Southeast Missouri State football team set to wrap up spring practice

Southeast Missouri State football coach Tony Samuel hopes the weather is better this time for his team's intrasquad game that concludes spring practice.

The Redhawks will look to finish spring drills strong with Saturday's noon session at Houck Stadium. There is no admission charge.

Last year's spring game was stopped after about seven minutes of play due to heavy rain accompanied by lightning. The contest was not resumed.

"It was a quick spring game. We couldn't do much," said Samuel, who will be entering his sixth season.

Saturday's forecast is much better, with only a small chance of rain, so the Redhawks should be able to get in the game without a hitch.

The spring game will pit the offense against the defense using a scoring system that allows both units to score points in a variety of ways. The defense won in 2008 and 2009 after the offense prevailed in 2007.

"This formula seems to work," Samuel said. "It should be a good game. You've got competitive kids."

Saturday's affair will mark Southeast's third spring scrimmage, the maximum allowed by the NCAA. Teams are permitted 15 practice sessions, including scrimmages.

Samuel said he generally has been pleased with spring workouts. Southeast is looking to replace 15 starters from its record-setting 2010 team that won the program's first Ohio Valley Conference title and earned the program's first playoff berth.

"We're young, but we've been making progress," Samuel said.

Noteworthy

* The Southeast football coaching staff will hold its annual spring party Saturday at Kimbeland Country Club in Jackson. The event, which begins at 6 p.m., is open to the public.