Scheible sees extensive time at QB

CHARLESTON -- The quarterback of the future may be the quarterback of the present at Southeast Missouri State.

True freshman Matt Scheible enjoyed the bulk of the playing time Saturday in Southeast's 24-21 loss at Eastern Illinois, taking over the reins for Southeast in the first quarter after senior Houston Lillard threw his first interception.

Lillard played only one series in the second half, which ended in another interception, and took a snap on Southeast's last drive only when Scheible's shoe came off.

Scheible completed just 6 of 16 passes for 54 yards, but he directed all three scoring drives, didn't turn the ball over and added 40 yards rushing. He was 4-of-5 for 39 yards passing in the first half.

"Basically, it was the line because we ran the ball a lot," Scheible said. "The line really stepped up today because we needed them. I made a throw here or there, and that's what a drive has gotta be."

"Matt competed, and he played well for a young guy," Southeast offensive coordinator Vincent White said. "He can make some plays. Some of those plays he made because he had to."

Lillard, the Ohio Valley Conference's leading passer with 1,469 yards coming into the game, finished 3-of-5 with two interceptions. He passed for 10 yards.

"I never really got started," Lillard said. "I never really got back into the feel of the game."

So, who gets the start Saturday when Southeast hosts Tennessee State for homecoming?

"I don't know anything about that," Scheible said.

And White wasn't saying much either.

"I've got to look and grade the film, see how it pans out, see what happened," White said.

The film from this week's game won't look so good for Lillard.

He was picked off on a sideline route on Southeast's second drive of the game with the Redhawks trailing 7-0.

"My receiver slipped and the defender got the opportunity to make a play," Lillard said. "Ain't no telling what would have happened if that play wouldn't have happened, but what's done is done."

Lillard's day almost was done, but White and Scheible both mentioned his supporting role on the sidelines.

"He was helping me out, reading the defenses," Scheible said. "By no means was he pouting or anything."

"Nobody wants to get taken out," Lillard said. "Me and Matt, we've got a good relationship. Regardless of whatever goes on, he's my friend. If I feel like I can help him, I'm going to help him. I never hold a grudge or anything with my friends."

Scheible is a willing student, making the adjustment from his high school days at Washington, Mo., just a few months ago.

"My decision-making has got to get better," he said. "Right now, I'm having a little trouble reading defenses, but it's not that bad.

"The fall camp really helped me. The reads are quicker and the deep balls are harder to read, but everything else is like high school. My reads and deep balls have to be quicker."

Scheible has had to accelerate his learning after coming in expecting to spend more time holding a clipboard than playing.

"I wasn't really expecting it with Houston coming back after he pretty much dominated the last half of last year," Scheible said.

But Southeast coach Tony Samuel had been working in Scheible a little bit almost every game.

With Lillard struggling out of the gate Saturday, the change came early.

Scheible directed a 60-yard scoring drive on his first series, which was capped with a 10-yard run by Henry Harris on the first play of the second quarter that tied the score 7-7. Scheible completed both of his pass attempts on the drive, for 15 yards, and he ran 4 yards to convert a third-and-1.

His running helped on another drive as Southeast forged a 14-14 halftime tie. He scrambled 10 yards on a critical third-and-9 to take the ball inside EIU's 10, and Timmy Holloman scored two plays later, with 56 seconds to go in the half. The 80-yard drive, which tied Southeast's longest scoring drive of the season, included Scheible's longest pass of the game, a 15-yard screen to Holloman that also included a late-hit penalty.

Scheible was shakier in the third period, but Southeast had only 16 yards of offense, as EIU stacked up against the run game and two bad snaps had Scheible scrambling to make something of nothing.

After EIU turned Lillard's second interception into a field goal for a 24-14 lead with 9:02 remaining in the game, Scheible directed one more Southeast scoring drive.

The Redhawks marched 62 yards, and the key play was Scheible's scramble to the sideline to pick up a fourth-and-10. A late hit on the play moved Southeast to the 22, and Holloman ran in three plays later.

"I was just running away from them," Scheible said of his scrambles. "I was trying to find people to throw to, but I couldn't find anyone so I took off."

Southeast had one last drive with 2:26 to go at its own 13, which would test Scheible's ability to steer a comeback.

"You just know you don't have another chance, so you have to be on the ball with everything," he said. "You're just working against the clock. I don't think there was any more pressure because we were behind all game."

The drive began with Scheible running 5 yards and losing his shoe.

"I was like 'Wow, what a way to start the drive,'" Scheible said.

Lillard ran 2 yards on the next play before Scheible returned. He threw to Mike Williamson to pick up one first down, but then threw four incompletions to end Southeast's chances. On the last one, Scheible had daylight as he scrambled forward, but tried to hit Walter Peoples down the middle. The pass was deflected to clinch EIU's win.

"I could've ran it," Scheible said, "but Walt beat his guy, so I figured I'd throw it. I trust my arm more than I trust my legs."