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College Football Program Facing Backlash for 'Dangerous' Offseason Drill

Social media wasted no time disapproving of one program's practice habits.
Joe Cox|
The likelihood of significant injury has left social media critics taking shots at an FCS program.
The likelihood of significant injury has left social media critics taking shots at an FCS program. | Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

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Southeast Missouri State Redhawks

Football training methods can be unique and are subject to constant evaluation and changes from coaches. The defending FBS champions drew some notice for recently admitting a "less is more" approach to practice. But one particular program started drawing serious criticism for some training methods when a recent video hit social media.

Controversial Drill

In the video, a ballcarrier faces a trio of converging defenders who are all looking to lower the boom on a defenseless player without any blockers. This looks like a distant cousin of the legendary and now often-forbidden Oklahoma drill, in which a ball carrier gets lit up in similarly defenseless fashion. But the Oklahoma drill involved one tackler, who generally didn't get a huge start-- as opposed to three running defenders in the drill in question.

The drill was apparently being performed by players at Southeast Missouri State-- or SEMO for short. SEMO is off a 4-8 2025 season under veteran coach Tom Matukewicz. It's safe to assume that the Redhawks are looking to add some toughness to their program. But social media circles suggest that SEMO is more likely to add some significant injuries.

Coach Responds

Matukewicz has already heard enough criticism that he felt compelled to defend his program's practices in a recent interview. Matukewicz indicated that with 50 new players and several new coaches, "We need to make sure we understand who we are as a program." It's safe to say that social media was not impressed by the drill.

Social Media Takes on the Drill

Some criticism was thoughtul and reflective, like these comments from a former player on how SEMO might achieve better results without as much danger to its players.

Others cut to the quick, arguing that a drill like this would be dangerous even with the youngest youth league players.

A few hearty souls defended the drill, with many invoking the age old arguments that modern players are soft and old-time football players dealt with more physically adverse conditions routinely.

One commenter considered the "brick wall" analogy and dropped a cutting reply.

While spring football for a 4-8 FCS team is normally quiet, SEMO will certainly be receiving a bit more attention than before. How the Redhawks adapt to coach Matukewicz's old-school ways will be yet another 2026 season to watch.

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Joe Cox
JOE COX

Joe is a journalist and writer who covers college and professional sports. He has written or co-written over a dozen sports books, including several regional best sellers. His last book, A Fine Team Man, is about Jackie Robinson and the lives he changed. Joe has been a guest on MLB Network, the Paul Finebaum show and numerous other television and radio shows. He has been inside MLB dugouts, covered bowl games and conference tournaments with Saturday Down South and still loves telling the stories of sports past and present.

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