Southeast Missouri State football team sees turnovers dry up during recent losses

The turnovers have dried up for the Southeast Missouri State football team, and so have the wins.

Turnovers were a prevailing theme during the Redhawks' 2-2 start, including a victory in their Ohio Valley Conference opener.

The Redhawks led the OVC and ranked among the national leaders in turnover margin through four games at plus-seven (16 turnovers gained and nine turnovers lost).

Southeast has come up with only two turnovers in its past three games, all OVC losses -- but coach Tony Samuel pointed out that it's not because the Redhawks are doing anything different.

"You still work on strip-tackling, breaking on the ball," Samuel said Monday. "You've got to seize the opportunity."

The Redhawks gained one turnover, an interception by senior safety Tylor Brock, during Saturday's 27-17 homecoming setback to Tennessee-Martin. Samuel said the Redhawks had a chance at another early interception.

"We're getting our opportunities. We probably should have come away with one more and maybe two," Samuel said about Saturday's game. "Ratio, that's the thing when you start talking turnovers."

Southeast's ratio was not good Saturday. The Redhawks had four turnovers -- three in the fourth quarter -- to help derail their upset hopes.

"We had a few costly turnovers where we were in a good situation driving the ball," Samuel said.

The Redhawks had avoided turnovers during the first two games of their losing streak, losing the ball just once before Saturday.

Southeast still has a plus-four turnover margin, but the Redhawks have dipped to fourth in the nine-team OVC in that category. Their turnover margin during the three-game losing streak is minus-three.

The Redhawks outgained Tennessee-Martin in total yards 414 to 320, one week after putting up a season-high 510 yards during a home loss to Tennessee State. The 320 yards allowed Saturday were a season-low for Southeast.

Southeast, 2-5 overall and 1-3 in OVC play, will try to get back on track this week against the league's only squad that is winless both in the conference and overall.

Austin Peay (0-7, 0-5) and Southeast will square off at 4 p.m. Saturday in Clarksville, Tenn., for the Governors' homecoming.

The Govs, off to their worst start since 2008, have lost nine straight games by at least 20 points for the first time in program history. They are being outscored on average by 45.4-11.4 this season, but Samuel said they can't be taken lightly.

"They're a dangerous team," Samuel said. "They always play us tough."

Noteworthy

* All-American senior linebacker Blake Peiffer has moved back into the OVC tackles lead with 82. He is averaging 11.7 tackles per game, which ranks fifth nationally. Peiffer is also eighth in the league with 7.5 tackles for loss.

Peiffer set the school record last year with 151 tackles, which led the OVC. He is sixth in career tackles at Southeast with 324.

* Brock is second in the OVC and tied for fourth nationally with four interceptions. He also ranks ninth in the league with 58 tackles and is tied for eighth with six passes defended.

Brock is tied for fifth in career interceptions at Southeast with 10 and is third in career interception return yards with 282.

* Senior tailback Levi Terrell ranks 11th nationally in rushing with an average of 120.6 yards per game, which is third in the OVC.

Terrell has 844 yards this season and has rushed for at least 100 yards in four straight games, all league contests. He has five 100-yard rushing performances on the season.

* Freshman defensive back David Coley is tied for the OVC lead in fumble recoveries with two.