Tomco gets workout in shootout at EMU

YPSILANTI, Mich. -- Jack Tomco didn't like that Southeast Missouri State University fell behind Eastern Michigan by 11 points late in the third quarter Saturday night.

But Tomco did like the effect the 28-17 score had on the Indians' game plan.

With Southeast forced to play catch-up, the junior quarterback was given the go-ahead to air it out and threw on nearly every down during the Indians' next two possessions.

And Tomco delivered in a big way, his pinpoint passing leading consecutive touchdown drives of 80 and 73 yards in the fourth quarter that put the Indians ahead 32-28 and nearly carried them to an upset of the Division I-A Eagles.

EMU foiled those plans by scoring with 55 seconds left to pull out a 35-32 victory. But after the game, despite the disappointment of the loss, Tomco was excited about being involved in an offensive shootout.

"It was fun to throw the ball around like that," said the 6-foot-5, 230-pound junior-college transfer who assumed controls of Southeast's offense after Jeromy McDowell suffered a season-ending knee injury in practice following the opener. "I think we've shown we can play whatever style we want to play."

Tomco attempted just four passes in the first half Saturday and completed three for 58 yards. In the second half, he was 21 of 29 for 240 yards, making his final totals 24 of 33 for 298 yards and two touchdowns, with no interceptions.

"Jack really played well and he continues to get better every game," Southeast offensive coordinator Russ Martin said.

When Southeast signed Tomco out of Scottsdale (Ariz.) Community College, it looked like he would be hard-pressed to see much action since McDowell was coming off a record-setting redshirt freshman season.

But McDowell was hampered by injuries last year and Southeast's coaching staff wanted insurance just in case anything happened to McDowell. And something did.

Tomco looked shaky while playing most of the first half during a 42-41, double-overtime win over Division II Arkansas-Monticello in the season opener. He was better against Southern Illinois in the second game, hitting Willie Ponder on a 38-yard touchdown pass with 49 seconds left to spark a 21-14 victory.

Southeast's game plan against SIU, however, was fairly vanilla, with Tomco throwing mostly safe, short passes before the late, decisive drive.

But in the second half Saturday, after the Indians fell behind by two scores, Tomco displayed the strong arm that Martin and Southeast head coach Tim Billings have raved about.

"That's why we signed Jack, because you need more than one really good quarterback," Billings said. "He's just going to keep getting better. And we also have a lot of confidence in Jeff East, who is going to also be a really fine quarterback."

East, a redshirt freshman who is Tomco's backup, continues to see spot action when the Indians want to change things up and use more of an option look.

An impressive runner, East played one series Saturday and led the Indians on a drive that netted three first downs late in the opening half. He rushed for 15 yards and completed his only two pass attempts for 11 yards.

"Jeff came in and played well," Billings said. "He and Jack have different strengths, which can make it hard on the defense."

But it's Tomco who's likely to get the bulk of the playing time and he showed Saturday that he can keep Southeast's passing game humming smoothly without McDowell.

Even though the Indians suffered their first loss, Tomco said the way they hung with the Eagles should bode well for the rest of the year.

"We just kept overcoming them," Tomco said. "We lost, but I think we can build from this game."

Two trick plays

Since Billings took over Southeast's program in 2000, the Indians have been nearly flawless in executing well-timed, crucial fake field goals and punts, several of them helping spark victories.

But Saturday, the Indians came up on the short end of one such trick play by each team.

Late in the third quarter, with Southeast trailing 21-17 and facing a fourth-and-6 from the EMU 47-yard line, East was sent in to punt for Andrew Winters. It was a fake, but East was stopped for a 1-yard loss.

On the Eagles' ensuing possession, they started to line up for what appeared to be a 50-yard field-goal attempt, but then holder Troy Edwards -- also the EMU quarterback -- took a quick snap and threw a pass to Brett Wells, who apparently was not noticed near the sideline. Wells was wide open and scored easily from 32 yards out to put the Eagles up 28-17.

"Our fake didn't work and their fake did," Billings said. "The fake field goal was really a big play."

Noteworthy

About 50 Southeast fans made the trip to Ypsilanti for the game. Also there was McDowell, who had knee surgery Monday. He flew on his own to the game Saturday and was along the sidelines on crutches.

Southwest Missouri State, the Indians' next opponent, suffered its first loss of the season to a I-A team Saturday. The Bears lost 44-24 at Kansas.

mmishow@semissourian.com

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