Senior wide receiver Paul McRoberts set the career touchdown reception record for the Southeast Missouri State football team in its 44-15 win over Austin Peay on Nov. 7.

McRoberts passed former Southeast wide receiver Willie Ponder, who played for the team from 2001-02 and will be inducted into the Southeast Department of Athletics Hall of Fame in 2016.

McRoberts now has seven touchdown catches on the season, totalling 27 over the course of his career.

"It feels kind of normal," McRoberts said. "When people break records and do great things it feels phenomenal, but I'm here for my team and the love of the game. It's not about records, I love to win and play with my team."

With one game still remaining this season, McRoberts has set career-highs with 66 receptions for 813 yards this year.

McRoberts' production this season has mainly come while playing with freshman quarterback Dante Vandeven. Vandeven has started the past six games, and has thrown nine touchdowns, six of which were caught by McRoberts.

"It's great to be part of something like that; I feel honored," Vandeven said. "It's a really good accolade for him and something I got to do with him."

McRoberts has helped the offense develop with Vandeven behind center by being the go-to guy in the passing game.

"When things aren't there, Paul's there," Vandeven said. "He's an option for me if I go through all of my reads and come back to Paul, I can just throw it in his direction and he'll come down with it."

McRoberts' comfort with Vandeven has helped the young quarterback grow and play well in his first season.

"Paul's the best player on the team, and Dante has his respect," coach Tom Matukewicz said. "I think that's something that has really helped give him the confidence to go start as a true freshman."

McRoberts' play-making ability has been on display all season for Southeast, highlighted by his 44-yard catch against Murray State, which was rated No. 5 on ESPN's Sportscenter Top 10 plays. The following play was an eight-yard touchdown pass from Vandeven to McRoberts in the corner of the endzone.

"Sometimes we just have to get the ball to Paul," offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach Sherard Poteete said. "Paul makes plays, it doesn't matter if there's someone defending him or not. Some of the things Paul can do, he can just go up and make a one-handed grab, gives us a spark when he makes a play, and it's starting to become common around here."

McRoberts' work ethic and leadership has been as important to the team as his production on the field.

"It's no coincidence that Paul's a great worker," Poteete said. "He's the hardest working guy here on the offensive side of the ball, he's so good because he works hard at it."

Matukewicz thinks the influence McRoberts brings to the team motivates the other players to be better.

"He's got a great spirit and a real humble attitude with how he goes about his business," Matukewicz said. "His teammates really see his work ethic everyday and how he doesn't think he's better than anybody else. He just comes in to be a part of a team."

While he has always been a talented athlete, Poteete thinks McRoberts' hard work has helped his technique as a receiver.

"He's always had skills catching the football, but as he's gotten older his route running, secondary knowledge, reading defenses and those types of things have improved," Poteete said. "Those things have made him a better football player. He's running better routes now rather than just relying on his athletic ability. I think the sky's the limit for him because he works so hard and he's got a good head on his shoulders."

In order for McRoberts to continue to progress as a player and succeed after his time at Southeast, he knows he has to continue to work hard.

"I'm just looking to grow, I still do college-level stuff when I need to be ready to take my game to the next level," McRoberts said.