Since Tom “Coach Tuke” Matukewicz came to Cape Girardeau nine years ago to become head coach of the Southeast Missouri State University football team, he’s often talked in glowing — even reverent — terms about Tom Michael, his old high school defensive coordinator in Silver Lake, Kansas.

“(Michael) taught me how to be a man,” Tuke said. “In watching him, I saw how a husband should treat his wife and about the love of Jesus Christ. (Michael) gave me the confidence to go to college and chase my dream of being a college football coach. He believed in me before I believed in myself.”

Many who follow SEMO’s gridiron program are familiar with Tuke’s gratitude for his former mentor since being hired by the university in 2013.

“We never called him ‘Tuke’ — he was always Tom to our family,” said Michael, who vividly recalls the first time the two met. “Tom was a freshman and our son, Garrett, was too, and I took Garrett down to the weight program at the beginning of summer that year. Tom was at the front door to greet us, and he was so much bigger than our son that I thought he must be a senior. You didn’t have to tell (Tom) what to do on the field; he knew where to go and what to do, and it was amazing. He had a nose for the ball, and I just gave him a few pointers. Literally, (Tom) was a like a coach.”

Off the field, the young man SEMO players and fans now call Tuke struggled, Michael said.

“Tom didn’t have a lot of direction or structure at that time (but) he knew he wanted to be a coach at a very young age. By the time he was a junior, he was wanting to go to church and know more about the Lord, so it ended up he was at our house a lot,” Michael said.

Michael said profanity is not uncommon on the practice field, and he had to make it clear to Tuke such language would not be tolerated in his family’s home.

“I slapped him on the chest one time when Tom was swearing, and I think it was the first time he had ever seen anybody react that way,” Michael recalled. “I also had to kick (Tuke) out of practice once, told him to get off the field because he wasn’t leading the others the way I knew he was capable. I was more of a yeller in those days and could get right into a young man’s face when necessary.”

Southeast Missouri State University head football coach Tom Matukewicz prepares to lead his team onto the field at Houck Stadium for its Oct. 8 game against Tennessee Tech. Matukewicz, hired prior to the 2014 season, has led the 2022 Redhawks to first place in the seven-team Ohio Valley Conference standings.Southeast Missourian file

Michael said Tuke’s obvious football gifts were evident to anybody connected with the Silver Lake program.

“He was a first team all-state linebacker, and I wanted everybody around the team to know I was going to treat Tom the same way I treated everybody else. (Tuke) and I laugh about it now, but he wasn’t too happy with me back then,” Michael remembered.

Matukewicz said one of the many things that impressed him about his old defensive coordinator is Michael was willing to do whatever it took to provide for his family — even working at Hallmark Cards before coming to practice.

“Yes, I worked the night shift at Hallmark, would try to get some sleep during the day and then come to practice and do the best job I could with the boys,” Michael said.

The families remain close to this day.

“Linda Jo and I go down to Cape Girardeau to watch some of the games, and we stay with Tom’s family and (he) does the same when they come on out to Kansas,” noting Matukewicz’s wife and his two girls are “truly a blessing.”

One thing Michael wants now he knows his old football pupil is unable to give him.

“It’s a long drive down to Cape from where we live. These 1 o’clock games are tough — 6 p.m. would be better for us, but Tom’s not going to be able to do anything about that,” Michael noted with a chuckle. “Tom is a player’s coach, and when young men are recruited by someone like him they know he’s interested in their future, not just how they perform. I think (players) see that Tom wants them to be successful in life.”