Bryan Blanfort didn't get to participate in Southeast Missouri State's historic 2010 football season, at least not the way he wanted.

The Redhawks' senior strong safety hopes to make up for that this year when he returns from major knee surgery.

"I feel like I owe the team after missing last year," Blanfort said.

Blanfort was among Southeast's top defensive players in 2008 and 2009 after seeing extensive action off the bench as a true freshman in 2007.

But, poised for a big 2010 campaign, he never got to see the field after tearing his left ACL while lifting weights during the summer.

Blanfort said he had problems with the knee during spring practice and the weight-room incident followed.

"My knee was already weak," he said. "I tried to go heavy on the power clean and it just gave out on me."

That led to surgery and extensive rehabilitation. Blanfort was able to participate in this year's spring practice, although he said he wasn't quite at full strength. That no longer is the case.

"I'm 100 percent ready to go. No problems," said Blanfort, who received a medical redshirt for his lost 2010 campaign. "A lot of rehab. I had to get it strong and get my confidence back.

"It's still going to take a good hit on the leg to know totally ... but I feel I'm confident. I don't even think about it when I'm practicing."

Blanfort, a native of Miami, has 156 career tackles, including 5.5 for loss, along with five interceptions and 12 passes defended.

Blanfort was Southeast's second-leading tackler in 2009 with 79 while also ranking second with two interceptions, including returning one for a touchdown. That came after a sophomore season that saw him finish second on the team with three interceptions and sixth with 54 tackles.

"It's good to have him back. He's a great kid and he's done a lot of good things for us," said Southeast coach Tony Samuel, whose squad is in its second and final week of preseason camp. "He has the experience. He just has to knock the rust off. As far as I can tell, his knee looks fine."

Samuel considers Blanfort among the Redhawks' leaders, which became apparent when he was voted a team captain for the second year in a row.

"The team has a lot of respect for him. To be voted captain after not even playing last year, that says a lot," Samuel said.

Said junior defensive end Justin Love: "I didn't really know many people when I came in. When I saw Bryan, I said, 'He wants to win.' I look at him as a leader. That's what he is."

Blanfort said his leadership skills were put to the test last season. Even though it hurt him not to be on the field, he wanted to set a good example for his teammates.

And Blanfort emphasized he was elated that the Redhawks won the program's first Ohio Valley Conference title and earned the program's first playoff berth on any level.

"Last year was the worst feeling in the world. I enjoyed watching my team win, but you feel like you're not a part of it even though you are," he said. "I just tried to be more vocal, tried to help with info, basically like another coach.

"I tried to help last year with leadership, with attitude, because I know guys were still looking at me to see how I responded to not playing, how I handled it. I tried not to show any weakness."

The 6-foot-1, 190-pound Blanfort said he was attracted to Southeast because of the coaches when they made recruiting visits to Florida.

"They came to visit and I was like, 'They're real cool,'" he said. "I really believed in what they were saying."

That belief paid off last year with the record-setting season. Gone are 14 starters, including several All-Americans, but Blanfort thinks the Redhawks are capable of continued success. He wants to make sure there is no dropoff in his final collegiate campaign.

"We have a lot of potential, but we have a lot of work to do," said Blanfort, a recreational management major who said his goal is to own his own Boys & Girls Club some day so he can work with youngsters. "I just want to help us make a winning tradition at Southeast, not just a one-time thing."