Southeast Missouri State University will have a National Football League player in its corner during Saturday night's game against Tennessee State at The Coliseum in Nashville.

Eugene Amano, a Southeast product in his rookie season with the Tennessee Titans, will take advantage of the team's bye week to watch his former squad in action for the first time this season.

And Amano shouldn't have much trouble getting around The Coliseum. The Titans' stadium is where Tennessee State plays its home games.

"This open date couldn't have come at a better time," Amano said during a telephone interview from Nashville. "I'm pretty excited to see the coaching staff, the players, see how everybody's doing."

Amano, an offensive lineman, is doing just fine in his first professional season. The 2003 Division I-AA All-American was taken in the seventh and final round of this year's NFL draft. He has seen action in every game for the 3-5 Titans.

"Things are going real good," said Amano, whose brother, Fred, is a sophomore defensive tackle at Southeast and leads the squad in tackles among linemen. "I've gotten into every game either on special teams or as a backup at center and at both guard positions."

Amano said the biggest adjustments he has had to make from college to the NFL is the length of the season and the length of the days.

"The season is just a long process. In college right now we'd only have a few games left, but we've got eight left. It's just a long grind," he said. "And the days we put in are just real long. I get to the facility every day about 7 a.m. We have meetings, practice, more meetings, and we don't leave until about 6 p.m."

Not that he's complaining.

"My goal was to make it to the NFL," he said. "I love it."