**• KANSAS JAYHAWKS (0-0) vs. SOUTHEAST MISSOURI STATE REDHAWKS (1-0) •**
*- 6 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 6, Memorial Stadium, Lawrence, KS -*
Three and out, with SEMO…
1st Down
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Before moving on to the match-up with Kansas, let’s look back at a couple of the more notable accomplishments from SEMO’s 77-0 season-opening victory over Missouri Baptist last week.
• With 77 points, the Redhawks posted their highest total in franchise history since joining Division I in 1991.
• Southeast notched its first shutout over a non-conference opponent in the program’s Division I era. The last shutout overall was at Austin Peay on Nov. 1, 1997 and tonight’s effort marked the third shutout Southeast has registered since joining the Football Championship Subdivision (formerly Division I-AA).
• The Redhawks racked up 516 yards of total offense, the most since totaling 537 yards at Murray State in 2012. Southeast rushed for 304 yards and posted eight rushing TDs. They averaged 7.6 yards per rush.
• Southeast set a team record by holding Missouri Baptist to 81 total yards of offense, shattering the previous low of 137 yards allowed vs. Sam Houston State (9/11/93).
2nd Down
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The Jayhawks aren’t the only ones interested in wild and new uniform combinations. First-year SEMO coach Tom Matukewicz, the former defensive coordinator at Toledo, recently unveiled a brand new helmet that it plans to wear for Saturday’s game against the Jayhawks.
Off white with the heavy red outline of the school’s mascot and red facemask, the helmet is basically the inverse of what the Redhawks wore in the season opener, black helmet with red and black Redhawk mascot.
There’s no doubt that these things tend to fire up the players. That’s certainly been the case at Kansas, dating all the way back to the red jerseys worn during the Orange Bowl seasons, the all-black look they wore against Iowa State a couple of years ago and the newly unveiled Crimson Chrome uniform that will be worn at some point this season.
Here’s a look at SEMO’s new helmet.
3rd Down
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Southeast Missouri State is 1-18 all-time vs. FBS opponents, with the lone victory coming via a 24-14 triumph over Middle Tennessee in 2002. Of those 19 games, just one came against a Big 12 foe, with Missouri rocking the Redhawks, 52-3, in 2008. Other notable names on SEMO’s FBS list include: Hawaii, Marshall, Ohio, Central Michigan, Arkansas, Cincinnati twice, Purdue and Ole Miss last season.
You can look at this two ways: 1. SEMO struggles with upper-level talent. 2. Because they’ve played FBS foes every year since 2000, they’re used to it and won’t be intimidated by this week’s Big 12 opponent.
Punt
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While SEMO quarterback Kyle Snyder returns to give the Redhawks a steady, veteran presence, it’s the players around him that make the SEMO offense dangerous.
Surrounded by weapons, Snyder has plenty of options in the offense, many of whom can turn innocent plays into big gains in a hurry. Snyder in the opener, showed he could make some plays, as well, running for two touchdowns and throwing for 198 yards and two touchdowns.
• Running back DeMichael Jackson (No. 20) had a huge game last week, accounting for 148 total yards, including a 66-yard touchdown on a screen pass and a 25-yard TD run.
• Paul McRoberts and Spencer Davis are the two biggest weapons at wide receiver, with KU coach Charlie Weis calling the 5-foot-7, 182-pound Davis “their big play guy.” Davis ripped off a career-best 61-yard punt return early in the victory.
• The Redhawks have a two-headed monster at tight end, with Logan Larson being your more typical tight end and Ron Coleman being a wildcard. Coleman is a converted running back and he lines up all over the field, at fullback, tight end, H-Back and others.
