Nov. 16, 2005

Southeast Missouri State at Tennessee Tech

Date: Nov. 19, 2005

Time: 1:00 p.m.

Location: Tucker Stadium, Cookeville, Tenn. (16,500)

Affiliations: Tennessee Tech, I-AA, Ohio Valley Conference Southeast Missouri, I-AA, Ohio Valley Conference

2004 Records: Tennessee Tech 6-5, 3-4 0VC, Southeast Missouri 3-8, 3-5 OVC

2005 Records: Tennessee Tech 3-7, 2-5 OVC, Southeast Missouri 2-8, 2-5 OVC

The Coaches: Tim Billings is 25-42 in his sixth season at Southeast Missouri

Mike Hennigan is 51-57 in his 10th season at Tennessee Tech

Radio: Southeast Radio Network anchored by K-103 FM in Cape Girardeau. Other network stations include KSIM in Sikeston and KWOC in Poplar Bluff. Erik Sean will do play-by-play with Ron Hines as the color analyst.

Internet: Southeast Radio Network broadcast can be heard over the internet at www.k103fm.com.

THE TEAMS: Southeast Missouri is 2-8 overall and 2-5 in the OVC while Tennessee Tech is 3-7 overall and 2-5 in the OVC.

Southeast Missouri has a win over Murray State and Tennessee State and losses to Southern Illinois, nationally ranked in Division I-AA, I-A Kent State, Missouri State, Jacksonville State, Samford, Eastern Illinois, Eastern Kentucky and Tennessee-Martin.

Tennessee Tech has OVC wins over Murray State and Samford with OVC losses to Eastern Kentucky, Tennessee-Martin, Tennessee State, Jacksonville State and Eastern Illinois.

THE COACHES: Tim Billings, a former assistant at Marshall, Missouri and Oklahoma, is 25-42 in his sixth season at Southeast. He was the 2002 OVC Coach of the Year and the 2002 AFCA Region 3 Coach of the Year. He is 3-2 vs. Tennessee Tech.

Mike Hennigan is 51-57 in his 10th season at Tech. He is 6-3 vs. Southeast Missouri.

THE SERIES: The series is tied 7-7.

LAST SEASON: Southeast won in overtime at Houck Stadium.

LAST WEEK: Southeast beat Tennessee State 32-24 while Tennessee Tech lost to league leading Eastern Illinois 31-20.

FINAL GAME FOR 12 SENIORS: The Redhawks have 12 seniors who will play their final game on Saturday including DL Brandon Bohnert, LB Travion Brock, QB Mike Haley, DE Justin Komondoreas, WR Brian Matthews, WR T.J. Milcic, WR Jamel Oliver, OL Taurean Robinson, DB Marco Tipton, LB Elijah Willis, DB Mike Miller and DB Kellin White.

DEF. COORDINATOR RETURNS: Damon Bradford, football defensive coordinator at Southeast Missouri State University has concluded his active duty with the Tennessee National Guard in Iraq and has rejoined the coaching staff.

Bradford, a First Lieutenant and Executive Officer of the 278 Armored Cavalry Regiment, spent nearly a year and a half on active duty in Baghdad, Iraq.

Bradford joined the Southeast staff prior to the start of spring drills in 2004 and was called to active duty in the summer of 2004. He previously served as linebacker coach at Tennessee Tech.

SIMONHOFF GAINS OVC AND NATIONAL HONORS: For the third time this season, junior punter David Simonhoff has been honored as the OVC Special Teams Player of the Week. He had six punts for an average of 44 yards per punt against Tennessee State. He had three punts inside the 20. The effort gained Simonhoff National Specialist of the Week honors from The Sports Network.

The prior week he was the OVC Specialist of the Week and the National Specialist of the Week as selected by Football Gazette. He had seven punts for an average of 45.7 yards per punt at UT-Martin. He had three punts of over 50 yards with a long of 60.

Simonhoff leads the OVC in punting and ranks seventh nationally with an average of 42.6 yards per punt. He was the OVC Special Teams Player of the Week after averaging 52 yards per punt at Samford with a long of 80 yards. Simonhoff has four punts of 80 yards or further at Southeast.

Simonhoff was a consensus preseason All-American. He was a second team All-America pick last season when he ranked second nationally in punting with a Southeast and OVC record of 46 yards per punt. Simonhoff is the only Redhawks player to be named preseason All-OVC.

For the season he has 56 punts for an average of 42.6 yards per punt with a long of 80 and 14 inside the 20.

HARRELL HAS BIG DAY AT MARTIN: Junior linebacker Seth Harrell was honored as the OVC Defensive Player of the Week after a career-high 18 tackles against the Skyhawks. He had 14 solo stops and one tackle for a loss of two yards.

HOLLOMAN HONORED BY OVC: True freshman Tim Holloman of Southeast Missouri State was honored as the OVC Newcomer of the Week for two straight weeks after rushing for 181 yards and two touchdowns against Murray State. The prior week he was named the OVC Offensive Player of the Week and Newcomer of the Week after scoring four touchdowns against Eastern Kentucky.

Holloman rushed the ball 31 times for 155 yards and two touchdowns against EKU and had six receptions for 95 yards and two TD's. His longest run was 33 yards and his longest catch was a 64 yard touchdown dash down the sideline after taking a swing pass.

Originally from Orlando, Fla. (Edgewater High School), Holloman has seasonal totals of 132 carries for 629 yards and eight touchdowns and leads the team in all purpose yards with 92.8 yards per game.

In the first six games of the season Holloman had 37 carries for 130 yards and one TD. He had 19 catches for 76 yards.

EFFICIENT RED ZONE: Southeast leads the OVC in offensive red zone efficiency and ranks second in red zone defense. The Redhawks have converted 31-36 offensive red zone chances with 20 touchdowns and 11 field goals.

ANDRADE TO FULLBACK: Senior Corey Andrade who started the season at middle linebacker was moved to fullback prior to the Eastern Kentucky game. He served basically as a blocker but did have one carry for no gain. Against Murray State, Andrade had four carries for seven yards and one catch for 34 yards.

INJURIES: Starting running back Austen Collins was injured on the second play of the opener and is out for the season.

Defensive back Reggie AuBuchon received a leg injury in the Samford game and is lost for the season. Junior quarterback Kevin Ballatore fractured his foot in the Jacksonville State game and has missed the last four games. He is doubtful this week.

Linebacker Nick Stauffer is lost for the remainder of the season with a knee injury.

Linebacker Travion Brock is doubtful because of a shoulder injury.

HALEY AIRS IT OUT: Senior quarterback Mike Haley established a new Southeast record with 61 pass attempts vs. Kent State. He also tied the school record for completions with 34. He was 34-61 for 275 yards and a touchdown while being intercepted three times.

Haley came off the bench against Eastern Illinois and directed two fourth quarter scoring drives. He was 14-24 passing for 177 yards and two TD's while being intercepted once.

Haley started against Eastern Kentucky and completed 18-27 passes for 237 yards and two TD's with no interceptions.

Against Murray State, Haley was 14-21 for 203 yards and a season-high three touchdowns.

Haley was 8-23 for 169 yards and two touchdowns vs. Tennessee-Martin but was intercepted twice.

Against Tennessee State, Haley was 15-29 for 186 yards and one touchdown with one interception.

For the season, Haley is 165-300 with 15 interceptions for 1,963 yards and 13 touchdowns.

He ranks third in the OVC in passing yardage and is fourth in total offense.

BALLATORE INJURED: Junior quarterback Kevin Ballatore got his first start of the season against Jacksonville State, but was injured in the third quarter and has not played since. He came off the bench in the second half of the Missouri State game and drove the Redhawks on scoring drives of 64 and 85 yards. He was 14-19 passing for 147 yards and one TD. He also had three rushes for 15 yards.

Against Jacksonville State he was 22-37 for 195 yards before being injured.

For the season, Ballatore is 44-77 for 403 yards and two TD's. He has no interceptions.

MOSLEY READY: True freshman Markus Mosley, 6-4, 185, was the starting quarterback against Eastern Illinois.

Mosley completed 8-17 passes for 50 yards with one interception. He had one rush for a seven yard gain.

He played in the fourth quarter of the loss at Samford and completed 6-12 passes for 94 yards with two interceptions.

Mosley was an all-district quarterback at Chapel Hill High School in Tyler, Texas.

SPREADING THE WEALTH: Southeast quarterbacks have thrown to a total of 15 receivers this season with 10 receivers having 11 or more catches and eight having over 100 yards in receptions.

T.J. Milcic leads the teams in catches and yardage with 35 for 669 yards. He also has a team-high seven receiving touchdowns. Milcic ranks third in the OVC in receiving yards per game with 66.9.

BIG TARGETS: Southeast quarterbacks have a pair of tall targets. Tight end Joseph Tuineau (6-8, 280) has 25 catches for 305 yards while T.J. Milcic (6-5, 200) has 35 catches for 669 yards including an 80 yard touchdown reception.

SCHERMANN LEADS OVC: Redshirt freshman kicker Colin Schermann is 11-12 in field goals this season. He has connected from 32,20,30, 28, 35, 27, 20, 31, 27, 35 and 26-yards. He leads the OVC in field goals per game, field goal percentage and is second in kick scoring.

KOMONDOREAS TOPS OVC SACKS: Senior defensive end Justin Komondoreas leads the OVC in sacks with 7.5 for 36 yards in losses. He averages 0.75 sacks per game.

Komondoreas also leads the league in tackles for losses with 14 for 56 yards in losses.

HICKS LEADS OVC IN PASS DEFENSE: Redshirt freshman Monroe Hicks leads the OVC in passes defended with nine breakups and two interceptions for an average of 1.10 per game. He had two interceptions with one returned 47 yards for a touchdown in the SIU game. He also has nine pass break ups, 40 tackles, two tackles for losses of eight yards and has recovered a fumble.

MILLER TOP TACKLER: Senior safety Mike Miller had 14 tackles vs. Missouri State and 11 vs. Jacksonville State to move to the team lead in tackles. After ten games, Miller has 79 tackles, 5.5 tackles for a losses of seven yards, one interception, one blocked kick, one quarterback hurry and three pass breakups.

DEFENSIVE EXTRA POINTS: For the first time in Southeast football history, the defense scored two points on an opponents extra point try. Romae Rucker intercepted a Samford two point conversion pass and returned it 99 yards for two points.

NEXT FOR THE REDHAWKS: Southeast will open the 2006 season on Sept. 2 at Austin Peay.

TEAM ELECTS CAPTAINS: The Redhawks have elected four captains. The offensive captains are quarterback Mike Haley and wide receiver T.J. Milcic. Defensive captains are defensive end Edgar Jones and defensive safety Mike Miller.

SOUTHEAST HAS THREE FORMER PLAYERS IN THE NFL: Southeast has had NFL draft choices in two of the last three years and currently has three players on active rosters in the NFL.

Willie Ponder, a consensus All-American at Southeast, was drafted in the sixth round of the 2002 NFL draft by the New York Giants.

Ponder led the NFL in kickoff returns last season and had a 95-yard kickoff return for a touchdown in this season's opener vs. the Arizona Cardinals.

Eugene Amano, the 2003 Rimington Award winner as the top center in I-AA football, was drafted in the seventh round of the 2003 draft by the Tennessee Titans.

Amano was a part-time starter for the Titans last season and is currently number two on the Titan depth chart at center and both guard positions.

Dan Connolly, an offensive tackle for the Redhawks last season, was signed the day after the 2004 draft by the Jacksonville Jaguars and has made the team. He is currently listed as a second unit guard for the Jaguars.

BILLINGS ON TELEVISION: Southeast Missouri Football with Tim Billings is televised weekly on UPN-The Beat. Todd Richards hosts the show that airs at 6:30 p.m. each Thursday.

Tim Billings RADIO SHOW: Tim Billings has a one-hour radio show each Wednesday from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. The show is broadcast live from Port Cape Girardeau on ESPN Radio, 1220 AM. Erik Sean is host for the show that also includes call-ins and audience participation.