Aug. 6, 2002

Southeast Missouri State University

2002 Football Media Day Notes

TOUGH SCHEDULE: The Southeast schedule includes six teams that have been ranked in the Top 25 nationally in at least one preseason poll and includes two Division I-A opponents. Eastern Illinois, Eastern Kentucky, Tennessee Tech, Murray State and Tennessee State from the OVC and Samford, a future OVC opponent, all gained notice in the preseason polls. The Division I-A teams include Sun Belt defending champion Middle Tennessee and Eastern Michigan.

FIVE HOME GAMES: The Indians will have five home games at Houck Stadium beginning with the season opener against Arkansas-Monticello on Thursday, August 29, 6 p.m.. Tennessee State will be the Family Weekend opponent on Oct. 5, 6 p.m., while Eastern Illinois will be the homecoming opponent on Oct. 19, 1 p.m. Tennessee Tech will be the Hall of Fame opponent on Nov. 2, 6 p.m., with Samford closing out the regular season on Nov. 16, 6 p.m.

PRESEASON ALL-AMERICAN: Lindy's football magazine named Southeast senior Willie Ponder to its second team Division I-AA All-America team. Last season, Ponder led the OVC in receptions per game with 6.36, receiving yards per game with 99.09 and receiving yards with 1,090. He had 70 catches and scored a team-high 11 touchdowns.

NINE PLAYERS HONORED BY OVC: Southeast had six players named to the preseason All-OVC football team with three more earning honorable mention. It is the highest number of preseason honors since Southeast joined the OVC in 1991. Four defensive players were on the first team including senior tackle James Jennette, junior linebacker Ricky Farmer, and senior defensive backs, Prince Anderson and Demar Winston. On offense, Ponder and sophomore tackle Dan Connolly were named to the first team. Sophomore quarterback Jeromy McDowell, junior offensive guard Eugene Amano and sophomore defensive back Dimitri Patterson were honorable mention selections.

ONE NEW COACH: Southeast has only one new assistant coach this season. Marcus Garstecki replaces Rory Segrest who left after last season. Garstecki was defensive coordinator at Dodge City Community College last season. He was an assistant at Ranger College in 2000, Northern State in 1999 and Nebraska-Omaha in 1997 and 1998. A graduate of Wisconsin-Whitewater, Garstecki will coach defensive ends at Southeast.

LATE ARRIVALS: Three junior college transfers, Ronald Byias, Amos Misilao and Joe Morrison, will be a few days late because they are finishing up summer school in California. All are expected to be in camp by the end of the week.

WEST McKEE CAREER ENDS: Veteran lineman West McKee has ended his football career because of lingering back problems. McKee had been slated to back up at offensive tackle and center. He was a part-time starter last season.

ONLY 11 SENIORS: There are only 11 seniors on this year's Southeast team with 19 juniors, 22 sophomores, five redshirt freshmen and 28 freshmen.

SQUAD BY STATE: There are players from 14 states, American Samoa and Canada. Missouri leads the way with 40, followed by Florida 14, California 5, Illinois 5, Oklahoma 3, Texas 3, New York 2, Tennessee 2, Samoa 2, Michigan 2 and one each from Alaska, Arkansas, West Virginia, Mississippi and Canada.

AUSTRALIAN ON THE WAY: Andrew Winters, 6-2, 190, is a punter from Melbourne, Australia who has signed with Southeast. He has been accepted into school and is waiting to get a visa to allow him to attend school in the United States. He played high school rugby but caught the eye of scouts at a kicking camp in Texas that was also attended by former Southeast All-American kicker and punter Jason Witczak who is now in camp with the Tennessee Titans.

HITTING THE BOOKS: The football team had a record 25 players honored last spring as Southeast Scholar Athletes for having a 3.0 or higher cumulative grade point average. Eleven Southeast players have been named to the OVC Commissioner's Honor Roll for having a 3.2 or higher GPA. Junior tight end Chuck McElroy leads the football scholars with a 3.8 grade point average. He attended an NCAA Leadership Conference during the summer.

SOUTHEAST PICKED SIXTH IN OVC RACE: Southeast was picked to finish sixth in the preseason poll of league head coaches and sports information directors. The five teams ahead of the Indians are all ranked in the top 25 nationally by at least one publication. Eastern Illinois was picked to repeat as league champion with Eastern Kentucky second, Tennessee Tech and Tennessee State tied for third, Murray State fifth, Southeast sixth and Tennessee-Martin seventh.

NEW LOOK FOR HOUCK STADIUM: The exterior of Houck Stadium is undergoing a complete renovation with a new almond colored textured surface and a newly painted black iron fence. The press box is also being completely remodeled with new walls both inside and outside as well as new carpeting and new work surfaces.

OHIO VALLEY CONFERENCE TELECONFERENCES: The Ohio Valley Conference is going to offer a teleconference featuring all seven head coaches once weekly during the season. The final details are being worked out. The OVC and Southeast Sports Information will keep media informed about the time and how to participate in the weekly teleconferences.

SOUTHEAST ON RADIO: Southeast football games are broadcast throughout Southeast Missouri and into four additional states on the Southeast Football Network originated by the Zimmer Broadcast Group of Cape Girardeau. Erik Sean will be in his third season as the "Voice" of Southeast football. Former Indian quarterback Rick Wieser handles commentary on home games while Ron Hines does color on the road. The Southeast Football Network flagship station is 100,000 watt K-103 FM that covers a portion of five states. Other network stations include KWOC, Poplar Bluff and KSIM, Sikeston. All games can be heard live over the internet at www.GoSoutheast.com.

TELEVISION FOR MURRAY STATE GAME: The Indian game at Murray State on Oct. 26 will be televised live on Fox Sports Net South that goes into over nine-million homes in the southern United States. The kickoff as been moved to 3:30 p.m. Fox Sports Net South goes into seven states including Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee.

THIRD ANNUAL WOMEN'S FOOTBALL CLINIC: The football coaching staff will host the third annual Women's Football Clinic at the Show Me Center on Thursday, August 22, 8 p.m. The event, which includes complimentary admission, refreshments, door prizes and beginner and advanced sessions, will follow the annual Booster Club Barbecue that begins at 5:30 p.m. For more information on the clinic, contact Tony Joe White at (573) 986-6165.