Southern Illinoise University Athletics
Football Preps for #12 Western Kentucky
11/12/2001 | 12:00:00 | Football
Nov. 12, 2001
CARBONDALE, Ill. - Note: An update on Coach Kill's status will be posted later this evening.
Defensive Coordinator Tracy Claeys
Coach Kill's condition: "They are doing some precautionary tests right now, and all of them have come back with nothing bad. Basically, they are trying to get his medication regulated, and he will be fine. His number one concern is the kids, and it always has been. The coaching staff will be fine. He will be back for the game. He is one very tough individual.''
Western Kentucky Preview: "They almost beat Wisconsin, so I guess that is where I can start. They are a good football team on offense. They are different in that they are a true option football team. They are going to line up with three backs. That is what makes them unique. We will have to be disciplined and aggressive. They are very talented, and it will be a big challenge for us. I worry about our speed. The other concern I have is getting pushed around on the inside.''
Offensive Coordinator Matt Limegrover
Western Kentucky Preview: "Based on what you can see statistics-wise and what they have done this year, they are an outstanding football team on the defensive side of the football. We feel like up to this point, probably as a team, they are the best defense that we have faced. They probably are the best and most physical secondary that we have seen so far this year. They are going to provide a little different wrinkle for us front-wise and the things they do defensively. They are going to play a different scheme which has me a little bit concerned with the different new guys we have in.''
"In the secondary, they are the fastest team we have seen as far as their corners and their safeties. Their linebackers are a little bit smaller than some of the other teams we have seen, the Northern Iowa's and SW Missouri's. They do a lot of things where they try to keep you off-guard. They really have four linebackers that are playing. Speed-wise, that is going to be a tremendous challenge for us, especially in their secondary.''
On status of backup QB if Madei Williams can't play Saturday "We would definitely like to keep the redshirt on Joel (Sambursky). That is a strong priority of ours. We will have to see how Madei is progressing, and really, that decision will come later in the week.''
"Joel has done a fantastic job in practice. The great thing about him is that, if Joel had to play, Joel has mentally prepared himself to play. We would not alter our game plan if Joel were to play.''
Lack of depth: "We started four freshmen, and within the first quarter a fifth one came into the game and had to play the rest of the way. Three were offensive lineman and two were wide receivers. The biggest thing that I can tell you on that is that those guys struggle and make mistakes and it alters a few decisions that you make, but at the same time it is so exciting because they are going to be that far ahead. They aren't going to be rookies when we start out next year. We have no choice, it isn't like we are sitting out a good or average senior to play a freshman. We are at a point right now where offensive line-wise and running back-wise, we just don't have any depth. I literally have one backup right now, and I have a redshirt that I have to get ready to play. I am very excited about our freshmen lineman. I think they could be as good as any freshman linemen in the conference, and they are only going to get bigger and better. I don't want people to think that we are giving up or caving in, we just don't have a lot of choices.''
