Southeast Missouri State football coach Tom Matukewicz readies for nerves of Signing Day

Once the National Letters of Intent start coming through to the Southeast Missouri State football team, it will definitely bring excitement to coach Tom Matukewicz, but also a bit of relief.

Matukewicz, who completed his second season at the helm of the Redhawks in November, was admittedly on edge Tuesday as he spoke about today's National Signing Day, which kicks off the football signing period that lasts until April 1.

"There's just extreme highs and extreme lows," Matukewicz said. "Your phone rings and your heart almost skips a beat because it can be, 'Hey, coach, where can I buy a [Redhawks] hat?' or 'Hey, coach, I decided to go with such and such.' It's a real volatile thing. I feel like a 16-year-old girl, just I'm all over the place right now."

Matukewicz and his staff have received several verbal commitments, which are nonbinding, but cannot speak about the prospects until they've signed due to NCAA rules.

Among the Redhawks' commits are Cape Central star receiver Al Young and Malden standout linebacker Nick Thompson.

Others expected to sign with Southeast are linebacker Joe Welte (Fox High School in Arnold, Mo.), punter Jake Reynolds (Lafayette High School in Wildwood, Mo.), offensive lineman Austin Crump (Eureka High School, Mo.), kicker Kendrick Tiller (Lebanon, Mo.), long snapper Camden Boyle (Lake Zurich, Ill.), offensive lineman Clarence Thornton (Ridgeway High School in Memphis), linebacker/defensive end Zach Hall (Louisville Male High School, Ky.), wide receiver Zackery Smith (Louisville Male, Ky.), linebacker/defensive end Omardrick Douglas (Ballard High School in Louisville, Ky.), offensive lineman Brandt Selesky (Hewitt-Trussville High School in Trussville, Ala.), defensive end/linebacker Victor Alvarez (Oxbridge Academy in West Palm Beach, Fl.), wide receiver Traionn Jones (Oxbridge Academy in West Palm Beach, Fl.), offensive lineman Mike Brown (Armwood High School in Seffner, Fl.) and wide receiver Marlon Eugene (Royal Palm Beach High School in Fl.).

Southeast signed one midyear transfer, quarterback Jesse Hosket. Hosket transferred from East Central Community College in Decatur, Mississippi.

"It's been a tough year because we didn't lose a lot of seniors and so money was tight and so we've done the best we could and feel really, really good about what was done," Matukewicz said. "We've always started from campus out first and try to keep local players home. That's been a philosophy and then from there St. Louis and Memphis and then down South. I feel like that's happened and we'll see tomorrow, but I feel really good about it."

Southeast will host a Brick-By-Brick Football Signing Day Party prior to the women's basketball game at the Show Me Center tonight. The party will be held in the front meeting rooms of the Show Me Center and doors open at 5 p.m.

Tickets for the game, which starts at 6:30 p.m., are $5 and are required to get into the party.

Food and drinks will be provided at the party, which is sponsored by Wings, Etc. and River Eagle Distributing.

"If they had multiple offers we still got in there and competed against a lot of schools and so I think the biggest thing is we have to try and out-recruit our current roster, and as you build a program that gets harder and harder each and every year," Matukewicz said. "I feel like we've done that with this class. You've upgraded talent.

"Now, obviously, you've got to get them bigger and stronger and all that before they actually get on the field, hopefully, but I think we accomplished that."