Southeast Missouri State football team will open OVC play at Tennessee Tech

~ Samuel and his players stay optimistic despite 0-2 start

Southeast Missouri State football coach Tony Samuel has said on more than one occasion that his inexperienced Redhawks are a work in progress.

That has been apparent during the first two games of the season as Southeast has been clearly overmatched against high-quality opponents.

Samuel's belief in the Redhawks hasn't wavered, although he acknowledges that this week he'll begin to get a clearer picture of what might lie ahead for them in 2011.

Southeast begins defense of the program's first Ohio Valley Conference championship Saturday at Tennessee Tech. The kickoff for the Redhawks' OVC opener is set for 7 p.m. in Cookeville, Tenn.

"Our goal is always to win the conference. That's the bottom line," Samuel said Monday. "I think we're going to start finding out more about ourselves [Saturday]."

Southeast has been outscored 97-10.

The Redhawks lost 38-10 at home to Football Championship Subdivision power SIU on Sept. 3 and Saturday was crushed 59-0 at Football Bowl Subdivision Purdue in Southeast's first meeting against a Big Ten Conference opponent.

"We're putting those two behind us," redshirt freshman wide receiver/return man Spencer Davis said Saturday. "We're looking forward to the conference."

The Redhawks are allowing an average of 560.5 yards per game while gaining just 207 yards per contest.

On the positive side, Southeast has committed one turnover in its first two games. That continues a trend after the 2010 Redhawks were among the nation's least turnover-prone squads.

Samuel said he thinks Southeast improved against Purdue despite the lopsided nature of a contest that saw the Redhawks outgained 627 yards to 153.

"We're making progress. We played hard. The effort was good," Samuel said. "We're getting better. How much better we'll find out [Saturday]."

Tennessee Tech (2-1) began its OVC schedule with Saturday's 31-20 win at Eastern Illinois.

Tech is the league's most experienced team with 21 returning starters from a 2010 squad that went 5-6 overall and finished sixth in the OVC at 4-4.

Tech's defense held Eastern Illinois to minus-6 yards rushing. That type of run defense will test Southeast's rushing attack -- its offensive staple -- that has yet to get going.

"They're a good team, a very experienced team. They brought back an awful lot of people," said Samuel, whose squad beat Tech 23-21 last year in Cape Girardeau. "They're a team I think most coaches in the league expected to be a major threat. This is going to be a big challenge for us."

Notable freshmen

Eight true freshmen have seen action so far, including quarterback Trey Lewis and linebacker George Neuhaus.

Lewis, from Sikeston, Mo., won the backup quarterback job behind senior Matt Scheible during training camp. He played much of the fourth quarter at Purdue and recorded his first collegiate pass completion for five yards.

Samuel said he is trying to give Lewis playing time whenever possible, much like he did with Scheible during his true freshman season.

"Quarterbacks in particular really need the reps to get better," Samuel said. "He played better in the second game than the first game. By the time he goes in there again I think he'll be even better."

Neuhaus, from Skokie, Ill., primarily played on special teams against SIU but saw extensive action at linebacker against Purdue. He tied for fourth on the squad with six tackles against the Boilermakers.

"He's been a pleasant surprise," Samuel said. "We thought he was good or we wouldn't have scholarshiped him in the first place. He's a student of the game."

Noteworthy

* Scheible is on pace to become the first player in OVC history to throw for at least 4,000 yards and rush for at least 2,000 yards. His career totals include 3,587 yards passing and 1,735 yards rushing. He ranks eighth on Southeast's career rushing yards list and ninth in career passing yards.

* Sophomore safety Ben Kargbo's 24-yard fumble return at Purdue is the eighth-longest fumble return in school history.

* Senior safety Bryan Blanfort has forced a fumble in each game this year. He leads the OVC in forced fumbles.