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Southeast Missouri State University head coach Matukewicz cashes in on area talent
CAPE GIRARDEAU -- Though they reign as the biggest college in the area, the Southeast Missouri State University football program was known for not having much of a southeast Missouri presence.
First-year head coach Tom Matukewicz changed that perception in one day.
On his 50th day on the job, coach "Tuke", as he is normally called, signed a class of 22 players as part of National Signing Day for his first Redhawk recruiting class.
As of Wednesday, eight of those players are from the southeast Missouri area which is one of the largest regional hauls in recent years. Before Matukewicz, Southeast's last three recruiting classes signed just two local players combined. It was a conclusion to a promise made his first day on the job when Matukewicz said he planned to emphasize local recruiting.
"We're very excited," Matukewicz said at a press conference Wednesday afternoon. "This is a big day for us because it puts an end to a lot of really, really hard work. When I was first introduced as the head football coach here in the press conference, I publicly committed a statement about trying to keep local players here. Obviously that was a big commitment for me. I don't do that because I'm trying to win a popularity contest because believe me, I'm trying to win a football game. I'm trying to create a program, okay? But I understand the value of what local players do for us and what it did for us at other programs. And that's why we're doing what we're doing."
Caruthersville standout Darrell Monroe headlines the eight local players hand-picked by Matukewicz. Monroe, who is listed at 6-foot-2, 220 pounds, is considered a huge pickup for the Redhawks, who finished last season with a 3-9 record and has won three games in each of its last three seasons.
"I was excited that they wanted me," Monroe said. "All the coaches showed that they want to win and will do what it takes. They all have each other's backs."
Monroe rushed for 1,430 yards on 130 attempts (11 yards per carry) and scored 25 touchdowns. The senior, who led Caruthersville to the Class 2 quarterfinals this past high school season and the semifinals in 2012, will continue to play the same position under Matukewicz.
"A year and a half ago I was sitting in a 1-A [Toledo] looking at his film and going, 'Man, this dude is like Adrian Peterson.'" Matukewicz said about Monroe. "I'm not saying he's Adrian Peterson, so don't say that, but his speed to power and his ability to accelerate is off the charts, so that's where we'll start him. He's got good ball skills. We can get him the ball several different ways. The best thing I like about Darrell is just he's a competitor. Most guys that are that high-end will play down to their competition. They'll play down even though it's a little bit better, but he wants to dominate. That's the thing that I love about him."
Charleston's Demontrail Clark (5-9, 160) also inked with the Redhawks after a 5-4 season with the Bluejays. Clark, who boasts a 3.8 GPA, played both cornerback and running back for Charleston totaling 48 tackles, three interceptions and 900 rushing yards.
Clark, who is a preferred walk-on, is expected to continue his role as a cornerback and help the Redhawks in the secondary down the road.
"When I took the tour it was a great environment," Clark said about his recent visit to SEMO's campus. "He's a good coach and means what he says."
Clark admitted that before talking with Matukewicz he rarely followed Redhawk football, which plays it's home games just 46 miles away from Charleston.
"I knew they had a couple of bad seasons but I really didn't pay attention to them," said Clark. "(Matukewicz) sold me on bringing SEMO football into the spotlight."
Matukewicz, the former defensive coordinator at Toledo and former coach at Southern Illinois University, replaced former SEMO head coach Tony Samuel, who was fired in late November of last year. Matukewicz said he wasn't surprised by the amount of local recruits he was able to nab. He saw first hand the talent that was in the area during a recruiting visit while with Toledo.
"I knew right away there was some," he said. "When I was at Toledo a year and a half ago we actually were recruiting a local player, and so I knew way back when and obviously I've been in the region so I know what kind of talent is through here and that's why the very first day out on the road I did it."
One of Matukewicz's initial plans of action once hired was to start building solid relationships with area high school coaches. It was reported by the Southeast Missourian that the day after he was announced as Southeast's head coach, Matukewicz called about 10 local coaches to introduce himself and has tried to meet with as many high school coaches as possible.
"Really, I just want to thank a lot of people," said Matukewicz. "I want to thank a lot of the local coaches -- and I apologize, I really wanted to shake every single one of their hands. I lost four days because of weather, and that's critical, so I wasn't able to get in every single high school. I did the best I could, but I tell you I'm just so thankful that they're embracing what's going on and the enthusiasm and the momentum that's going on here on campus."
Three coaches he has met with are Jackson football coach Brent Eckley, Charleston football coach and Southeast Missouri Football Coaches Assocation secretary and treasurer Brett Blackman and Sikeston head football coach Kent Gibbs.
"One of the things he talked about was establishing a good relationship with local schools," current Southeast offensive lineman and former Sikeston football player Corey Porter said, who has met with Matukewicz on three separate occasions. "That doesn't mean every kid is going to be recruited, but he wants to know a lot of the area coaches and get a look at local kids to see if they have a chance. We're excited to have the new guys."
The bulk of local signees has immediately generated interest in Southeast football from high school coaches, players and fans alike. Many have expressed their appreciation for Matukewicz signing local players through social media and semoball.com message boards.
"I'm so glad they are hitting the area hard," one semoball.com poster wrote. "It makes me actually want to go watch."
"So happy to see that SEMO is getting so many of the talented SEMO area players!," said another.
Caruthersville head coach Nathan Morgan -- a SEMO alumnus -- told the Southeast Missourian the recent priority shown by Matukewicz to keep an eye on local talent has shown players that the possibility of playing college football at Southeast is real. It also gives local fans the opportunity to see their favorite high school player on a bigger stage.
"Not to knock SEMO by any means because I enjoyed it there. I still love that school, but all the coaches around the area always wondered how come such-and-such wasn't playing there or what the deal was," Morgan said. "I think part of it is the change with coach Tuke and his priority to the area and wanting to get the best recruits there, and then when you're able to get a guy like Darrell and I think the Clark kid from Charleston, maybe a couple others, it does seem like a possibility to the area kids, so they're obviously starting to want to go there, at least think about the idea of going there. I think it obviously makes it a better situation when the head coach has the want-to to recruit the area.
"I'm a SEMO graduate myself and I just know with the guys that care about (Monroe) around here, the players and everybody, it's just going to be a real quick trip to come watch him play when it's time for him to get his carries and things like that. I'll actually be able to make more than maybe one game every other year as opposed to if he was going farther away."
Along with Monroe and Clark, Hayti wide receiver Demetrious Luster signed with SEMO Wednesday afternoon as did Jackson running back Colten Proffer (5-9, 175), Cape Central offensive/defensive lineman Zach Stagner (6-1, 225), Valle Catholic running back Tyler Fallert, Poplar Bluff guard Nicholas Michel (6-4, 285) and his twin brother, tackle Quentin Michel (6-4, 225).
"That's the thing about these guys in the area is just their passion and their love for football," said Matukewicz. "And then the same thing is, 'Are they committed to getting a degree? Are they committed educationally? And they all passed that or they wouldn't have gone any farther. There were some big names in the area that we were able to get, but really they all make something bigger than just themselves, than one single individual. There's some names in there, but really it's about the 2014 class."