Southeast Missouri (0-2) vs. Southern Illinois (1-2)
Game Information
Date: Saturday, Sept. 21, 2013
Location: St. Louis, Mo.
Site: Busch Stadium (46,000)
Surface: Bluegrass
Series History: Southeast leads, 39-33-8
Weather Forecast: Sunny, 80 degrees
Head Coaches: Tony Samuel (62-110 overall; 28-53 at Southeast Missouri; 17-38 OVC, eighth season). Dale Lennon (138-58 overall; 36-25 at SIU, 26-14 MVFC second season).
Coverage Information
Radio: ESPN 92.9 FM,
K103 (102.9 FM). Erik Sean, Play-by-Play; Rick Wieser, Analyst; Todd Bonacki, Sideline.
Live Stats: GoSoutheast.com
Game Notes: Southeast Missouri | Southern Illinois
Twitter Updates: @GoSoutheast
Fan Information
Busch Stadium |
Parking Information
*Southeast Missouri fans are encouraged to wear
RED for Saturday's game against Southern Illinois.
Alumni Pre-Game Party at Kilroy's
Join Southeast Alumni for a pre-game party prior to the first-ever football game at Busch Stadium. The event will be held from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. at Kilroy's. Kilroy's is located at 720 S. 7th Street in St. Louis.
Redhawks Return to Action
Fresh off its bye week, Southeast Missouri (0-2) returns to action to face regional-rival Southern Illinois (1-2) in the first NCAA football game at Busch Stadium Saturday. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m., CT.
Meet Me in St. Louis
Longstanding rivals Southeast Missouri and Southern Illinois play the first football game in the new Busch Stadium Saturday. The official announcement was made during a joint press conference with the St. Louis Cardinals, Southeast and SIU on April 15. Southeast and SIU are located just 46 miles apart and have close to 40,000 alumni in St. Louis, as well as thousands of students from the St. Louis area.
Busch Stadium History
Southeast will play a football game in St. Louis for the fourth time in 2013. The Redhawks played three games at the old Busch Stadium when they were an NCAA Division II affiliate. Southeast split two games with Truman State (formerly Northeast Missouri State), losing in 1985 and winning in 1986, and lost to Missouri S&T (formerly Missouri-Rolla) in 1988.
Series History
Saturday marks the 81st meeting between Southeast and Southern Illinois. The Redhawks hold a 39-33-8 advantage in the all-time series which dates back to 1909. SIU has won three of the last four matchups since the teams renewed the series in 2009. The Redhawks and Salukis meet at a neutral site for the first time in 2013.
St. Louis Flavor
Southeast has 26 players from the St. Louis and surrounding metropolitan areas on this year's roster.
Donnie Bess (Park Hills, Mo.),
Austin Black (Warrenton, Mo.),
Nick Coffman (Pevely, Mo.),
Michael Cooke (Alton, Ill.),
Mark Cushing (Wentzville, Mo.),
Mike Cyliax (St. Louis, Mo.),
Spencer Davis (Florissant, Mo.),
Michael Ford (Alton, Ill.),
Derek Gohn (St. Louis, Mo.),
Tim Hamm-Bey (St. Louis, Mo.),
Marlon Hampton (Webster Groves, Mo.),
Zach Hayes (St. Louis, Mo.),
Bobby Hopkins (St. Louis, Mo.),
Scott Lathrop (Warrenton, Mo.),
Zach Levy (St. Peters, Mo.),
Myles Littlejohn (St. Louis, Mo.),
Tyler Manne (St. Louis, Mo.),
Ryan McCrum (St. Charles, Mo.),
Tyler McLemore (Godfrey, Ill.),
Andy McNeel (Eureka, Mo.),
Paul McRoberts (St. Louis, Mo.),
Eriq Moore (St. Louis, Mo.),
Ryan Moore (St. Louis, Mo.),
Art Mueller (Eureka, Mo.),
Sam Poole (O'Fallon, Ill.) and
Travis Sanders (St. Clair, Mo.) suit up for their first game at Busch Stadium Saturday.
Well Rested
Southeast plays away from home for the third time this season when it meets Southern Illinois in St. Louis Saturday. The Redhawks were idle last week after making trips to Southeastern Louisiana (Aug. 29) and Ole Miss (Sept. 7). Southeast is 1-5 in games following its bye week under head coach Tony Samuel.
Number 250
Saturday marks Southeast's 250th game as an NCAA Division I football program. The 2013 campaign is the Redhawks 23rd at the Football Championship Subdivision level. Southeast is 86-163 (.345) since its move to the FCS in 1991.
Redhawks Look to Regroup This Week
Southeast is 0-2 to start a season for just the second time under head coach Tony Samuel. The Redhawks lost, 45-7, at Southeastern Louisiana (Aug. 29) and, 31-13, at SEC power Ole Miss (Sept. 7). Southeast looks to end a five-game losing streak dating back to Nov. 3, 2012.
Sack Production
The Redhawks have five sacks in two games, and as a result, are approaching their season total from 2012. Southeast has dropped quarterbacks for a loss of 36 yards. The Redhawks had just eight sacks for a loss of 58 yards a year ago and haven't recorded 10 or more sacks in a season since 2010 (14 for a loss of 99 yards).
Strong Effort
Although Southeast trailed, 31-0, at halftime against Ole Miss (Sept. 7), the Redhawks made things respectable with a strong second-half effort. Southeast's defense shutout the Rebels in the game's final 30 minutes and the offense scored 13 points in the third quarter. It marked the first time the Redhawks held their opponent scoreless in the second half since the Southwest Baptist game on Nov. 6, 2010.
Lathrop Gets the Nod
Scott Lathrop, who started all 11 games at quarterback and was named the Ohio Valley Conference Freshman of the Year in 2012, made his first start of the season at Ole Miss (Sept. 7). Lathrop completed 16-of-24 passes for 159 yards and two touchdowns. He also rushed for 26 yards on 14 carries. Lathrop completed passes to five different receivers and threw both of his touchdown passes in the third quarter.
Kyle Snyder started Southeast's first game of the season at Southeastern Louisiana (Aug. 29), but did not dress due to an injury at Ole Miss. Lathrop is expected to start against Southern Illinois this week.
I Think I'll Pass
Southeast has more passing touchdowns than it does rushing TDs just two games into the 2013 season.
Scott Lathrop threw a 14-yard touchdown pass to
D.J. Foster and hooked up with
Spencer Davis on a 16-yard scoring strike in the third quarter at Ole Miss (Sept. 7). The Redhawks went 18-straight games with a rushing touchdown prior to their matchup against the Rebels. In fact, the last time Southeast did not have a rushing TD was at Tennessee State on Oct. 8, 2011.
Takeaway Time
The Redhawks recorded three takeaways, including two in the second half, at Ole Miss (Sept. 7). LB
Daniel Siehndel had his first career interception, while CB
Cantrell Andrews and DE
Travis Sanders each recovered fumbles. Sanders, who also had a sack and forced fumble against the Rebels, recovered a fumble in both of his starts this season. Southeast is currently tied for second in the Ohio Valley Conference with a +1 turnover margin this year. The Redhawk defense has forced multiple turnovers in eight of its last 13 contests.
Shoot for the Starks
LB
Matt Starks became Southeast's first double-digit tackler of the season when he collected a career-high 11 at Ole Miss (Sept. 7). Starks, who moved from safety to linebacker in the spring, turned in a game-high nine solo stops.
Coleman Brings it at Fullback
The Redhawks have one of the top fullbacks in the Football Championship Subdivision in junior
Ron Coleman. Coleman is Southeast's top rusher with 73 yards on 17 carries through two games this season. He was ranked 11th among all fullbacks in the country according to Phil Steele's FCS Preseason Position Ratings. Coleman was fourth on the team in rushing a year ago.
First Career Starts
A total of 13 players have already made their first career starts at Southeast this season.
Ron Davis (SS),
Travis Sanders (DE),
Jon Slania (NT),
Selwyn Carrol (DE),
Matt Starks (LB),
Austin Black (DT),
Kyle Finney (LG),
Garret Baker (RT),
Paul McRoberts (WR),
Kyle Snyder (QB) and
Lennies McFerren (RB) made their starting debuts at Southeastern Louisiana (Aug. 29). A week later,
Andy McNeel (LB) and
William Jelks (RT) started at Ole Miss
(Sept. 7).
Opening Drives
Southeast has gone five-straight games without scoring on its first possession. The last time the Redhawks put up points on their first drive was at Austin Peay on Oct. 27, 2012 (
Levi Terrell 3-yard touchdown run). Southeast has gone winless in that five-game stretch.
The Chase is On
Junior return man
Spencer Davis is 428 yards away from breaking Southeast's all-time career record in kickoff return yardage. Davis currently stands third with 1,511 yards. David Jackson (1983-86) presently holds the record with 1,938 kickoff return yards. Davis already owns two of the school's top-six single-season kickoff return yardage marks.
200-Yard Redhawks
As a team, Southeast has rushed for over 200 yards in eight of its last 10 games. The Redhawks had 206 rushing yards at Southeastern Louisiana (Aug. 29) before finishing with under 100 yards (93) rushing at Ole Miss (Sept. 7).
Born to Run
Southeast has become one of the more dominant rushing teams in the Football Championship Subdivision in recent years. The Redhawks led the Ohio Valley Conference and ranked among the top-10 teams in the FCS each of the last three seasons. Southeast was the nation's No. 8 rushing team with 262.4 yards per game in 2012.The
Redhawks had a 1,000-yard rusher twice in that span (
Levi Terrell in 2012; Henry Harris in 2010).
