Western Illinois aims to emulate SEMO's success in pivotal matchup

The Southeast Missouri State Redhawks host a Western Illinois team that is trying to emulate the example set by head coach Tom Matukewicz.

The Leathernecks, under first-year head coach Joe Davis, are 3-7, 2-4 in their first season in the Big South-OVC. It's an improvement over the past two winless seasons during their final years in the Missouri Valley Football Conference.

Davis sees inspiration in Matukewicz's long journey to turning SEMO into a constant conference contender.

"Coach Tuke told me it took him five years to have a winning record at SEMO," Davis said. "They battled a lot of the same challenges that we're battling here early on as we try to build a winner. So it's a little bit inspiring to see some consistency that they developed down there."

Davis called Saturday's matchup with SEMO "a tall task" but the Leathernecks are excited for the opportunity to challenge the No. 12 Redhawks. That challenge starts with a SEMO defense led by senior linebacker Bryce Norman, who finished last week with a career-high 19 tackles at Lindenwood, and reached the 100-tackles mark for the second season in his career. Norman has led SEMO in tackles every year and is first in the Big South-OVC and fourth in the FCS with 10.7 tackles per game.

"They've done it with a very consistent identity on the defensive side of the ball," Davis said.

The Leathernecks offense has a quarterback that can match up with SEMO in senior Nathan Lamb, who has thrown for 2,571 yards and 16 touchdowns against four interceptions. Despite losing three games in a row, Lamb has also thrown for more yardage (308-564) in his career.

“I’d like to nominate Coach Davis for quarterback coach of the century," Matukewicz said. "Last year he was at Eastern Illinois and [Pierce Holley] tore it up, now he’s at WIU and it's been the same thing, he’s the quarterback whisperer. I think the quarterback is the difference-maker, if you’ve got a great one you’re never out of games and that’s what they have been doing so we got our work cut out for us.”

This has been the year SEMO quarterback Paxton DeLaurent established himself among the FCS elite, leading Big South-OVC with 2,912 passing yards and is seventh nationally with 23 touchdown passes. He has broken five SEMO career records this season.

"I think the biggest positive for them this year, and I think Coach Tuke will probably agree, is keeping their quarterback healthy," Davis said. "He's a catalyst for everything they do and is a threat to go off any single Saturday.

"He's capable of really taking over the game," he said. "He has an immense amount of freedom and flexibility within their offense to get them into the right plays against the right looks."

Much like Lindenwood, Western Illinois is trying to be like SEMO in its own right. The Lions took a big step by finally beating the Redhawks last week, and an upset win for WIU would be the defining moment that solidifies the Leathernecks' status as dark horse contenders next year in the OVC.

However, the Redhawks are primed for a rebound in their final home game of the regular season.

"If you play football long enough bad things are going to happen," Matukewicz said. "You gotta learn how to move through and pass it. I actually believe this team is going to be better moving forward because of this lesson we learned."