Southeast's prospects have Samuel optimistic

Tony Samuel has been coaching football a long time but he said he never fails to get excited at this time of the year.

"You always look forward to the start of fall camp," Samuel said.

For Southeast Missouri State and Samuel, entering his eighth season in charge of the Redhawks, that time is upon them.

Southeast begins official preparations for the 2013 campaign Monday when the Redhawks hold their first practice.

Southeast players report to fall camp today. They are scheduled to have their annual conditioning/fitness test at 7 a.m. Monday, followed by their initial practice at 3 p.m. at the Rosengarten Athletic Complex.

The Redhawks will have 17 scheduled practice days, including six two-a-day sessions, before the start of classes Aug. 26. All practices are open to the public.

"We're anxious to start. We're ready to get going," Samuel said. "We've got a lot of work to do but this is an exciting time."

The Redhawks are coming off their second consecutive 3-8 overall record and 2-6 Ohio Valley Conference mark that saw them place seventh in the nine-team OVC for the second straight year.

Southeast was recently picked to finish eighth in the OVC based on voting by the league's coaches and sports information directors.

Samuel is optimistic the Redhawks can have a bounce-back season but on paper it won't be easy.

The Redhawks must replace 23 seniors, many of whom ranked among last year's top players. They return only 10 starters -- six on offense and three on defense along with punter Joe Vucic -- but welcome back 40 letterwinners.

Samuel said there is sufficient talent to have a strong year even though his lineup will be extremely young. Only two seniors are projected to start on offense, with just one projected senior defensive starter.

"We have enough people coming back with a lot of experience," Samuel said. "I don't think that's going to be an issue."

A key, as it is every season, will be close games.

The 2012 Redhawks, for the second straight year, failed to win their share of the close contests that are prevalent around the OVC.

That wasn't the case during the Redhawks' historic 2010 season, when they captured the program's first OVC title and gained the program's first playoff berth on any level. That year Southeast ended up on the right end of just about every narrow decision.

Southeast was blown out in conference play just once last year, 31-7 by Eastern Kentucky. In the Redhawks' other five league losses, they were within one score or closer at some point in the fourth quarter.

"We had our chances in just about every game," Samuel said. "This league is so close. You're going to have a lot of close games."

Samuel said he has been impressed by the chemistry the Redhawks displayed during the spring and summer. He hopes that helps them turn things around this year.

"I really like this group. You can really see the unity, the spirit. They compete," Samuel said. "I think we've put together a good group of kids from an energy and preparation standpoint.

"We had a good spring and they put together a great summer. Now we have to see how it all comes together."

Although the Redhawks are lightly regarded by the rest of the OVC, Samuel knows preseason polls mean little. Eastern Illinois was picked eighth last year but won the title.

In fact, the OVC preseason favorite has not won the outright conference championship since 2002.

"It's not a predictor. This league gets closer every year," Samuel said. "Depth is always a challenge. If we can survive the depth factor I think we'll be right there at the end."

Southeast's first practice in full pads will be Friday. The Redhawks' first two-a-day session will be Saturday. Their lone scheduled scrimmage is set for Aug. 17, although another one might be added as fall camp progresses.

The Redhawks open the season Aug. 29 at Southeastern Louisiana.

Their first home game and first OVC contest is Sept. 28 against Tennessee-Martin.