Southeast Missouri State University football coach Tim Billings expects an extra level of excitement and enthusiasm when the Indians begin spring practice Thursday.

That would seem natural afte last year when the Indians went 8-4, the program's first winning record since 1994 and its best record since 1969. The fact Southeast lost only a few key seniors adds even more to the atmosphere.

"No question we're excited, with the way we finished last year. Now everybody wants to add to it," Billings said. "We're excited about having so many people coming back, and there are a lot of young kids we want to work with.

"I feel like we've gotten a lot bigger and stronger, and we're ready to get out on the field and get things done."

Under NCAA guidelines, football teams are allowed 15 spring practices over a 29-day period, including three scrimmages. Southeast's spring game, which counts as one of the scrimmages, is set for April 12.

Billings said some of the Indians' goals during the spring are to keep their record-setting offense humming and to continue improving a formerly suspect defense that came on strong over the last half of 2002.

"We feel like for us to have a great football season next year, obviously you have to play well offensively, but to win championships you need to have a great defense," Billings said. "That will be a big key this spring, how our defense continues to grow up. They made some great strides last year, and now we just have to be more consistent."

Billings expects plenty of competition at virtually every position -- including quarterback, even though record-setting Jack Tomco is coming off the best season ever by a Southeast signal caller.

Jeromy McDowell, who set Southeast freshman passing records two years ago before missing almost all of last season with a serious knee injury, is close to being healthy, Billings said.

And the Indians have added Arizona State transfer Andrew Goodenough to the quarterback mix.

"Competition makes better players," Billings said. "Just because it's at quarterback, it's a little more publicized, but we'll have competition at every position and that will make everybody work harder.

"A lot of people have one good quarterback, and some don't have any. We feel like we have three quality guys there, and I'm excited about watching all three compete."

Among the handful of key seniors the Indians lost from last year, the most glaring is record-setting wide receiver Willie Ponder. The rest of last year's top receivers return.

"We'll have great competition trying to replace Willie," Billings said. "We feel like we've got some really good receivers coming back, but Willie was special."

mmishow@semissourian.com

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