Redhawks lose Terrell for season

CAPE GIRARDEAU, MO (KRCU) - When a football team is having a rough season it is hard to imagine things getting any worse.

For the Southeast Missouri State University football team things got worse on Saturday while at Tennessee State University.

After an 18-yard run early in the game, junior running back Levi Terrell was forced to leave the game early, with what turned out to be a broken collar bone.

Coach Tony Samuel said the team doesn’t have time to have a bad attitude about losing its second leading rusher.

"We just had a very good practice. We're going to get ready with whoever steps in, you know, that’s how you handle things," Coach Samuel said. "Everybody that plays this game understands that, there’s no down morale or anything like that. If anything we need to focus on getting ready for a really tough game, and in my mind a game we need to go and win."

Terrell, in his first year at Southeast, entered Saturday’s game with back-to-back 100 yard rushing games, and had 320 yards on 47 carries with 3 touchdowns on the season.

Samuel said there are two or three guys who can step in and fill Terrell’s position, including Lennies McFerren and Renard Celestin.

The Redhawks next game is Saturday October 15 at 2 p.m. at Eastern Kentucky.

Drew Yount, KRCU

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Scheible goes for OVC record against Tennessee State

CAPE GIRARDEAU, MO (KRCU) - The Southeast Missouri State University football team finally notched its first win over the weekend.

The Redhawks are now looking for the team’s quarterback to write himself into the record books.

Senior quarterback Matt Scheible has helped lead the Southeast Missouri State University football team to several records over the last 3 seasons.

Last year the team won the first OVC conference championship in school history, while tying the record for most wins in a season with 9 games.

Coach Tony Samuel says Scheible has been a key part of the offense in his years at Southeast.

Aside from being the play caller, Samuel says Scheible is a hard worker who studies film and does what it takes to get the job done.

"He’s got a pretty good idea of what’s going on out there. He’s got the ability to change plays at the line of scrimmage, Samuel said. "We’ve given him the freedom, now for almost 3 years, to do some of those type of things. He’s just a great student of the game and he’s got the athletic ability to back it up."

Scheible is going for a personal record this season. He is trying to become the first quarterback in OVC history to rush for 2,000 yards and pass for 4,000 yards.

Scheible and the Redhawks travel to Tennessee State University Saturday at 6 pm.

Drew Yount, KRCU

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Redhawks look forward to opening OVC schedule

CAPE GIRARDEAU, MO (KRCU) - The Southeast Missouri State University football is coming off a tough loss to Purdue on Saturday. But the Redhawks are looking forward to opening up conference this weekend against Tennessee Tech.

Coach Tony Samuel says the team treated the game against Purdue like an NFL preseason game and used it to get as many different guys on the field as possible.

"Right now we’re just working at identifying who our top two units are and using those people in the upcoming game, we won’t use as many people as we have in the past, you know, so far this season, because at this point it’s a lineman assignment technique," Samuel said. "It’s conference play and, you know, we can’t afford to stub our toe."

Samuel says the Ohio Valley Conference is tougher this year than in past seasons.

"We’ve got to go down there and play in a hostel environment," Samuel said. "I think it’s going to be a crowded stadium, and it could possibly be loud. They’ve already won one game in conference and we’re just opening conference play."

Tennessee Tech will be coming into the game with a 1-0 record in OVC play already this year.

Kickoff for the Redhawks' game at Tennessee Tech is Saturday at 7 p.m.

Drew Yount, KRCU

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Samuel says Redhawks match up well against SIU

CAPE GIRARDEAU, MO (KRCU) - When the Southeast Missouri State University Redhawks face off against the Southern Illinois Salukis on Saturday, it could boil down to a battle between the two defenses.

Coach Tony Samuel says the Redhawks have experience in key defensive players Tylor Brock and Bryan Blanfort, who are capable of containing the Salukis’ dynamic quarterback Paul McIntosh.

"We’ve got some good defensive linemen. If you look at our two safeties, Blanfort missed last year, but he was a guy that was doing some good things the year before he was hurt, and he’s back at full strength. Brock had a great season last year," Samuel says.

Coach Samuel says that Southern Illinois will be strong and that they have a lot of threats on the field.

"They are a very good football team, you know, they have some returners. They’re very strong on the offensive line. I think they have the team speed on defense, the quarterback is back. This is his third year as a starter. He started some games last year...the year before, and it looks like now he’s the definite starter," Samuel says.

Samuel says while the Salukis have a strong offensive unit the Redhawks’ defense will be able to hold up against them.

Southeast Missouri State University opens their season at home this Saturday at 6pm.

Drew Yount, KRCU

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Tony Samuel confident in Redhawks running game

CAPE GIRARDEAU, MO (KRCU) - The Southeast Missouri State University football team is trying to build on last season’s record- setting campaign. 

The Redhawks won the Ohio Valley Conference last season but pre-season polls show Jacksonville State is the favorite to win the conference this year. The Redhawks are picked to finish fourth.

Coach Tony Samuel says his team isn’t looking at the big picture just yet.

"We’re basically preparing ourselves for this first game. We’ve got a lot of new people. There are some new coaches, new players, and we’re just trying to put everything together for that moment," Samuel says.

The team lost several of last season’s starters to graduation, including running back Henry Harris.

Coach Samuel says Harris was a big part of last season's success. But there are several players who are stepping up to fill his shoes this season.

"We’ve got about 3 or 4 kids, I think, that can carry the weight at the halfback position and we’ve got some new fullbacks as well, but we’ve got about 2 or 3 kids that are starting to show up," Samuel says. "Lennies McFerren is one of them. Levi Terrell is another one. There are a couple other kids that are starting to show up, but we’re gonna use about 2 or 3 running backs."

The Redhawks host Southern Illinois in the season opener Saturday, September 3, at 6pm.

Drew Yount, KRCU

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Redhawks recruit six offensive linemen

Southeast head football coach Tony Samuel spoke about the 2011 recruiting class Wednesday afternoon. The Redhawks will welcome 26 student athletes for the upcoming year. This class includes many local and regional players from both High Schools and Junior Colleges.

Coach Samuel spoke about how last year's success translated into such a strong group.

"A big part of that really was the success that we had as a team. That helped us in the local area, and increased our popularity around the country," Samuel said.

Four starting offensive lineman were graduated from last year's team. The need for linemen was addressed by signing 6 players, a much larger number than years past.

Last Tuesday, Samuel signed a 5-year extension worth a base salary of $125,000 per year.

Ryan Paluczak, KRCU

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Samuel to stay with Redhawks through 2016

CAPE GIRARDEAU, MO (KRCU) - Southeast Missouri State University football coach Tony Samuel will remain with the Redhawks through 2016.

Samuel’s contract extension gives him a base salary of $125,000. Samuel will also earn 5% of net revenue generated from football games, a $25,000 annual annuity, and various individual and team performance incentives.

The Redhawks finished 9-3 this year, winning the Ohio Valley Conference and advancing to the NCAA FCS championship playoffs for the first time in school history.

Samuel compared Southeast's success to that of his alma mater, college football powerhouse Nebraska, where he played and served as an assistant coach.

“It was a program that had a few thousand people going to the games. People weren’t rabid about it. It developed. It was a long time ago, but it developed into something. And I see us in something of an infantile stage of trying to get there. Because we are on the way, but we have a lot of work to go,” Samuel said.

Samuel won the 2010 OVC Coach of the Year and the Eddie Robinson National Coach of the Year Award. The Redhawks were pre-season picks to finish in seventh place last season before they stormed to the top of the conference.

Jacob McCleland, KRCU

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