Southeast Football

There was a noticeable absence at the initial training camp practice for Southeast Missouri State on Thursday at Houck Field.

November of 2019, when veteran Southeast Missouri State football coach Tom Matukewicz stood at mid-field of Houck Field surrounded by his joyous players, in wake of beating Murray State and clinching a share of the Ohio Valley Conference championship, seems a long time ago – because it was.

“I'm about to work you hard, so go get some water now." That was one of many forthright statements that high school athletes heard on Sunday at a football prospect camp hosted by Southeast Missouri State University. Walking onto the field at Houck Stadium with a heat index well over 100 degrees, the camp was an awakening for many players that D1 athletics is a different world entirely.

There is nothing better to feed a “hungry” athletic team than doubting its ability to achieve, and with that in mind, the Southeast Missouri State football squad is in a great position heading into the 2022 season.

Over the past few years, the Ohio Valley Conference football opposition for Southeast Missouri State has undergone a seismic transformation, as it has lost strong programs in Austin Peay, Jacksonville State, and Eastern Kentucky. Closer to home, The Redhawks are going to play the 2022 season, much like they did in 2021, in a strange environment, as half of Houck Field has been demolished.

The renovation of Houck Field at Southeast Missouri State isn’t going to be complete for the 2022 football season, as some had hoped when this project got underway almost a year ago.

Southeast Missouri State football coach Tom Matukewicz has continually handed Luke Berblinger more and more responsibility in his three-plus years with the Redhawk program.

It would be easier to tally the ways that former Southeast Missouri State football player Shabari Davis could NOT contribute on the field, as opposed to the unending list of ways that he CAN contribute to a team’s success.

Southeast Missouri State cornerback Shabari Davis signed with the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday as an undrafted free agent. Davis, a native of Savannah, Georgia, recorded 98 total tackles, three tackles for loss, 33 pass breakups, eight interceptions and forced one fumble during his career with the Redhawks...

Former Cape Central standout Al Young signed with the New York Giants as an undrafted free agent on Sunday. Young recorded 23 total tackles, 11 pass breakups, two interceptions and recovered two fumbles during his senior season at Jackson State. Prior to playing for the Tigers, Young spent five seasons with Southeast Missouri State where he made 71 total tackles, broke up 26 passes, made seven interceptions and recovered a fumble...

A lot was made of the recent performance by new Southeast Missouri State wide receiver Ryan Flournoy in the Redhawks’ annual spring game. After all, the junior college transfer contributed to a pair of touchdowns in helping Team SEMO beat Team Redhawk 31-7. However, another transfer, sophomore quarterback Paxton DeLaurent, did Flournoy one better and contributed to three scores, as he led his team to a 21-0 lead.

There is a heavy weight carried on your shoulders when your last name is Brune and you compete athletically at Southeast Missouri State.

That was the assessment of eighth-year Southeast Missouri State football coach Tom Matukewicz on the spring performance of junior college wide receiver transfer, Ryan Flournoy, earlier this spring. Flournoy didn’t disappoint when the snaps were for real (or at least more real) on Friday.

As it turns out, the last name of Southeast Missouri State’s newest offensive lineman is the LEAST interesting part of this guy’s storyline.

Lucas Orchard is facing a blessing AND a curse at this point in his young football coaching career.

With only three tight ends participating in spring football drills, there is no shortage of instruction taking place in the meetings conducted by first-year Southeast Missouri State tight ends coach Cole Cook.

Mother Nature topped the Southeast Missouri State football program in its 2022 spring debut last week, however, the Redhawks have eventually been able to get the first couple of their 14 scheduled spring practices in at the Rosengarten Athletic Complex.

The Southeast Missouri State football program is coming off mixed reviews from its 2021 season.

As with most construction projects, whether it be a remodeling of your kitchen or constructing a new football stadium, the only predictable aspect of the project is that it will often become unpredictable.

Life happens fast in the ever-changing world of intercollegiate athletics, and no one is learning that more so than the fans of Southeast Missouri State athletics.

Following the formation of a scheduling alliance formed with the Southland Conference in December, which will be enacted in the fall, the Ohio Valley Conference and the Big South Conference have created an association of the football-playing schools that will begin in the fall of 2023.

Malden standout D'Angelo Austin recently signed his letter of intent to play football at Missouri Southern State University in Joplin, Missouri after graduating high school this spring. Held in the Malden school library with family, friends, and some students was a celebration of his high school career and a collegiate future at MSSU...

As Jackson High School senior kicker Logan Bruns signed his National Letter of Intent on Monday to play football at Southeast Missouri State, his high school head coach, Brent Eckley, stood behind the young athlete literally. It was a fitting scene because according to Bruns, Eckley had been behind his kicker – in support – figuratively, for years.

Southeast Missouri State freshman linebacker Bryce Norman has spent the past 12 months taking advantage of opportunities and that drive is not slowing throughout this off-season.

After signing the largest recruiting class in the history of the Southeast Missouri State football program in December, veteran Redhawk coach Tom Matukewicz didn’t need to add a lot of pieces to the Class of 2022. However, on the second National Signing Day of the recruiting season, which was Wednesday, he did add three more student-athletes, who brought the total number of new Redhawk players to 38.

Following Southeast Missouri State football signing the largest recruiting class in its history in December, today’s National Signing Day may be difficult to match. However, the finishing touches of the Class of 2022 will be unveiled today, as SEMO joins other football programs across the country in adding to its 2022 roster.

You can learn a lot about someone by looking at who they surround themselves with, and when veteran Southeast Missouri State football coach Tom Matukewicz hired his new special team's coordinator and outside linebackers coach, what his decision clearly stated is that “Coach Tuke” is incredibly secure in who he is as the leader of the Redhawks.

A year ago, the Southeast Missouri State football program recruited linebacker Bryce Norman and (converted) tight end Randol McDowell out of MSHSAA-power Jackson High School, and it worked out, as Norman was the Redhawks’ leading tackler this past season.

The glory for New England Patriots wide receiver Kristian Wilkerson on Sunday was in catching two touchdown passes in a 50-10 rout over Jacksonville, which clinched a spot for the team in the upcoming NFL Playoffs. However, the touchdowns weren’t the STORY for Wilkerson, just the GLORY.

Prior to the recent National Signing Day for Southeast Missouri State football, veteran Redhawk coach Tom Matukewicz hoped for the best in terms of how his 2022 recruiting class would unfold, but he’s been in the business long enough to not get his hopes too high before the recruits signed their names.

There is always an excitement for the possibilities that come with a new calendar year, and people will embrace the coming of 2022 with hope based on those possibilities. However, you can’t blame Southeast Missouri State senior running back Geno Hess if he is distraught over the closing of 2021, after all, the past 12 months have been incredible for him.

Luke Berblinger is still in the infancy of his football coaching career, but that didn’t stop veteran Southeast Missouri State football coach Tom Matukewicz from entrusting the future of the program in the hands of the 26-year-old. Matukewicz promoted Berblinger to recruiting coordinator earlier this year and the young Kansas native delivered the largest recruiting class in the history of SEMO football on Wednesday.

Veteran Southeast Missouri State football coach Tom Matukewicz spoke recently of emphasizing two areas in putting together the Redhawks’ 2022 recruiting class. He wanted to sign Missouri players and he wanted to find high school athletes, more so, than college transfers.

There is never a shortage of people to be impressed with – on or off of the athletic fields – at Southeast Missouri State.

The implementation of the transfer portal has had a seismic impact on intercollegiate athletics over the past couple of years.

Less than eight months after taking ownership of the Southeast Missouri State defense, veteran Redhawk head coach Tom Matukewicz is sliding over from that role. Sort of.

Southeast Missouri State junior punter Zach Haynes is one of 10 finalists for the 2021 FCS Punter of the Year Award. Haynes recorded the sixth-longest punt of the FCS season — the longest punt in the Ohio Valley Conference this year — when he booted a 76-yarder against Eastern Illinois...

Twelve Southeast Missouri State football players were named to All-Ohio Valley Conference teams on Tuesday, including Jackson native Bryce Norman who was named to the second team. Norman — a true freshman — led the Redhawks in tackles with 66 and was the No. 2 freshman tackler in the conference. He also added 7.5 tackles for loss and is one of 23 finalists for the Stats Perform Jerry Rice Award which is awarded to the top freshman FCS player in the country...

It's appropriate that Southeast Missouri State earned a commemorative brick following its 31-14 upset of eighth-ranked Tennessee-Martin. The Skyhawks – crowned Ohio Valley Conference champions a week ago — appeared to hit a brick wall on Saturday at Houck Field...

he fastest man on Southeast Missouri State's roster, Shabari Davis is utilized in a variety of ways. At cornerback, he is often lock-step with the most fleet-footed receivers in the Ohio Valley Conference. As a returner, Davis has blown by kickoff and punt coverage teams...

At least Tom Matukewicz has maintained a sense of humor, all things considered. If Southeast Missouri State didn’t recently have its worst Ohio Valley Conference outing of the season in a 28-10 loss at Murray State, the Redhawks would be playing for a conference championship this week...

MURRAY, Kentucky — Murray State appears to have Southeast Missouri State's number. So does freshman quarterback D.J. Williams. Williams rushed for 121 yards and two touchdowns and completed 10 of 17 passes for 175 yards, helping the Racers down the Redhawks 28-10 on Saturday Roy Stewart Stadium...

The Football Championship Subdivision playoffs don’t begin until Nov. 27, but don’t tell that to Southeast Missouri State. SEMO — two wins away from at least a share of the Ohio Valley Conference title and automatic playoff berth  — is playing like they begin tomorrow...

Southeast Missouri State hasn’t had much time to process the enigmatic nature of its season. There’s been highs, including a 3-1 Ohio Valley Conference mark that has the Redhawks in championship contention. There’s been lows, like surrendering multiple second-half leads and dealing with an inordinate amount of key injuries...

Leave it up to one of Southeast Missouri State's most fiery players to ignite the flame. When Shabari Davis ran back the opening second-half kickoff Saturday, it livened a Houck FIeld homecoming crowd witnessed two underwhelming quarters. The electric 86-yard play jolted SEMO, too, which proceeded to handle Eastern Illinois 38-15 to improve 3-1 in Ohio Valley Conference play and keep a potential championship within reach...

The Hess Express can’t leave the station unless the tracks are clear. It can power through logs and boulders, but this train — conducted by All-American running back Geno Hess — prefers a clearer passage. Sizable men like Southeast Missouri State offensive lineman Jaden Rosenthall provide it...

When Bryce Norman began his first collegiate practices in August, the former Jackson star linebacker figured he’d earn early time on kickoff and punt teams. When injuries depleted his position group last month, he was thrust into a much bigger role...

Look to the left Southeast Missouri State's dual record and it conveys hardships, a brawny schedule and squandered opportunities. Look to the right — the Redhawks' standing in the Ohio Valley Conference — and there's hope. SEMO (2-6, 2-1 OVC) dives into the most important three-game stretch of its schedule on Saturday when it hosts Eastern Illinois (1-7, 1-2) for homecoming...

MARTIN, Tenn. — It still had a heartbeat, but it was faint. When Southeast Missouri State defensive tackle Bryson Donnell recovered a fumble by Tennessee-Martin quarterback Keon Edwards with 2:12 left in the fourth quarter on Saturday, the Redhawks were in a position to push the country's 13th-ranked team to overtime...

It’s been awhile since Southeast Missouri State has experienced the sting of a losing season. The Redhawks have been an upper-tier Ohio Valley Conference program in recent years, a stretch that includes back-to-back postseason berths and a 2019 OVC title...