The Southeast Missouri State football team's offense, which ranked seventh in the Ohio Valley Conference last season, will be looking to spread out the ball more this year under first-year offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Sherard Poteete.

Poteete joined the Southeast coaching staff after being the head coach for one season at Northeastern Oklahoma A&M.

Southeast only accumulated 1,666 passing yards last season when current starting quarterback senior Kyle Snyder split snaps with former Redhawks quarterback Scott Lathrop, who was dismissed from the squad for violating team policy.

Snyder played in seven games last year and won the starting job in camp, but shared starts with Lathrop all season. Lathrop started eight games for the Redhawks while Snyder only started four.

This offseason, Snyder battled with Central Michigan junior transfer Alex Niznak and ended up winning the job after he out performed Niznak in Southeast's final scrimmage on Aug. 16.

"I feel good," about naming Snyder the starting quarterback coach Tom Matukewicz said. "Really once we got Alex here also I felt good about either one. Whoever was going to win the job I felt good with and the biggest thing is if something were to happen, I don't feel like we should change."

Snyder will look to improve from his 2013 season by connecting with junior wide receiver Paul McRoberts, who was named to the 2014 Preseason All-OVC Football Team.

McRoberts lead the team in receiving last year with 44 catches, 646 receiving yards and five receiving touchdowns with catching five of his touchdowns in OVC play.

"I look to step up more and make big plays like I'm supposed to," McRoberts said. "Guys kind of lean on me more knowing that I am a returner and was the leading receiver. This is big and I like it. I like the role I have to play, so I'll lead by example.

Also returning to one of the starting wide receiving positions is senior wide receiver/return specialist Spencer Davis. Davis was the team's second leading receiver last season with 35 catches, 302 receiving yards and three receiving touchdowns.

"I was a captain last year and we got the leadership council this year, and I've been a part of that," Davis said. "I'm just doing what I can to help my team move forward with this program my last year, and I'm going out with a bang. That's all I can do."

Davis became the Redhawks all-time career leader in kick return yardage last season and has a total of 2,291 kick return yards in his career.

"You've got to tailor your offense to the players you got and I tell you what, we've got some really good running backs," Poteete said. "It doesn't matter what we do, we're going to have to run the football successfully. If we can run the football successfully it will open up our passing game, and we're going to be in more spread formations than SEMO's seen in the last few years."

Leading the rushing attack in the backfield this season for Southeast will be 2014 College Football Performance Awards Running Back Award Watch List selectee DeMichael Jackson.

Jackson became the starting running back last season as he rushed for 1,009 yards and scored four touchdowns on 170 carries.

Upperclassmen Lennies McFerren and Lewis Washington are playing behind Jackson. They added a combined 470 yards and two touchdowns to the rushing attack, which ranked third in the OVC.

The five men upfront on the offensive line this season for Southeast have started in a combined 52 games in their careers for the Redhawks.

Senior Corey Porter will be starting at left tackle after transitioning this offseason from center, where he started the last two seasons.

"It's gone pretty smooth," Porter said. "I've had my position coach working with me on some things to make the transition a lot easier for me, and I think he's helped me out a lot with that."

The other tackle position will be taken by senior Kyle Finney, who started in eight games at left guard last year.

Junior Travis Mable and sophomore Garret Baker will start at the guard positions. Mable has started 10 games at right guard in his career and Baker is coming off a season ending injury after he broke his leg on the first play of scrimmage against Southeastern Louisiana on Aug. 30, 2013.

Taking over at center for Porter will be sophomore Jake McCandless, who started eight games at right tackle last season.

"I feel like I got the best line in the OVC," Jackson said. "I got the best players blocking for me. With them guys giving their bodies out for me it's just making the job easier for me. With those guys putting in all that hard work I just feel like I'm doing the easy job just following them."