INDIANS PRESSED INTO DUTY

Whenever a new coaching staff takes over a program that has been down, the general perception is that there might be some early struggles as a rebuilding process takes place.

The above scenario is always the last thing a team's senior class wants to hear, because that group doesn't have time to wait until things get turned around. The seniors want to win now.

Well, it's probably music to the ears of the 14 seniors on Southeast Missouri State University's football team that first-year head coach Tim Billings refuses to mention the word rebuilding as he tries to revive an Indians' program that is just 13-31 over the past four years and has had just one winning season since 1991, that coming in 1994.

Billings won't say just how many victories he expects his first Southeast squad to compile. But he has made it clear -- and he emphasized it again during the Indians' media day activities Tuesday -- that winning right away is his objective.

"That's my philosophy," he said. "This is the team we have. These are our players, and we're excited about the guys.

"I don't really look at it as turning things around. I have a game plan that we've put together as a coaching staff, and it was not really determined because we were 3-8 last year."

Billings spoke of a private vision that he has. He said the vision is between himself, his coaches and their players.

"People say there is no pressure (the first year), but I have a lot of pressure. I put a lot of pressure on myself," he said. "We've raised the bar and our players understand that. How quick we get there will be determined by how hard our players work."

* Southeast's 74-man squad eligible for play this season features just 32 upperclassmen.

The breakdown by class is 14 seniors, 18 juniors, 27 sophomores and 15 freshmen.

Of those 74 players, nine are Southeast Missouri high school products: Quarterbacks Bobby Brune (Cape Girardeau Central) and Mike Gross (Jackson); wide receiver Andy Dunaway (Cape Central); running back Mark Blissett (Sikeston); defensive ends Tatum Kitchen (Cape Central) and Kent Langston (Jackson); linebacker Tyson Gooch (Kennett); tight end Andy Cisne (Poplar Bluff); and offensive lineman Eric Carlson (Poplar Bluff).

Blissett and Gooch are listed as starters entering two-a-days. Brune, Dunaway, Kitchen and Langston are all second on the depth chart while Gross is third.

* Senior defensive back Isaac Powell has been honored as a 2000 Arthur Ashe Jr. Sports Scholar by the publication `Black Issues in Higher Education.' He was named to the football second team.

Athletes must have a cumulative grade-point average of 3.3 or higher to be nominated for the award. Powell, the leading returning tackler from last season with 80 total stops, has a 3.523 cumulative GPA.

* The Indians have virtually a brand-new coaching staff, save for defensive line coach Rory Segrest, the lone full-time holdover from last season.

Billings' first staff also includes offensive coordinator Russ Martin, defensive coordinator Mike Phillips, Shannon Morrison (defensive backs), Kip Shaw (offensive backs), Mike Chavez (offensive line) and Tony Joe White (tight ends/special teams).

"I feel very fortunate," said Billings. "This is one of the best coaching staffs I've ever been around. They have done a great job."

Graduate assistants are Jorge Munoz and Craig Knaak while student assistants are Jeremy Atwell and J.C. Kime. Atwell was an all-OVC linebacker for the Indians last season.

* Full-squad, two-a-day workouts for the Indians begin today and will continue until school starts Aug. 21.

The Indians' basic daily practice times during two-a-days will be 9:30 a.m. at the Rosengarten Athletic Complex fields and 4:30 p.m. at Houck Stadium.

Billings emphasized that the practices are open to the public and he said fans are welcome to come watch the Indians work out.

* The new FieldTurf playing surface at Houck Stadium has met with rave reviews by all the players and coaches. The artificial surface, which resembles grass, has allowed the Indians to practice at Houck on a regular basis, something that was not possible in the past.

"It's everything and more we thought it would be," Billings said. "It's by far the best turf I've ever been on. It's better than real grass."

* There have been some changes made for the Indians' radio broadcasts this year.

Erik Sean will be in his first season as play-by-play announcer on the network that includes K-103 in Cape Girardeau, KSIM in Sikeston and KWOC in Poplar Bluff.

Mike Legg, who has been the football play-by-play announcer for the past several seasons, will devote more time to his duties as Director of Sports Operations at Zimmer Radio, but he will continue to be the play-by-play announcer for Southeast basketball.