Peiffer may bring down Southeast Missouri State football program's tackle record

~ The former Jackson standout had 19 tackles Saturday to run his season total to 136

Blake Peiffer has been making so many tackles, a school record is within reach.

Southeast Missouri State's junior linebacker from Jackson High School had a career-high 19 tackles during Saturday's 22-21 loss to visiting Jacksonville State.

Peiffer has 136 tackles, good for a sixth-place tie on the program's single-season list. He needs 15 tackles in the final game, at home against Murray State, to break Southeast assistant coach Nick Stauffer's record of 150 tackles in 2008.

"It's something that would be nice," the soft- spoken Peiffer said. "But first off we've got to get the win vs. Murray."

Peiffer has recorded double-figure tackles in nine of Southeast's 10 games this year, including eight straight.

Peiffer, the Redhawks' top tackler in every contest this season, has had 15 or more tackles five times. His previous career high was 18 last week against Central Methodist.

"Blake continues to get better every game, and I think his best football is still ahead of him," Southeast coach Tony Samuel said.

Peiffer, the Ohio Valley Conference's leading tackler who entered Saturday's game sixth nationally, said he has tried to get better every season.

"My goal every year is to improve from the last year," said Peiffer, who had 59 tackles as a sophomore and 32 as a freshman. "My goal was to break 100, maybe get up there to 120 or 130."

Junior safety Tylor Brock and senior safety Bryan Blanfort followed with nine tackles each Saturday.

Brock missed on a golden opportunity for an interception when he dropped a pass in the end zone early in the third quarter. JSU went on to score on the drive.

Southeast recovered four fumbles, matching its total during the first nine games. The Redhawks had forced just eight turnovers before Saturday.

Brock, senior defensive end Steve Hendry, senior defensive end Johnnie Morgan and junior linebacker Darrick Borum recovered the fumbles, two of which came deep in Southeast territory.

"It's always something we try to stress, turnovers," Hendry said. "We've struggled so far this season with that."

Blanchard shines

JSU sophomore quarterback Coty Blanchard did not start Saturday due to back spasms, and the Gamecocks' offense struggled without him.

Blanchard, a dual-threat signal caller in the mold of Southeast senior Matt Scheible, entered the game late in the first quarter. He directed all three of JSU's touchdown drives as the Gamecocks erased a 14-3 first-quarter hole and a 21-9 halftime deficit.

"He knows the offense better. He knows what to do, when to do it," Peiffer said. "He made a heck of a difference when he came in."

Blanchard, second among OVC quarterbacks in rushing behind Scheible, hurt Southeast the most with his legs as he ran for 83 yards on 10 carries.

Blanchard converted several key third downs, the biggest when he picked up 7 yards on third-and-4 in the closing minutes. JSU then ran out the clock.

"He made a great play to get the first down," Samuel said. "He was able to pick up some key first downs."

Temper upstairs

A JSU assistant coach, evidently upset over a play by the Gamecocks early in the game, got violent with a pane of glass in the visiting coaches' booth on the second level of the press box at Houck Stadium.

Several pieces of glass flew into the crowd and hit some fans, but nobody apparently was injured.

Noteworthy

* Both teams did most of their offensive damage on the ground, Southeast rushing for 344 yards and JSU 342. The Redhawks passed for just 26 yards compared to 76 for the Gamecocks.

* Southeast sophomore Joe Vucic punted three times for a 51-yard average, including a career-long 72-yarder that ranks eighth in school history.