukewicz wanted his team to clean up its "atrocious" third-down offense in Saturday's spring scrimmage at Houck Stadium.

The Redhawks were able to do just that behind running backs DeMichael Jackson and Tremane McCullough and consistently moved the ball down field.

Once the offense reached the red zone, though, the Southeast defense halted its counterparts and did not allow a touchdown throughout the hour and a half of the spring practice. Instead the offense settled for six field goals and made only half of them.

"They got DeMichael going early and that was huge, and then Tremane came in and finished it. I think that's the key," Matukewicz said. "That's the key to us. If we're going to throw it 40 times a game then I'm going to have to be medicated the whole time. We need to understand we've got a first-year starting quarterback, whoever it is, and we need to not be in third-and-10. We need to be in third-and-2s and 3s."

McCullough, a mid-year transfer from Arizona Western Community College, started off the practice with a couple of 40-yard kickoff returns.

The 5-foot-10, 170-pound running back had the longest run of the day with a 26-yard carry. The defense halted him before he cut and raced up the right side for the first down.

"They did a good job of making us miss," junior linebacker Roper Garrett said of Jackson and McCullough. "I like that -- it makes us better as a defense and makes us work harder."

The offense moved the ball to the 4-yard line with a 42-yard pass from No. 2 quarterback Alex Niznak to redshirt freshman receiver Richie Eisenhart later in the drive. Junior kicker Ryan McCrum then hit a 26-yard field goal.

Senior kicker Clay Pickler also hit 41 and 30 yard field goals during the scrimmage after the offense stalled in the red zone on each possession.

"I think we were just high-energy and everyone wanted to be out there and ready to go," Garrett said of the defense. "I just feel like when we're all like one unit that's how we play."

McCullough committed the only turnover of the day, fumbling at the offense's 5-yard line. Junior linebacker Terrance Hill recovered it after junior cornerback Markuice Savage, a transfer from Lincoln University, forced the turnover.

"I've been focused every single time on turnovers," Matukewicz said. "I'm a possessed individual when it comes to that."

Matukewicz was pleased that neither No. 1 quarterback Tay Bender or Niznak was picked off during the Saturday morning scrimmage, and although he was disappointed with McCullough's fumble, he still considered his performance "outstanding."

"He is lightning in a bottle but also there's times where he just needs to pipe a ball," Matukewicz said. "He needs to double the ball and just go forward and get what you can get. Not every play can be 50 yards. We're going to let him be who God created him. We're not going to try turning him into a Power-I back, but he's just got to be able to harness that a little bit."

McCullough is unable to speak to the media currently due to a team rules for newcomers, but Jackson shared his excitement for his fellow running back.

"Tremaine's like a different kind of back than we've had since I've been here," Jackson said. "I compare him to a little Tavon Austin with a little De'Anthony Thomas because he's more of a guy that's elusive. He can go get it and make all types of people miss."

Junior punter Alex Knight had a pair of punts, one out of the end zone, during the team's 12th spring practice that went for about 65 yards each.

"We put him in the worst-case scenario and he bombs one," Matukewicz said. "That's why the kicking game matters. We won several games last year on the kicking game, so we need Alex to play well and he did today."

Southeast will practice from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. Tuesday and Thursday at the Rosengarten Athletic Complex before its spring game on Saturday.

There will be a free youth camp for children in first through eighth grade from 10 a.m.-noon at Houck Stadium. The spring game, which will be formated similarly to Saturday's scrimmage with the No. 1 offense going against the No. 1 defense and the No. 2 defense going against the No. 2 offense, will begin at 1 p.m.

The Redhawks' entire 2015 team will be in attendance.

"All our incoming signees are coming, so that'll actually be the first official thing we have as a 2015 team," Matukewicz said.