Southeast receiver gets 'A' for his confidence

I'm sure people would question his sanity, but you've got to love the enthusiasm and optimism of Southeast Missouri State sophomore wide receiver Miles Edwards.

Speaking to the Southeast Missourian's Toby Carrig at last Monday's football media day, Edwards said: "To be honest with you, I expect us to go undefeated. It's hard, but I just feel good about our players."

For a program like Southeast's, which has been down in the dumps so long, an undefeated season would be monumental even if it were playing teams strictly on its own Division I-AA level.

Factor in that the Redhawks' second game is against top-10 Division I-A Missouri, which is being talked about as a possible national title contender, and a perfect record would be perhaps the biggest accomplishment in sports history.

But everybody will tell you that confidence is a big part of sports, so at least give Edwards an 'A' in that area.

As for his grade in the sanity department, well, that's a different story.

Seriously, though, media day is always a time for unbridled enthusiasm and optimism.

All teams across the country, no matter how good or how bad they were last year, have high hopes.

Southeast is no different, even though the Redhawks went 3-8 in 2007, including a 1-6 Ohio Valley Conference mark. The program has had just two winning records in 17 Division I-AA seasons, the last coming in 2002. It has won no more than five games in a season since 2003.

But that doesn't keep the Redhawks from dreaming big. Many of the players I talked to said there is just a different feel entering the third year of coach Tony Samuel's tenure.

The Redhawks point to the experience of 17 returning starters and numerous other players who received considerable action. They point to the commitment of 60 players staying in town over the summer to work out together.

Whether Southeast's optimism for a turnaround is legitimate or simply the same old, same old, remains to be seen.

*

I wrote a few weeks back that sources said the 2008-09 Southeast men's basketball schedule would include Southern Illinois University-Carbondale, which the Redhawks have not played since the 2004-05 season.

Well, now it's looking more and more like that game, which would have taken place at the Show Me Center and started a contract for at least two years, won't come off.

Evidently the schools have had problems working out a suitable common date and, although some negotiations are still going on, I've been told that it's about 90 percent certain not to happen.

Whether the Redhawks and Salukis renew their rivalry next year remains to be seen.

Hopefully the entire Southeast men's basketball schedule — which is going to be a tough one, including nonconference games at Kansas State, Iowa, New Mexico and Bradley — will be released in the next few weeks.

As for football, as has been reported several times, Southeast and SIU will renew their rivalry in 2009 as part of a three-year contract. The Redhawks and Salukis have not met in football since 2005.

*

Regarding the fact the Southeast men's basketball team appeared to have promised 15 scholarships for the 2008-09 season — the NCAA maximum for any season is 13 scholarships — the picture is now starting to become clearer.

Although coach Scott Edgar has been tight-lipped on the subject of his roster, it appears as if only 13 scholarships are accounted for.

As I reported last week, Will Bogan has signed to play his sophomore season at Shawnee (Ill.) Community College.

Bogan, the promising sophomore-to-be center from Bell City, already was declared ineligible for the first semester.

Sources also have told me that Marcus Rhodes — a reserve guard who would be a junior in eligibility — won't return to Southeast, although Edgar would neither confirm nor deny that.

Minus those two, that would put Southeast at 13 scholarships, counting touted incoming freshman Martino Brock, whose eligibility status still is being reviewed by the NCAA.

If Brock doesn't qualify, that would leave one more open scholarship.

The NCAA in May added Nashville Christian Advancement Academy — which Brock last attended — to a list of 51 schools from which it will not recognize diplomas. Brock is undergoing an academic review before the NCAA determines his eligibility.

One of Brock's teammates at Nashville Advancement Christian Academy — Austin Peay recruit James Harris — was recently ruled eligible by the NCAA to play for the Govs this season.

Marty Mishow is a sports writer for the Southeast Missourian.