VIDEO: Southeast Missouri State football team works out with Cape Girardeau Fire Department

(function(d, s, id) var js, fjs = d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0]; if (d.getElementById(id)) return; js = d.createElement(s); js.id = id; js.src = "//"; fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js, fjs);document, 'script', 'facebook-jssdk'));</script><div class="fb-video" data-allowfullscreen="1" data-href="/semoball/videos/vb.255415740253/10155829944465254/?type=1"><div class="fb-xfbml-parse-ignore"><blockquote cite=""><a href=""></a><p>The Southeast Missouri Football team spent the morning with the Cape Girardeau Fire Department. Check out our video.</p>Posted by <a href="">semoball.com</a> on Thursday, July 16, 2015</blockquote></div></div>

Members of the Southeast Missouri State football team listen as JoJo Stuart of the Cape Girardeau Fire Department gives instructions prior to a workout Thursday morning at Houck Stadium. (Rachel Crader)

Members of the Southeast Missouri State football team arrived at Houck Stadium early Thursday morning expecting to be put through their usual summer workout.

Instead they were surprised by firefighters from the Cape Girardeau Fire Department, who put them through eight stations that the fire department uses for a physical test of rookie firefighters.

The Redhawks, in matching shirts that read "#Hardway" on the back, climbed a 55-foot ladder off the fire truck, hauled dummies and drug hoses across the field, flipped tires and carried ladders at some of the stations.

Southeast football coach Tom Matukewicz wanted to allow his players to do something different than the workouts that they've done for the past six weeks of summer training.

The Redhawks begin fall camp in a couple of weeks.

"I think they are physically," Matukewicz said about his team being prepared for the season. "I think as a team I'm just concerned about our leadership. You know, I brought in a lot of newcomers and several transfers, so I've got to do a good job once I get to be with them every day of building the team. I think it's something I can do well, but we've got to pick that up during fall camp."

Southeast begins its second season under Matukewicz on Sept. 5 when the Redhawks face Missouri in Columbia, Missouri.