Spring practice for the Southeast Missouri State University football team is underway but before it started the spring portion of the off-season, it had a training session with the National Guard.

Players were split up into their off-season teams and they would compete against each other in multiple drills that the National Guard uses to train their own members.

Some of the drills consisted of ground crawls, buddy carries, a log overhead press and even a truck pull.

"The most unique thing was pulling the truck," senior center Corey Porter said. "We did not know what the truck was for or anything when we first got there. Pulling the truck, it was probably the most unique and surprising drill."

First year coach Tom Matukewicz said that it was amazing how the players had been training for around eight weeks and that the National Guard broke them down so quickly.

"It was definitely the most difficult training session of pre-spring ball," Porter said. "It was difficult but we all enjoyed it though. We fight as a family and you know it's just not hard on you, it's hard on your teammates too."

Each team got five minutes at each station the National Guard had for them with only a minute or so between them. Everything was scored so each team could earn points with every drill.

"Training with the National Guard gave the players an opportunity to get outside their comfort zones," strength and conditioning coach Ryan Johnson said. "They need to be placed in environments in which adversity is apparent, as that will closely resemble games."

According to Johnson, it was a good change of pace for the players because it broke their regular training routine and it was a good way to finish up the off-season.

"They saw that big ol' truck out there and all those things, but a competitor loves any competition and once we told them it was going to be a competition, they were ready to roll," Matukewicz said. "There's a winner and loser in everything we do and the winners got these sweet camouflage backpacks."

The team has already been through six spring practices and will hold its spring game on April 26 at Houck Stadium.

This will be Porter's final season as a Redhawk and he said that he would like to go out on top for his senior year of football.

In Porter's three seasons at Southeast, the Redhawks have compiled a record of 9-25.

"I've been here for the three previous years and they haven't really been too great of years," Porter said. "Hopefully with the coaching change we can get a new formula together and have a winning season."

Porter has started in 23 games over the past two seasons at center for the Redhawks and has enjoyed these up-tempo practices that the new coaching staff has provided.

"We're not trying to dive in so quickly and change anything overnight," Porter said. "We realize it's a process and these coaches are patient with us. They're working us hard every day and getting us better one day at a time."

Matukewicz said that this team is currently a coach-led program but he's really hoping that it will be a player-led program.

"I'm trying to create a culture and right now it's fun to come to work," Matukewicz said. "I've got a bunch of guys just starving to do what it takes."

Matukewicz made a huge stride for his vision of the team being a player led program by creating the leadership council. Eight players are on the committee to encourage leadership both on and off the field.

This eight-man committee includes senior fullback Ron Coleman, senior wide receiver Spencer Davis, sophomore linebacker Roper Garrett, sophomore quarterback Blake Jackson, senior cornerback Reggie Jennings, senior linebacker Matt Starks and senior linebacker Wisler Ymonice.