Wednesday news

Here's the OVC news papers around the league this morning:

The (Clarksville, Tenn.) Leaf Chronicle says Austin Peay State's 1-5 record hasn't got the players down. Emmanuel Yancey, a senior wide receiver for the Govs, has been reinstated to the team, the paper says. Yancey sat out the UM-Rolla game after an Oct. 1 arrest for DUI. The paper also carries a feature on APSU's team managers and videographers, who handle what are crucial duties for any football team.

The (Charleston, Ill.) Journal Gazette/Times-Courier says Eastern Illinois is trying hard not to look past historic OVC power Murray State, its opponent this week, to the next game against historic league doormat UT-Martin. How's that for a change? Tennessee State coach James Webster apaprently let loose on OVC game officials in Tuesday's coaches' teleconference. Webster believes his Tigers are being penalized frequently while their opponents are getting free passes. No action yet from the conference office, which historically has not looked kindly on coaches criticizing the refs.

The Richmond (Ky.) Register says EKU coach Danny Hope is concerned about one stat that's led to the Colonels' 2-5 record: the -11 turnover ratio. They gave the ball up three times to EIU last week, and paid for it with two Panthers touchdowns.

The Anniston (Ala.) Star (sorry, subscribers only) says Jacksonville State coach Jack Crowe is getting concerned about his offense, after a disappointing performance at Mississippi State. Star running back Clay Green was held under 100 yards for the second time this season.

The Murray (Ky.) Ledger & Times says Murray State coach is weighing carefully whether to play some freshmen who've been redshirted until now. Getting new blood on the field might help turn around the Racers' fortunes, but Griffin says he doesn't want to sacrifice the future, either.

The Southeast Missourian takes note of EIU's early lead in the conference, and especially its win over pre-season favorite Eastern Kentucky.

The (Nashville) Tennessean goes a little deeper on James Webster's beef with the refs. "It's one thing to not call penalties when there is an off-sides; it's another thing not to call a penalty when your players are being grabbed and slung around and then being blocked illegally and hit in the head," The TSU coach tells the paper.