THE LATEST LINE: BAY AREA A HAVEN FOR SOUTHEAST PRODUCTS

Southeast Missouri State University has over the years produced its share of National Football League players, although the school has not exactly been known as one of the nation's hotbeds for future NFL talent.

But you couldn't tell it by what's taking place with the two NFL teams in the San Francisco Bay area.

Two former SEMO players and two ex-SEMO coaches are all making their living with northern California's NFL teams.

Jon Gruden, who served as the Indians' quarterbacks coach in 1988 before beginning a career in the NFL, will make his head coaching debut tonight when the Oakland Raiders play the Chiefs in Kansas City.

One of Gruden's players is cornerback Marquis Walker, who completed his eligibility at SEMO in 1995 and spent parts of two seasons with the Rams before catching on with the Raiders this year.

Just across the bay, in San Francisco, noseguard Angel Rubio will officially start his NFL career today when the 49ers play host to the New York Jets. Rubio earned All-American honors for SEMO in 1997.

And one of Rubio's coaches is Marty Mornhinweg, the 49ers' offensive coordinator. He served as SEMO's quarterbacks coach in 1989 and as the Indians' offensive coordinator in 1990.

No, SEMO is certainly not one of the nation's more well-known football factories.

But the Indians' program will certainly have an impact on NFL football in the bay area this year.

* Former Jackson High football standout Nathan Norman once again enters the season as the starting fullback for the Arkansas Razorbacks.

Norman started nine games last year for the 'Hogs, who opened the 1998 campaign Saturday against Southwestern Louisiana.

* Good luck to Andy Lynch, a Notre Dame High graduate who was SEMO's first marketing and promotions director, in his new position as marketing and promotions director at Southeastern Louisiana University.

He'll coordinate the corporate partnership program, promotional activity and fund raising for SLU's 15 intercollegiate programs.

* Most of SEMO's athletic teams have fared well in the classroom, but the volleyball and gymnastics squads recently received some special academic accolades.

The American Volleyball Coaches Association honored SEMO with the AVCA Team Academic Award, which goes to squads that maintain at least a team cumulative 3.3 grade-point average for the 1997-98 school year. The Otahkians' 3.54 GPA was third nationally among Division I schools.

Meanwhile, SEMO's gymnasts ranked fourth in the nation for the 1997-98 school year with a 3.48 GPA.

Congratulations to both squads, whose members embody the true meaning of the term `student-athlete.'

* It really is a blast watching Mark McGwire close in on baseball's single-season home run record.

And what's especially neat is seeing how great McGwire handles the entire situation. He really is a class guy -- the kind of guy you can't help but root for.

~Marty Mishow is a sports writer for the Southeast Missourian