Matukewicz, Redhawks adapting to new frontier of college football recruiting landscape

Tom Matukewicz isn't in the middle of nowhere, but being in the heart of Southeast Missouri might seem that way at times when trying to bolster an FCS roster in the current landscape of college football.

Through his 11 seasons leading Southeast Missouri State, Matukewicz currently stands as the third winningest coach in program history and has guided the Redhawks to four NCAA FCS Playoff appearances, three Ohio Valley Conference titles and the school’s first-ever playoff victory back in 2018.

The tenured coach also stands on the shaky ground of the chaotic transfer portal era — one that saw a handful of Redhawks flee to other programs this offseason, including current Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) newcomers WR Tristan Smith (Clemson), OG Carter Guillaume (Louisville) and LB Joedrick Lewis (Arkansas State).

While college football’s version of free agency often gives athletes a better opportunity elsewhere in terms of more limelight and financial gain, it’s a common struggle that many non-FBS powerhouse programs have had to tailor to in recent years.

“At the end of the day, it's never been easier to just leave a program if you don't fit,” Matukewicz said in a press conference on Wednesday, Feb. 5. “So, we’ve got to make sure we do a great job on the front end of bringing those types of people that really advises who we are in the program.”

And similar to dozens of other programs, Matukewicz and his coaching staff are continuing to adapt at twice the pace.

“A lot of the high school recruiting hasn't changed,” Matukewicz said. “Financially, a full-ride scholarship still means something, but when you talk about a transfer, you're not even in the game if you're not able to have something like we have, which is SOAR (SEMO NIL collective), which is a way to come alongside and add to that money. That’s what’s tough. At the end of the day, how are you going to be able to meet them on the field if you can't meet them in the group?”

Despite having to deal with a wave of portal convolutions, what’s remained constant is Matukewicz’s recruiting framework and overall coaching philosophy that drives the program year in and year out — Love, Effort, Attitude and Discipline (L.E.A.D).

“We have four core values that we really believe in early on in these conversations,” Matukewicz said. “There are some non-negotiables, like if he doesn't love the game of football like I love it, there won't be another call. If he won't care about his teammates and he's selfish, nobody is that good. If he's not a blue-collar guy and I’m having to talk him into working, he's not a Redhawk. If he is a victim and he's always making excuses, then that is not the kind of attitude that is going to work here at SEMO. If he can’t have the self-discipline to make great choices day after day then he's never going to help us accomplish the mission. How you end up on top of the mountain and how you win conference championships is if you do the little things really well, then you get the big things.”

On the flip side, SEMO has been able to work around the portal to an extent. Matukewicz and Co. did not waste much time getting on the recruiting trail in the aftermath of its FCS Playoff run for the 2024 season after signing 37 new recruits — 20 of whom were transfers.

Among the newcomers were two incoming quarterbacks, including touted San Diego Mesa College transfer Jax Leatherwood, to compete to replace Paxton DeLaurent, eight new defensive backs to add depth, and an impressive haul on the offensive line.

“A big piece of the success of this program is that all of it goes to our players,” second-year recruiting coordinator Cade Brister said. “Those are the guys out there winning the games... It also really comes down to our staff. They did a fantastic job going out, recruiting these guys, evaluating these guys, and building those relationships with their families. So, I’m really, really proud to be a part of that type of staff that really took some ownership there. And then the other piece is just the community did a fantastic job working with us through their visits too.”

Through the midst of it all, SEMO’s ability to effectively plug holes on the depth chart demonstrates how quickly a school that's not as well-positioned to face roster losses can adjust to challenges with the resources at hand. It also sheds light on how valuable a coaching staff who adapts and embraces the ever-changing landscape is to sustain success.

“I never lost a kid over money because, at the end of the day, I also still think it's about who you're paying, not what you’re paying,” Matukewicz said. “It's easy to chase talent and just try to buy it, but you’ve got to be able to discipline yourself and they still have to be us. They still have to be a Redhawk in order to get it.

It’s stretched me and it’s challenged me having money conversations I never thought I'd have, but it's a good thing. The purpose of SEMO football is to make better men. They need to understand money. They need to understand how it works. They need to be able to advocate for themselves. They need to be able to communicate harder things. So, at the end of the day, it's a net positive and I’m very thankful for our short collective.”