The hype for QB1 has not faltered.

Senior Paxton DeLaurent was recently listed as the No. 8 returning quarterback in the FCS by HERO Sports. Along with that, the Camdenton product is receiving buzz across various outlets as one of the premier gunslingers in the country before the campaign kicks off this Saturday.

The SEMO offense will go where DeLaurent goes in 2024 and keeping him healthy may be the biggest point of emphasis entering the new year.

Last season, Southeast ranked fourth in the OVC in scoring (26.7 points per game) and proved solid in the red zone, ranking first in the conference by converting a field goal or better on 86.1 percent of trips inside the 20.

The bad news is that Matukewicz will have to replace some star power with three-time All-Big South-OVC running back Geno Hess and current Dallas Cowboy wide receiver Ryan Flournoy among the key departures.

This means that Southeast will turn to its veteran quarterback in DeLaurent, who suffered a season-ending shoulder injury against Tennessee Tech last October, to be the catalyst of the offense.

In seven games last season, DeLaurent completed 64.4 percent of his passes for 1,792 yards with 11 touchdown passes and just two interceptions. He was leading the conference in total offense prior to that final Week 8 game against the Golden Eagles.

“This is his team,” Matukewicz said. “Last year it was still kind of Geno and Lawrence (Johnson) and other big names in there, but unquestionably he is the face of our offense and our team.”

This offseason, DeLaurent worked on his mechanics, and he tweaked his arm action a bit to add more zip and accuracy to his passing game. He even attended the Manning Passing Academy this past June, working as a counselor to surround himself and pick the brains of some of the best quarterback talent in the country.

Now a fifth-year senior, DeLaurent also says that he bulked up to around 230 pounds and feels better than ever.

“We brought in a new strength coach, and he played baseball in college, so he really understands quarterbacks a lot and how to develop power but still keep you healthy, strong, and flexible,” DeLaurent said. “I think that should really translate to a healthy season this year.”

While keeping DeLaurent on the field is paramount, providing him with a solid supporting cast is equally as important.

Losing a bell-cow running back like Hess is significant, but Matukewicz says that there’s still quality depth in the backfield. Fifth-year Darrell Smith returns, and the team added junior college transfer Brandon Epton Jr. (Hutchinson Community College) and true freshman Payton Brown – an early enrollee who has created a lot of buzz since spring ball and is pushing hard for snaps.

“He’s come in and really done a nice job,” Matukewicz said. “We keep wondering ‘is he really that good?’ Because it’s a little quicker than we thought.”

Replacing Flournoy is an obvious tall order, but the coaching staff dug into the transfer portal and added depth to the wide receiver room. Jack Clinkenbeard is the top returning receiver after catching 27 passes for 315 yards in 2023. Despite only having two starts last season, 6-foot-7 Dorian Anderson returns and should expect a senior year target spike. Southeast added in several transfers, including Tristan Smith (Hutchinson Community College), who has impressed. All four tight ends are back as well, including returning starter Danny Joiner.

Three-time All-Big South-OVC center and 2022 Rimington Award winner (top FCS center) Zack Gieg will anchor the offensive line once again. Three other linemen return in right guard Kobe Sixkiller (14-straight starts), right tackle Jamarcus Hill, and left guard Rashad Turner. UAB transfer Jalen Nettles has turned heads all preseason and is slated to protect DeLaurent’s blindside at left tackle this fall.