SE OFFENSE SPUTTERS IN SCRIMMAGE

In football, offense is supposed to be a positive term, something that generally results in a team putting points on the board.

But for Southeast Missouri State University's Indians, their offense during Saturday's annual spring scrimmage at Houck Stadium was anything but positive.

In short, the Indians' offense was, well...rather offensive.

"I was disappointed with our offense," said Southeast coach John Mumford after seeing his squad score no touchdowns until it was working goal-line plays from the 5-yard line. "We had moved the ball well during the spring but we didn't make it happen today."

"Our defense came out to play. Southeast can never lose this game, but our defense definitely did better. We kind of dug a hole at the 30-yard line."

In a scrimmage that lasted close to 70 plays and ended Southeast's spring workouts, the Indians' offense started the bulk of play from its 30-yard line.

But never did the Indians threaten the end zone. In fact, for much of the afternoon competition -- watched by a couple of hundred fans -- it didn't look like the offense was even there.

"I thought we'd be better offensively," said Mumford, whose squad faces a brutal schedule in 1999 after coming off a 3-8 record in 1998. "We didn't do as well as we'd done earlier in the spring. We had moved the ball well. I thought we'd be better offensively."

Any time a team goes against itself in a scrimmage, and one unit struggles, the question always comes up. Was the successful unit really good...or was the struggling unit just pretty bad.

Said Southeast defensive coordinator Charles Sabbatini, "We did all right. But we still have a lot of work to do."

According to press box statistics, the Indians rushed for just 26 net yards on 44 attempts and passed for 80 yards on 9-for-25.

Riki Smith, a senior tailback, led the way with 30 yards on seven carries. No other player was credited with more than eight yards.

Mindful that Southeast's offensive line has been banged up this spring, Smith said, "There wasn't a whole lot of room to run. But I think we'll be all right (in the fall)."

Starting quarterback Bobby Brune completed five of 16 passes for 34 yards.

Backup QB Mike Gross, who showed quite a bit of elusiveness, was 3-for-6 for 32 yards. Patrick McGuire was 1-for-3 for 14 yards.

Corey Chester and Marcus McKinley both caught two passes.

Touchdowns -- which all came from within five yards or closer -- came on two runs by K.D Koleosho and on passes from Gross to Jerl Huling and from Brune to McKinley.

Defensively, Brian Hinton came up with an impressive interception of a Brune pass and another highlight was when Ben Lowrance -- a walkon redshirt freshman out of Cape Central High School -- tackled Koleosho, stripped the ball and recovered it.

Jeremy Atwell, Demond Williams and Jason Moorehead were all credited with quarterback sacks.

The Indians are through with official workouts until fall practice begins Aug. 6.

Mumford's overall impressions of spring drills are that, "We improved in some areas but we still have a lot of work to do. We'll get some transfers in that will help."

An area of concern for the Indians is definitely the punting position. Justin Keen, who did all the punting last season as a true freshman out of Jackson High School, has decided to leave school following the semester.

Mumford said that Keen, also a standout basketball player at Jackson, has decided to pursue that sport at Columbia (Mo.) College, an NAIA school. Keen will transfer there next school year and join several other former Jackson High products on the basketball team.

"Justin said he just missed basketball too much," Mumford said. "He did a heck of a job last year and we definitely need to find a punter."

The Indians open the 1999 season Sept. 2 with a home game against Southern Illinois.